Twenty years ago, the US Department of Defense decided to replace the .45-cal M1911 handgun with the 9mm M9 Beretta as the standard-issue sidearm.
To say this decision was controversial is an understatement.
You will find plenty of defenders of the M9, such as this one, but also many, many critics. The critics say the M9’s 9mm bullet lacks the “knock-down” power to immediately disable a human being. If this human being is shooting at you, you’d also prefer a bullet that could make this person stop.
I give you the Air Force Future Handgun program, which has just entered the market survey phase. The air force says it “may specify” a .45-caliber round, which is larger than the 9mm and the same size used on the M1911 phased-out in the late-1980s.
The air force program comes several months after the army and Special Operations Command cancelled the Joint Combat Pistol program, which also sought to bring back the .45-calibre sidearm.
History may be repeating itself. Legendary Air Force Gen. Curtis LeMay kept interest alive in the Colt M16 rifle while the army hopelessly pursued the Springfield M14. Will the air force now usher the .45-calibre sidearm back into the inventory, with the army again forced to play follow-the-leader?
I solved the problem. I cary a 9mm
in my shoulder holster and a .45 compact in a behind the back belt holster. 16 rounds up top and 11 from behind. 27 rounds some one needs to look out.
Yeah, let’s bring back the .45 ACP… The round that bounces off even the cheapest Level I body armor. After all, all the good guys would ever wear kevlar, right?
And by all means, let’s pick a pistol with a 12 or 14 round magazine capacity. Everyone in the military wears extra-large gloves and can palm a basketball, after all.
What a bunch of BS I’m seeing posted here.
Stop being a whimp E boy. All the female Ofcrs on my Dept. carry 45 Calibre Autos and some are only a little over 5–2. And yes they are very good at hitting what they aim at!
10mm hands down!
With all this time they are messing around with the 9, .40 and .45 they could have mass maufactured 10mm by now.
The AFFH (Air Force Future Handgun) was intended to be bought in enough quantities to supply all the services, not just the AF. It was never gonna be another 1911.
They tried to take the lead after the Army’s Future Handgun System (FHS) was merged w the SOCOM’s Special Operations Forces Combat Pistol (SOF-CP) program into the Joint Combat Pistol (JCP) program. Army and SOCOM couldn’t agree on details, so the Army pulled out and it went back to the CP for just SOCOM again, then that was indefinitely postponed.
The AFFH has been shot down twice by Congress. Last time (May 07) they directed everybody get together w the AF or somebody else on another joint program. Rumours are the USMC is actually willing to work w the AF as long as it’s a 45. The Army is open to other things and still wants to call the shots, so it seems stalled.
At a demo at Kirtland AFB got to try the new HK45/HK45 compact, Glock 21SF, S&W M&P45, XD45, Px4/45, and FNP45. Liked the M&P45 the best of the bunch. YMMV. FWIW, I was in from 78–98 and was issued the M15, M1911A1, M9, and M11. CCW now w 1911 and M&P45.
There are those who want something new in 9mm, something new in something else, and those who want to save the money for other things. They are all jockeying for control.
Will be interesting to see if this goes anywhere, and who ends up taking it there.
need a glock 23sf sounds wonderful
I find it really interesting that in all of these postings buy such self professing experts, that I keep see this nonsense about “Knock Down” and body armor. Lets get one thing stright, no handgun in .45 or 9mm or of any other size will “knock down” anyone in body armor. If you had a handgun in your hand that could knock anyone over it would knock you down as well and what good would that do. If your advesary is wearing body armor, you can shoot him with a rifle and not cause that person to fall over. I have watched demonstations of body armor in which a hand gun (44 maq) and a rifle (308) was held point blank to the indiviual and fired, the individual hardly moved after being struck with the round. Most body movement after being hit is from the persons own body not the round hitting them. So is the .45 a better round than the 9mm? I would say yes, but is it the best round ever? I would say no. Can any one shoot a 9mm pretty much, a .45? not really. Lets be honest the .45 is a nice round and the 1911 is a great gun, but with the advances in technology it is not the round or the gun that is needed in todays world. There are several guns that are better, I would just like to see it made and designed in the US not else where.
It’s back!
10–Modular Handgun System
Solicitation Number: W52H0928APR08MHS
Agency: Department of the Army
Office: U. S. Army Materiel Command
Location: U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command — Rock Island
The Program Manager for Soldier Weapons (PM-SW) , on behalf of the US Air
Force, has a requirement for a nondevelopmental handgun. This effort will beconducted in three phases consisting of a Competitive Down-selection Phase, System Development & Demonstration (SDD) Phase, and a Full Rate Production (FRP) Phase. This Sources Sought Notice does not reflect a complete listing of all requirements for a Modular Handgun System.
Caliber, capacity, action TBD. Basically looking for a compact and full size handgun w manual safety to start.
A high pressure .40 that is light to carry and makes a big hole is what we want.
My glock 23 has served me well
show all kinds of caliber 45
I will put my .357 SIG against your 9’s and 45“s
Glock 31 15+1
Most of you readers would piss your undies if
confronted with a intruder in your home late at night.Doesn’t matter what type hand gun or shot gun you have, most likley your first shot will miss it’s mark. Best home protection is a big dog
they don’t get rattled and will eat ass.
I AGREE with everyone that mentioned training as THE key.
I spent 16 year in the U.S. Navy as an MM.
We (generally speaking) had no reason to qualify with firearms. We shot a 1911 in bootcamp in 1980(FamFire) which was chambered to a .22 , after that, the next time I had to go to a range was 1993. Luckily I grew up on a farm and hunted alot, so I had no probs with the quals, however it seems that I was an exception. I had to qual with the M-14, the 1911 and a 12 ga. (Mossberg 500).
We were then sent to a Medeterranian homeport. As Quarterdeck watch we were required to carry the .45. While I could qual with it on a combat course, but even some of the gunners had difficulty. The best decision came when the command decided to finally arm the watch with a shotgun. Face it, Lack of training was the key here. We shot yearly, not weekly, and who wants ACP rounds bouncing around inside steel walls? A shotgun with 00 buck was the best solution for narrow passages and to defend the brow which was 40′ off the water and only 3′-4′ wide X 40′ long.
Good afternoon. The only difference between a rut and a grave… is in their dimensions.
Thanks in advance. Yale.
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