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posted by cmn32480 on Saturday October 24 2015, @04:44AM   Printer-friendly
from the death-with-accessories dept.

After 30 years in use, the US Army's official handgun, the Beretta M9 pistol, is being retired and AP reports that firearms manufacturers are competing for a rare chance to sell the US. Army a new handgun that would replace the current Cold War-era model. Critics say the M9 is too bulky for small-handed shooters, troops who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan complain it's not as hard-hitting as they would like, and it can't easily accommodate the accessories now common in the civilian firearms market, such as swappable gun-sights or gun-mounted lights. "It's a little one size-fits-most" says Rodney Briggs.. "It's been around for a really, really long time, and it's just old and outdated."

The US Army has a lengthy list of requirements. Among them, it wants a handgun with an adjustable grip that can easily fit large or small hands. That way, shooters don't have to adjust their grip mid-fight to operate hard-to-reach buttons or levers. The gun should accommodate sights that make it easier to shoot in low light. It should have a rail on which soldiers can easily attach additional equipment, like infrared pointers. The military also wants a gun that can be equipped with a suppressor, which muffles the sound of gunshots. Beretta intends to enter a new pistol called the APX into the competition. The new gun is a major engineering departure from the M9. It has a polymer frame like more recent handguns and can meet the Army's other requirements.

Beretta has publicly complained that the government never formally requested efforts to improve its M9, which the company said is a standard procedure for upgrading platforms. "If you look at the history... for a variety of weapons, you'll find all along we'll have used spiral development, product improvement. Where was the requirement they notify prime contractor with an opportunity to fix the problem?" says Howard Yellen, a military adviser for Beretta.


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  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by gman003 on Saturday October 24 2015, @05:08AM

    by gman003 (4155) on Saturday October 24 2015, @05:08AM (#253921)

    We've been using the M16 or a derivative since Vietnam. Every competition to find a replacement has been canceled or resulted in "no significant improvements found" (which is a load of crap, because almost anything would be a measurable improvement over the M4A1).

    The ACR was deemed a dead end, and canceled. The XM8 got canceled (and H&K kept developing it, selling for export). OICW was canceled after field trials. Individual Carbine was terminated without results. We've been looking since the 70s for a true replacement, and haven't committed to one yet. Meanwhile, we're stuck with an unreliable, inaccurate, overpenetrating piece of junk.

    The M9 isn't the greatest pistol, but it works. It was picked over better ones because it was proven technology, and now that the other technologies have proven themselves, we want to get them. Fine. But if you can afford to iterate on your secondary weapon, you can certainly afford a substantial upgrade to your primary weapon.

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  • (Score: 1, Insightful) by VortexCortex on Saturday October 24 2015, @10:42AM

    by VortexCortex (4067) on Saturday October 24 2015, @10:42AM (#253963)

    We've been looking since the 70s for a true replacement, and haven't committed to one yet.

    Correction: Manufacturers have been looking for the right political contact w/ kickbacks to oust the existing deal and forge a new contract.

    Also, I know it hurts to admit, but there are subversive agents in the US government that do not want a strong & well equipped US Army. Just look at all the HR-tier SJW shit policies, damn, what the fuck?

    But if you can afford to iterate on your secondary weapon, you can certainly afford a substantial upgrade to your primary weapon.

    It'll happen eventually. Just be careful what you wish for. You really don't want to end up with the F-35 of rifles...

    • (Score: 1) by deadstick on Saturday October 24 2015, @02:03PM

      by deadstick (5110) on Saturday October 24 2015, @02:03PM (#253983)

      Also, I know it hurts to admit, but there are subversive agents in the US government that do not want a strong & well equipped US Army

      Seriously? Undermine an army that has tanks, artillery, missiles and air support by making its pistol hard to handle?

      • (Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Saturday October 24 2015, @06:00PM

        by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Saturday October 24 2015, @06:00PM (#254047) Journal

        Seriously? Undermine an army that has tanks, artillery, missiles and air support by making its pistol hard to handle?

        I don't buy that so-called "SJW" are even aware of military procurement practices, but if you're going out of your way to sabotage design for tanks, artillery, etc, then why turn your nose at the pistol too?

        Here, the problem just seems to be run of the mill human greed combined with a near lack of adult supervision. I have a feeling that a century or two from now, the US's procurement practices will be seen as being a large contributor to some future ignominious defeat.

  • (Score: 3, Informative) by tathra on Saturday October 24 2015, @11:03AM

    by tathra (3367) on Saturday October 24 2015, @11:03AM (#253967)

    Meanwhile, we're stuck with an unreliable, inaccurate, overpenetrating piece of junk.

    unreliable and inaccurate? since when? i've never had my own, properly-maintained M16 or M4 misfire or jam, even in the middle of the desert (use graphite lubricant and keep your dust cover closed), and never had any accuracy problem with anybody's weapon after adjusting it to my zero. the only accuracy and reliability issues i've ever seen were problems with the user, not the weapon.

    • (Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Saturday October 24 2015, @03:48PM

      by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Saturday October 24 2015, @03:48PM (#254006) Homepage Journal

      Ditto. They work juuuuust fine. Even with bad eyesight in my right eye I could pop the 300M targets better than half the time with my properly zeroed A3.

      --
      My rights don't end where your fear begins.
    • (Score: 4, Insightful) by darkfeline on Sunday October 25 2015, @01:07AM

      by darkfeline (1030) on Sunday October 25 2015, @01:07AM (#254168) Homepage

      That's like saying a fountain pen, properly maintained, works fine in modern battlefield environments.

      One reason why the AK-47 line of rifles is popular is that they can take abuse and still work. If your gun requires proper maintenance and high-quality ammunition in other to not malfunction, it's not going to work well in situations where high quality ammunition and proper maintenance is unavailable.

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      • (Score: 2) by tathra on Sunday October 25 2015, @06:14PM

        by tathra (3367) on Sunday October 25 2015, @06:14PM (#254392)

        so your complaint about the M4 is that it uses different ammunition than some other assault rifles and that it has to be cleaned every once in a while?