*Updates are in RED*
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*There is no particular order to this list. I will not pick favorites*
- Springfield XD - While I love a good all-metal design, I feel like the next generation pistol will favor polymer, mainly due to weight, ergonomics, and ease of production. The XD is similar to a Glock because of it's cult following. Not so easy on the eyes, but it offers many different models and calibers to choose from and includes an added safety feature that the Glocks don't have. I personally am not a huge fan of the XD, but it meets the specified requirements - all without breaking the military budget.
- UPDATE: The Springfield XDM 9mm and .40 is currently being tested
- Smith and Wesson M&P - Again, another pistol with adaptable ergonomics and slender frame. Comes in a variety of calibers and models. you can get these pistols with or without the frame-mounted safety. Either way, it is a very small safety that won't get in the way. Trusted by police forces all throughout the nation.
- UPDATE: The M&P .40 is currently being tested
Beretta Px4 Storm - In the early 2000's, Beretta released their second full-sized pistol. Primarily for the purpose of becoming the next military sidearm for the now-defunct Joint Combat Pistol program. With it's polymer frame, interchangeable back straps, accessory rail, and adoption by numerous police forces in the U.S., the Px4 is building a solid reputation as a great all-around gun. It is a little thick, but its large, beefy external safety is not a mandatory option.- UPDATE: No longer in consideration. Originally to be carried over from the Joint Combat Pistol trials, but it appears that the military wants a hammerless design.
- Glock - I cannot give an exact model that would be used, but I still believe that the military would value the capacity of the 9mm over a 45. So maybe a Glock 17 or 19? A valued feature of the Glock would be how flush the gun sits. It is a very "snag-proof" design. And now the 4th generation pistols have the ability to swap out the back straps. The biggest issue with the Glock is that soldiers will not have the ability to tinker with the gun to make it "perfect," therefore I feel like many military Glock fans would be upset with this.
- UPDATE: The Glock 17 and 22 Gen 4 are both currently being tested
H&K 45c - Already used by several branches of the military. This has everything you could want in a new pistol design, including the long sought-after 45 caliber bullet. However, the price tag will be this weapon's downfall. I'm sure it'll be less under military contract, but I can't imagine the military paying close to $1,100 per handgun.- UPDATE: No longer in consideration. H&K instead submitted their VP9 and VP40 instead of the 45c
- FN Five-Seven - I am adding this to the list only because it was designed to not only meet the requirements of the new military sidearm, but also be an alternative to the 9x19 NATO round. I feel like if the gun didn't cost an arm or leg to buy, our soldiers would already be carrying this weapon. The Five-Seven uses a unique cartridge, the 5.7x28 mm. It is a long and skinny round, designed to act like a rifle caliber, but for a pistol. It holds 20 rounds and has greater effective range and stopping power than a 9x19 NATO round. After holding this weapon, you can tell that this gun was built around ergonomics, it's possibly one of the most comfortable pistols I have ever felt.
- UPDATE: Status unknown. FN has reportedly entered a striker-fired design, but they have not officially announced a model or caliber. Could still be the Five-Seven...
- Beretta APX - Beretta has finally done it. After years of criticism of not making a striker-fire pistol, they finally have an answer. The Beretta APX. This pistol falls right into the "no external safety, split trigger, polymer, striker-fire" category. Price hasn't been announced yet but we could probably expect that it falls around the $600 mark. It's a little late to the game, but maybe it'll get some military consideration. Only time will tell.
- UPDATE: Still in consideration. Both in 9mm and .40
FN FNP - The FNP is right there with the H&K 45c when talking about look and feel. But it's a little more reasonable when it comes to price. And talk about options! This pistol comes in about as many configurations as you can imagine. I feel like the military could have a field day just building what they want. This is one of the few pistols that have replaceable frame rails that allow it to be rebuilt after extensive use. This will drastically increase the gun's service life and end up saving money.- UPDATE: Probably no longer in consideration. This was a good option before I knew about the apparent striker-fire only rule.
BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!
Since I wrote the last article, there are several new contenders to recognize. I'll give a one sentence opinion on each:
- Sig Sauer P320 MHS
- I love this gun, I could see this winning easily.
- CZ P-09 MHS
- Great gun! Cannot argue with this option. I feel that the only thing that could hold the CZ back from winning would be the overall size - it's rather large.
- STI-Detonics Defense STX
- Another attempt to go back to 1911. Do we want that?
- Taurus PT24/7 OSS
- I just don't see it passing the NATO endurance tests. Sorry Taurus.
- Walther PPQ M2
- Good option, but for some reason it's not compatible with standard PPQ mags already in production. Strange move on Walther's part.
I am also a little surprised that the military is conducting tests with the .40 S&W variants of the pistols. Especially after the FBI studies on the reduced lifespan of service weapons.
I won't go into too much detail about each gun in consideration at the moment, but if we get a confirmed short-list of options, you better believe I'll have a lengthy opinion on the matter.
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