Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Next military pistol, who do you see are the top contenders?

Other than the MK 23 abomination H&K made for the US and sold in very small numbers, I'm not aware of any real serious military contracts that H&K has ever won for their pistols. Everything has been small numbers of guns to very small organizations. The P7 was used by W. German police along with the Walther P1 & P5, and Sig P6. That's about the biggest H&K contract that I know of and it was shared with 3 other pistols (mostly 2, I don't think many cops in W Germany carried the P5).

Back in the '70's there were various special ops units around the world (mostly in Europe) that used the H&K P9S, but that didn't last long.

You call the MK 23 an abomination? A reliable extremely accurate combat offensive pistol. WOW. The MK 23 was designed to meet requirements of the spec ops group and did just that.

It fulfilled it's purpose, but I sure the hell wouldn't want one.

The Mk 23 was relevant in the days when suppressors didn't have a Nielson device, and the MK 23 was a decent solution to that problem. But today, it's just a freakishly huge pistol that doesn't do anything special.

The USP9 is the German military P8 pistol.

while the HK p7 M13 is positively my very favorite semi auto rig by far--reliable and fast in the extreme--in my view it is not a pistol suited to military use and those specific environments.

it was originally designed for police usage (german p-5, p-6, p-7 candidates), and those specific environments, which are fairly "clean" environments by contrast to military settings. due to how parts within the pistol move--ie., parts actually sliding against each other, fine dirt, sand, or water--water which is well on its way to becoming ice--will definitely cause issues in those rugged combat environments...

in the 9mm vs. .45 auto debate, when distilled down to a military setting and subsequently using fmj in the battle fields, the .45 is a superior choice in my view.

therefore, in my estimation, the "ancient" HK USP .45 auto would surely make for a top shelf military rig. hammer fired, sporting second strike capability--well proven over the past 19 years. this is surely a rig that can really apply the horsepower to readily ash-can adversaries--all in a comfortable, tidy package...

Kevin,

Wrong,
Glock did not stand a chance because they did not submit any pistols for the XM9 Service Pistol Trials. Gaston allegedly withheld his pistol as He (His company) was not guaranteed manufacturing rights.

The Pistols in the trials besides the Sig and Beretta, were the HK P7M13, S&W 459M, Walther P88, Colt SSP, FN-Herstal BDA, and Steyr GB.

Jerry

Are they finally getting around to it? That's good news for both German and H&K.

I guess I mis-remember. I do recognize the list of pistols, but I thought Glock was given consideration rather late in the program. You could be right.

I think the Border Patrol carries them.

I don't know if that's more or less than the W German PoPo.



Travis

Getting around to it? They adopted it in 1994.

Clearly I haven't followed that too well. I recall when they adopt it, and then I recall the entire program being put on indefinite hold due to a lot of parts breakage (safety levers mostly). And I've seen photos with German troops carrying the G-36 and a P1 in the holster...So I just figured they never did get around to it. Glad to hear they did. I always liked the USP's.

The last I saw the standard issue pistol of the Border Patrol is an enhanced version of the Beretta 96, firing 40 S&W

You could be right.

But I think I read somewhere that they carry the P2000 now.



Travis

I think my favorite H&K so far is the new VP9. I�ve now had 2 opportunities to shoot one and all I can say is I want one. Typical of H&K they�re damn accurate and ooze quality. Ergonomics wise it�s about the best feeling double column gun I�ve felt since the Browning Hi Power. Trigger is good, sights are good. And while I don�t much care for the mag release, it never caused a problem. And I'd prefer traditional rifling to polygonal, but that's just a personal preference kind of thing; not something that would ever keep me from buying one. If that�s the one that H&K puts in the running for the new service pistol, it�s going to be very tough to beat.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Border_Patrol#Weapons

The Beretta 96's are being replaced by HK 2000's according to this source

CBP has been using the HK 2000's for a few years now!

CBP? Canadian Border Patrol?

U.S. Customs

I think that they just might go right back to Beretta and 9mm...wouldn't that just figure?

I think that's the likeliest outcome, Desertrat. Because these Army requirements and competitions become a soup-salad even before Congress gets involved. The best tool for opening a can is a can opener. But the Army specs are for a Swiss Army Knife.