Will US Military Change Small Arms Again and Change Civilian Firearm Purchases?

Marine Anti-Terrorist Group practice fire

In 1985, the US military replaced the Colt M1911 .45-caliber pistol with the Beretta M9, 9mm NATO. Soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan complained about the lessened power of the 9mm compared to the old reliable .45ACP.

The FBI and several police departments have returned to the 9mm after finding that .40-caliber ammunition causes excessive wear in its service pistols; also creating frame damage in the popular Glock and Beretta firearms commonly used by law enforcement. Larger calibers, of course, like the .40 S&W and .45ACP make it harder to shoot accurately because of greater recoil than the 9mm/.38-Special.

Sig Sauer P226, 9mm

Ernest Langdon is a shooting instructor and competitive pistol shooter, working for firearm manufacturers like Beretta, Smith & Wesson, and Sig Sauer. He served 12 years with the Marine Corps, chief instructor of the Second Marine Division Scout Sniper School and High Risk Personnel Course. He has been a competitive shooter for 15 years, winning two World Speed Shooting titles. He stated:

I don't think anybody would argue that shot placement is the most important for terminal ballistics. Even though you say a .45 is better than a 9mm, it's still a pistol caliber. Chances are if it is a determined adversary, they are going to have to be shot multiple times regardless of the caliber. Many law-enforcement shooting incidents have shown this to be reality. I talked to a Chicago cop that shot a guy eight times with a .45 to kill him and that was a 230 grain Hydra-Shok. And that guy now carries a 9mm …he realized that handgun bullets suck. You have to shoot people a lot with a handgun.

Langdon, who trains personnel from all branches of the US military, FBI, Secret Service and other federal, state, and local law enforcement; did a cost-benefit analysis, and found:

We have got an old fleet of M9s right now; it's costing us more to replace and repair M9s that it would cost to go get a new handgun.

M1911A1 and M9

Special Forces personnel have begun to replace the M9 with the Sig Sauer P226 in .40-caliber. Some Marine Corps units have returned to using the M1911 .45ACP firearm that has been around for more than 100 years, serving in two world wars. Some have begun to carry the Glock 19, 9mm pistol.

Almost all of the newer sidearms have been upgraded with an integrated Picatinny rail for attaching accessories, along with heavier trigger pull.

Of course, anti-firearm, many who do not understand firearm design and technology, are wailing that citizens should not be allowed the same firearms that law enforcement and military use in regards to handguns. For them, no firearm will ever satisfy their fear-mongering policies because they want a nation where only the police and military have weapons.

As a side note, I present this video of Robin Williams who entertained the troops and supported their efforts in the fight against evil. ...