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I really think if the military issued compact pistol to their troops, it would be very few. Why would they need to....they don't need to conceal their guns...Ha!

But if the manufacturer also makes compacts for civilians of the same full sized models that are being issued, I'd like to know what makers of autoloading pistols they are being issued.

Does anyone know, please?

The standard issue sidearm for the Military is the Beretta M9, a 92FS.

Also issued is the Sig Saur. The HK MK 23 .45 is issued to some Special Forces units, and a Kimber 1911 is issued to the Marine Expiditionary Units.

I imagine there are several othes as well

thanks, txinvestigator

Was the S&W M&P named that out of wishfully thinking by the company, or are they issued those too?

Does anyone know?

daddySEAL wrote:thanks, txinvestigator

Was the S&W M&P named that out of wishfully thinking by the company, or are they issued those too?

Does anyone know?

Smith has named MANY handguns the M&P. I have a early '70's model 10 revolver called M&P.

Smiths are not issued to the military, AFAIK.

txinvestigator wrote:Also issued is the Sig Saur.

Neat...I know they are advertised with a military theme, but did not know they actually issued them.

I guess that explains the Sig "Navy" model?

They are great guns....I must buy another one someday.

Jason

daddySEAL wrote:I really think if the military issued compact pistol to their troops, it would be very few. Why would they need to....they don't need to conceal their guns...Ha!

Actually, there are military members who carry concealed weapons. I know this because I did so for almost eight years in the military. The crummy part about that is that the military didn't want to buy compact versions of sidearm-sized pistols - the type that would be more suitable for CC. It's not easy to conceal a Beretta.....

PhilR.

txinvestigator wrote:

daddySEAL wrote:thanks, txinvestigator

Was the S&W M&P named that out of wishfully thinking by the company, or are they issued those too?

Does anyone know?

Smith has named MANY handguns the M&P. I have a early '70's model 10 revolver called M&P.

Smiths are not issued to the military, AFAIK.

As I understand their history, the Smith revolver was named the M&P before they started numbering the models instead. It was at times issued to the military, at least some were. In the 70's when I was an MP, the females were issued M&P (Model 10) revolvers in .38 special.

I believe the current M&P is marketing more than factual, but I cannot say for certain. Some departments (mine right now) do issue the M&P as a duty pistol, though I know of no one that issues the rifle they make yet (Bushmaster seems to be the general police choice right now, at least in Texas).

There was a pair of Air Force OSI officers at a training course I attended last month. They were toting what appeared to be compact SIG-Sauers in 9mm, I believe it was the P228. They did the entire course from open carry holsters with retention devices, however they said they frequently carry them concealed when working plainclothes. They preferred Glocks, by the way.

On Smiths:

Only special units AFAIK, never as a standard sidearm in any large quantities or recent memory.

In VN, some SEALs were issued a Hush Puppy, which was a Smith:



I also know some Marine Security Guards (Embassy Security) were issued Smith revolvers.

PhilR. wrote:

daddySEAL wrote:I really think if the military issued compact pistol to their troops, it would be very few. Why would they need to....they don't need to conceal their guns...Ha!

Actually, there are military members who carry concealed weapons. I know this because I did so for almost eight years in the military. The crummy part about that is that the military didn't want to buy compact versions of sidearm-sized pistols - the type that would be more suitable for CC. It's not easy to conceal a Beretta.....

PhilR.

A lot of soldiers carry them concealed because their BN CDR will not let them carry sidearms as well as their issued rifles. A G26 would be a perfect BUG for any soldier and could be carried just about anywhere.

Renegade wrote:I also know some Marine Security Guards (Embassy Security) were issued Smith revolvers.

A colleague was a Marine Security Guard once upon a time in Prague. They were issued, and required to carry at all times when outside the embassy in plain clothes, Smiff .357 revolvers.

The military will sometimes have weapons that are issued in VERY limited numbers and it's not always for guys working super-secret, scuba-ninja squirrel missions in Special Operations. I worked with a guy who in a previous life, had spent several years in the Army transporting beans and bullets. He said that during one rotation to the Gulf in the early 1990's he and his fellow Joe's were issued Smith and Wesson auto-loaders in .45ACP to guard cargo on the docks while it was being transferred to Navy ships. Those had to have been some version of the S&W 4506 but he couldn't remember much about them.

Additionally, I hadn't noticed anyone mentioning the small S&W J-frames still occasionally carried by aviators and pilots. There have been two Sig pistols issued that I know of. Some military police as well as DICS, NCIS and other criminal investigative "agencies" within the Department of Defense have carred the M11 (Sig 228 if I remember correctly) and I swear I've recently seen one of these guys carrying an HK USP Compact in Downtown Houston. The other pistol we all know is the P226 which is often used by some of the Navy’s underwater demolition teams but I’ve heard there are other less famous units that have used this pistol on occasion.

FWIW, I know the US Gov't did recently buy a bunch of S&W M&P pistols. I believe however, those pistols and a bunch of Glock 19s were for issue to the Iraqi police and Iraqi army personnel being trained by our soldiers. As previously mentioned, some units do still issue 1911s. Most of the time, we hear about the Special Operations groups but I’ve talked to more than a few regular grunts who recently returned home that had been issued 1911s. Of course, most of these guys were working in roles where their primary weapon was something other than an M16/M4 such as the poor guys saddled with carrying mortars or even young scout/snipers.

Very Interesting, guys.
Thanks for the info....I would have thought Glock would be mentioned more often.

thank you all.

WOW - Things have really changed since I was a Marine Security Guard (early 60's in Haiti). Back then it was a Smith .38 revolver that was not issued to the individual. When you went on duty you just exchanged weapons with the guy going off duty. Never could carry off the property of the embassy.