The Marine Corps has officially started fielding its first new pistol in 35 years

[rangerrebew]

 

The Marine Corps has officially started fielding its first new pistol in 35 years

    Jared Keller
    Sep 22, 2020 3:49 PM EDT

The Marine Corps has officially started fielding the M18 service pistol to replace its existing arsenal of sidearms, the service announced on Tuesday.

The M18 is the compact variant of the striker-fired M17 that, based on Sig Sauer's P320, the Army adopted under the Modular Handgun System program in 2017.

The M18 will replace all other pistols in the Marine Corps inventory, including the M9, M9A1, M45A1 and M007, according to the service.

https://taskandpurpose.com/military-tech/marine-corps-pistol-fielding

[Elderberry]

Marine Corps fields first new service pistol in 35 years

American Military News by Matt Gonzales 9/22/2020

https://americanmilitarynews.com/ai/marine-corps-fields-first-new-service-pistol-in-35-years-2/

How M18 differs from M9

The M18 comprises capabilities previous pistols lacked. For example, the M9—the most widely issued pistol among Marines—is a steel-framed, single-action/double-action hammer-fired pistol. This means it is a heavier, metal gun with two different trigger pulls for single- and double-action.

Conversely, the M18 is lighter and does not include two different trigger pulls.

“For some Marines, having two trigger pulls, like with the M9, is difficult to get used to because different forces are acting upon the gun,” said Sgt. Randall McClellan, pistol program manager with the Weapons Training Battalion aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. “With the M18, the trigger is going to be the same weight every time.”

The M18 has increased modularity when compared with previous pistols. The gun includes interchangeable components to fit small, medium or large hands. It comprises a receiver module inside the pistol grip that enables Marines to remove the trigger mechanism and insert it into a new grip size, said Nelson.

The weapon also includes an accessory rail that enables Marines to attach lights or lasers underneath.

“Marines can attach more things to the M18, such as a red-dot sight, once approved for use,” said McClellan. “The modularity and ergonomics of the gun benefits the warfighter, as they can change parts out more easily.”

More at link.