Beretta M9: A U.S. Army Legend For a Reason
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By Caleb Larson
December 01, 2020
Beretta’s M9 was introduced during the Reagan era in 1985. It replaced the iconic M1911, which had been in service for nearly eight decades. Though the M1911 had a reputation for reliability, and excellent stopping power thanks to the large .45 ACP cartridge it was chambered in, it suffered from low magazine capacity, necessitating a replacement: the Beretta M9.
Though the M1911 had mostly been phased out by the 1990s, one notable exception was the United States Marine Corps, which retained specialized versions of the M1911 platform for some reconnaissance units.
Partially necessitating the switch from a larger, more powerful M1911 to the compact M9 was NATO’s selection of the 9x19mm cartridge as their standard-issue handgun cartridge. In addition, the Department of Defense wanted to simplify weapon logistics by selecting a common pistol for use with all service branches.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2020/12/01/beretta_m9_a_us_army_legend_for_a_reason_651428.html
