British Army switching over to the Glock 17

[SPEMack618]

In all honesty, I think a Glock 17 would be a good general service sidearm.

Cheap, light weight, easy to use, nice big mag, reliable, simply manual of arms.

But for good or ill, the U.S. military likes external safeties for the masses.

Nyles, I'm guessing then that they were MPs.

They had that MP sense of "I'm watching you Trooper, regardless that you're in a different uniform" versuses that whole SOF "yeah, you know and I know I'm cool. We can be friends but I don't want to waste the effort right now" swagger of SOF dudes.

[Spartan198]

Originally Posted by SPEMack618

But for good or ill, the U.S. military likes external safeties for the masses.

The big green part of the US military, at least. Keep in mind SIGs and Glocks are quite popular with SOF units.

[Excalibur]

I remember reading an article a few years ago where a Green Beret unit was given permission to use the Glocks they've been picking up in Iraq and they got to customize the Glocks they keep confiscating.

[k9870]

whats the point of the glock 30s? I mean, glocks one big product is....fail?

When will they make a single stack 9 which people have been BEGGING for. Seems smith and wesson and springfield have the right idea.

[Yournamehere]

Originally Posted by k9870

whats the point of the glock 30s? I mean, glocks one big product is....fail?

When will they make a single stack 9 which people have been BEGGING for. Seems smith and wesson and springfield have the right idea.

I doubt they want to go into the R&D to make one since they don't feel the need to compete, both because they are so secure in the market and because of the stiff competition you've mentioned, as well as the offerings from Kahr and all the micro 9s coming out. What I want to see is all these companies, making gigantic fat double stack 20+1 service guns and then going to the opposite side of the spectrum and making slim, light single stack guns for micro carry, go balanced tier and make trim double stack guns with the slimness of the singles and a significant increase in capacity, around 12 rounds or so. There is very little good competition in this market niche, most of which are still pretty chunky like the Glock 26, hard to find like the 6906, or hard to find and expensive like the P7M13, and I know there's demand for it. If Kahr started making double stack K9s/P9s, I'd surely be a happy camper.

As far as the British's switch, it's interesting to see them go from a gun with a manual safety to one without though. Of course I still don't like safe action guns for duty use as I don't think they're that "safe" still, but if an operator, soldier or military bureaucracy weighs that next to ease of use, instruction and the tenth of a second faster one will be in deploying the weapon, go figure.

[predator20]

Originally Posted by Excalibur

I remember reading an article a few years ago where a Green Beret unit was given permission to use the Glocks they've been picking up in Iraq and they got to customize the Glocks they keep confiscating.

It was Glock vs M9 article from the 2011 American Handgunner Tactical Annual, written by Randy DeHay. Got them from corrupt police. Major grip modifications were done to them. Hey they were free.