Army boss takes aim at bureaucracy over sidearms

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randy
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Re: Army boss takes aim at bureaucracy over sidearms

Post by randy »

JAG2955 wrote:
Langenator wrote:I have yet to hear of any major mechanical issues with the M9, except for the magazines (which I think has been fixed), as long as the springs are replaced at proper intervals.
Cracking slides and cracking locking blocks.
To be fair, the reports I saw on this issue in the late 80's (amazing what kind of stuff shows up in your In Box when you have "weapon" in your job title :D ) that was supposedly related to high volume shooting in a short period of time (i.e. SEAL teams training) using very hot loads.

Haven't heard if the issue has persisted for weapons used in a more normal usage rate with standard pressure ammo.
...even before I read MHI, my response to seeing a poster for the stars of the latest Twilight movies was "I see 2 targets and a collaborator".
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randy
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Re: Army boss takes aim at bureaucracy over sidearms

Post by randy »

g-man wrote:Nota Bene: Press your thumb against the side of the slide above and to the rear of a M9 safety. Holding same against the slide firmly, slide down and forward, as though you are disengaging the safety of a 1911. Your thumb will catch the angled rear edge of the M9 safety, and pivot it up, thus disengaging it. Yes, the thing is designed all ass-backward, but using the same thumb motion produces identical results.

I should really post a Youtube about that at some point...
I've heard of that before, but never had to practice it as the only time I was issued a side arm it was a .38 revolver and my personal pistols (except for the Glock) all have properly functioning safeties as designed by JMB (PBUH)
...even before I read MHI, my response to seeing a poster for the stars of the latest Twilight movies was "I see 2 targets and a collaborator".
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JAG2955
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Re: Army boss takes aim at bureaucracy over sidearms

Post by JAG2955 »

randy wrote:
JAG2955 wrote:
Langenator wrote:I have yet to hear of any major mechanical issues with the M9, except for the magazines (which I think has been fixed), as long as the springs are replaced at proper intervals.
Cracking slides and cracking locking blocks.
To be fair, the reports I saw on this issue in the late 80's (amazing what kind of stuff shows up in your In Box when you have "weapon" in your job title :D ) that was supposedly related to high volume shooting in a short period of time (i.e. SEAL teams training) using very hot loads.

Haven't heard if the issue has persisted for weapons used in a more normal usage rate with standard pressure ammo.
It has. I saw some broken locking blocks. Never did see a split slide though.
TheArmsman
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Re: Army boss takes aim at bureaucracy over sidearms

Post by TheArmsman »

I ran the rifle/pistol range at MCAS Yuma, 1990-1992. Saw first hand the back of a M9 slide break off and hit the lateral edge of the orbital socket. She was lucky she did not lose the eye. I can shoot the hell out of one, but still do not like the way the fit in the hand. And never heard of the magazines getting any better.
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Vonz90
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Re: Army boss takes aim at bureaucracy over sidearms

Post by Vonz90 »

TheArmsman wrote:I ran the rifle/pistol range at MCAS Yuma, 1990-1992. Saw first hand the back of a M9 slide break off and hit the lateral edge of the orbital socket. She was lucky she did not lose the eye. I can shoot the hell out of one, but still do not like the way the fit in the hand. And never heard of the magazines getting any better.
Crap happens when firearms are fired a lot. The bolt on my M4 disintegrated when I shot it the first time (when training for my A'stan deployment).
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308Mike
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Re: Army boss takes aim at bureaucracy over sidearms

Post by 308Mike »

Vonz90 wrote:The bolt on my M4 disintegrated when I shot it the first time (when training for my A'stan deployment).
THAT would give me a LOT of confidence (NOT) in the firearm I was taking to combat!!! I sure hope you got to pick another! :)
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Vonz90
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Re: Army boss takes aim at bureaucracy over sidearms

Post by Vonz90 »

308Mike wrote:
Vonz90 wrote:The bolt on my M4 disintegrated when I shot it the first time (when training for my A'stan deployment).
THAT would give me a LOT of confidence (NOT) in the firearm I was taking to combat!!! I sure hope you got to pick another! :)
No, they just replac2the bolt and called it good.
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SoupOrMan
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Re: Army boss takes aim at bureaucracy over sidearms

Post by SoupOrMan »

I actually had a M9 slide crack on me during familiarization training at Cannon. Our squadron needed someone to guard our spare ALQ-99 parts, so every shop sent volunteers to guard them. Then someone decided that we needed to be armed for it, followed by training on said armaments.

The third magazine in, the frame cracked. Clearly I forgot the rules of weapons familiarization training for non-SP/non-special operations/non-aircrew in the Air Force:

1. Stop looking at your firearm or it will break.

2. SERIOUSLY, STOP LOOKING AT IT. DON'T EVEN BREATHE NEAR IT, OTHERWISE IT WILL BREAK AND YOU WILL GO TO LEAVENWORTH.

3. If you are ever issued the correct non-dummy ammunition for your firearm, DO NOT LOAD YOUR FIREARM WITH IT EVER. It will break.

4. If you are ordered to load your firearm with the issued ammunition, remember that it is the trainer's job to remind you that federal military prison awaits.

5. HOLY SHIT YOU FIRED YOUR WEAPON AFTER BEING ORDERED TO DO SO ARE YOU KIDDING ME OH THAT'S IT YOU ARE GOING TO LEAVENWORTH RIGHT NOW MISTER

6. Failure to attend your yearly re-qualification means that your range officer no longer has a job and you will go to federal prison for denying a man his right to a job.

Seriously, for a group of people telling me I needed a sidearm they were sure antsy about actually providing me the training to use it. But hey, it was the Clinton presidency at the time. Ammunition was a luxury.
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PawPaw
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Re: Army boss takes aim at bureaucracy over sidearms

Post by PawPaw »

Hot Air is all over it.
Let’s get on the stick here, Army. This is a challenge you could solve with a stroke of the pen and then brag to Congress about the hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars you saved. And besides… who doesn’t want a Glock?
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JAG2955
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Re: Army boss takes aim at bureaucracy over sidearms

Post by JAG2955 »

SoupOrMan wrote:Some pretty accurate stuff
If we are going to go the trigger safety-only route, we really, really, really need to demistify Condition 1 to both the troops and the safety nazis.
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