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Hopefully they will choose a caliber with better knock down power than the 9 Para.
I like the 9, and I enjoy shooting it, but in a military situation where you want to put the enemy down, I do not believe it has the punch that is needed.
Hopefully they will choose a caliber with better knock down power than the 9 Para.
I like the 9, and I enjoy shooting it, but in a military situation where you want to put the enemy down, I do not believe it has the punch that is needed.
Knock down power is an awful myth.
The caliber is chosen based on cost, supply (there are hundreds of thousands of rounds in inventory), holsters, etc.
The fact is that if you're in "a military situation" and you're down to a pistol, things are beyond horrible at that point.
Things change. In my day it was the M1911 45 and the S&W Model 10 revolver in 38 cal. This was at the beginning of Vietnam and we were still using a lot of WW2 hardware. M1 Garand and then moved to the M14. We also used and gave away to the Vietnamese BAR's, M1919 Browning light machine guns and even a few Thompsons. I never used a M16 when I was in SE Asia. All from a Marine Corps perspective.
The first pistol I qualed in was the Model 15 .38. Simple revolver that was small (fit in the holster to a pilot's survival vest) and easy to operate. The M9 was a POS, it was heavier and required modification to the holster. One time right before stepping to the jet (combat mission) I used the latrine one last time, closed the vest, and the pistol fell out of the holster, bounced off the floor and under the stall where some poor airman was seated. I would say the poor guy almost s**t but I am certain that's what he was already doing.
The caliber is chosen based on cost, supply (there are hundreds of thousands of rounds in inventory), holsters, etc.
The fact is that if you're in "a military situation" and you're down to a pistol, things are beyond horrible at that point.
There was a definite, although limited, tendency early during OIF for people to ask about bringing Personally Owned Weapons because they believed in stuff from the gun magazines about 'knockdown power' and 'backup'. To which I would point people at your excellent point that (generally) if "you're down to a pistol, things are beyond horrible".
I have no idea if anybody actually tried it or got away with it.
There was a definite, although limited, tendency early during OIF for people to ask about bringing Personally Owned Weapons because they believed in stuff from the gun magazines about 'knockdown power' and 'backup'. To which I would point people at your excellent point that (generally) if "you're down to a pistol, things are beyond horrible".
I have no idea if anybody actually tried it or got away with it.
During Desert Storm some pilots did bring their own firearms. There was a lot of contempt and distrust for the M9, deserved or not. I knew a couple guys who did but the acknowledged fact was that if one bailed out over bad guy land the decision had to be made if saving a round or two for oneself was in order. The small caliber pistol was good for commandeering a vehicle in a surprise but not any good against troops with AKs.
During Desert Storm some pilots did bring their own firearms. There was a lot of contempt and distrust for the M9, deserved or not. I knew a couple guys who did but the acknowledged fact was that if one bailed out over bad guy land the decision had to be made if saving a round or two for oneself was in order. The small caliber pistol was good for commandeering a vehicle in a surprise but not any good against troops with AKs.
Fair point. I was looking at it from an Army perspective. If you're an Army officer issued a pistol, you should be fighting using the unit you lead, not worrying about if your pistol has 'knockdown power'.
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