BY Herschel Smith
9 years, 11 months ago
Army Times:
The Army on Wednesday formally pushed back release of a final solicitation to produce its new handgun.
Originally projected for a Jan. 2 release, the Army decided to delay the Request for Proposals beyond January “to allow for improvements to the RFP as a result of feedback received from Industry,” according to a notice posted on the government solicitation website FedBizOpps.
No date for future action was proposed, other than to say it would not occur in January. Despite the delay, the notice also reiterated commitment to the pending competition to produce the Modular Handgun System, which will include ammo and a holster as well as a pistol.
“The Army remains committed to the MHS program and ensuring that it is executed using full and open competition,” the notice said.
Uh oh. What political machinations underlie this delay? Is Smith & Wesson not the frontrunner as they thought? To all firearms manufacturers – the military is a fickle mistress. She will break your heart.
As for polymer frame pistols, I won’t buy any more. I like the balance and slender (single stack) profile of the 1911 too much (here we all pause in respect to John Moses Browning). Furthermore, when I think about my plastic pistols I think about machines, utilitarian pieces of equipment that rattle too much and have that crappy, cheap feel but usually perform their intended function.
When I think about 1911s I think about works of art. Even more than 1911s, revolvers (finely made) are works of art, pieces of craftsmanship, something I would be proud to turn over to my children as a heritage. I’ve searched in vain, but I cannot find a picture of anyone actually carrying a wheel gun in either the Iraq or Afghanistan theaters. Kudos to anyone who can find such a treasure. Please send it our way.
And if you carried a revolver in any theater of war, you are a man among men. I want to know you.
