FBI down-selects to 9mm, keeps Glockin’
Pretty much the whole reason we have the .40S&W round is due to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the 1986 Miami Shootout. Well back in 2014, I looked at the FBI’s potential $85 million DOJ contract solicitation for a new handgun and called it for Glock.
The contract calls for a family of guns in four classes.
The guns are in four types:
* Class One Pistol: barrel length between 3.75″ and 4.25″; with a minimum magazine capacity of 13 rounds.
* Class Two Pistol: barrel length between 4.5″ and 5.5″; with a minimum magazine capacity of 15 rounds.
* Class One Training Pistol (Red Handle): deactivated with full articulation, red receiver and slide, night sights.
* Class One “Man Marking” (a.k.a., “Simunitions”) pistol: blue slide or slide with blue inserts.
As you look at the above and think of specs, it seems that the required guns are almost custom-written from Glock’s catalog. The Glock 19, with its 4.01-inch barrel and 15-round standard magazine capacity would seem to fit the bill for the Class One Pistol nicely. The Glock 34, the company’s “Practical/Tactical” 9mm, with its 5.31-inch barrel and 17 shot magazine would seem a close fit for the Class Two Pistol. This could also be met very closely by the G17.
Not all agreed with me– with many gun writers calling it for SIG, Smith or even FN– but in the end it seems that, with the award last week posted by the GSA, Glock it will be.
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