Checking in with marinecorpstimes.com, it seems like Ma Corps sees fit to give more of her boys .45s. Something sure to please M9 haters like me. “The M45 Close Quarter Battle Pistol is modeled after earlier versions of the weapons used by Force Recon units since the 1980s in amphibious raids and other forced-entry operations at sea. The Corps could buy between 400 and 12,000 pistols in a contract worth up to $22.5 million, according to Marine Corps Systems Command. The competition was launched in October.” Personally, I hope the purchase figure is closer to 12,000 than 400, but maybe that’s because I’m still bitter I couldn’t get the armorer to give me a M1014 Benelli as my issue weapon . . .

Also note: the Corps apparently feels the 9mm doesn’t pack enough punch to comply with the Marine Corps’ “One shot, one kill” dictum. I suspect that most bogeys find themselves double-tapped regardless of caliber. Speaking as a grunt, it would be nice for that to be more option than necessity.

Traditionally, the pistols have been built by the precision weapons section at Weapons Training Battalion, based aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Marine officials said. However, with increased demand for them, the Corps is seeking alternatives

I’ll definitely be interested to see who the Corps selects to build these babies. I wonder which pistol is better, the M45 CQB/MEU(SOC) or the Wilson Combat? Rhetorically speaking.

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3 COMMENTS

  1. Right caliber, wrong pistol. The 1911 pattern is outmoded for a modern battlefield. Our troops need a double-stack, striker fired pistol chambered in .45 with an accessory rail. A hundred year old, eight round relic with or without that insipid grip safety just won't do. C'mon, Command, if you're gonna give 'em 1911s, why not issue some nice Springfield '06-es for their battle rifles? And who needs a Stryker when we can give 'em those good old Army mules.

    What the hell are they thinking?

    • If Marine operators wanted a different pistol, trust me, they would get it. Until it is replaced, the fact that the Corps is fielding the MEU(SOC) pistol means the Marines who actually use it believe that the pistol is the most durable, best-suited weapon available. Marines will fire upwards of 80,000 rounds with their M45 – do you think a striker-fired pistol is going to stand up to that level of use in rigorous training and combat environments? Apparently Marine operators don't think so, and if you understand the thinking of many Marines, this shouldn't surprise you. For a piece of gear to be called "good enough" in the Corps is a major compliment, not a subtle dig, and the M45 is just that – good enough to get the job done.

      Also, the M45 accepts a light, so I'm not sure why you implied the lack of an accessory rail.

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