Combat handgun. What do you want?

[2HOW]

Colt 10mm Delta Elite or similar. But definitely a 10mm   

[Timothy]

For the sake of logistics, the sidearm would need to be 9mm as that stuff is everywhere around the world.  Ignore the Hague Convention and go with a JHP with enough lethality to be effective and pick from any number of reliable auto loading pistols that are already proven.

The Army shoots itself in the foot with all the restrictions they put on the design but I would stand firm on it not only being made here in the USA but also from a company that is incorporated within the USA.

[ellis4538]

jnevis, yes and the same can be said for LEO's but they have had a ton of ND since adopting the Glock!

Richard

[bafsu92]

FNP-45 USG with a RMR sight.  If it works in MB's little paws and in others gorilla grips with a red dot sight I think it would be very affective.  For a revolver I'm partial to S&W 686 with a 4" barrel or a Colt Python with a 4" barrel.

The FNP-45 would be high on my list (right with a Glock 21, the argument is external safety or not)  but the RMR is no where near durable enough for a military issue sidearm primary sight. Maybe if you left the irons on for backup or even better had a qd mount for the RMR. The thing that needs to be remembered is what a pistol is used for in most military applications. Unless your an MP if you've got a pistol in your hand then the bovine excrement has hit the proverbial fan. You have found yourself in a situation you shouldn't be in without a rifle but here you are. At this point having an optic on a pistol is really a novelty. I get the idea of a crossover sight picture since your rifle has a similar optic but the application for a military pistol is going to be within 7 yards so if you can't put rounds on target point shooting you're probably seconds away from being a casualty anyway so the optic is pretty much pointless.

[jnevis]

You will NEVER see a revolver, for the reason I stated earlier about what a pistol is for.

10mm is to much of a "novelty" round to be a realistic choice.  Great stopping power, but not enough users therfore enough supply.  Brings you back to the 9 or 45 as far as caliber.

[Sponsor]

[fightingquaker13]

You will NEVER see a revolver, for the reason I stated earlier about what a pistol is for.

10mm is to much of a "novelty" round to be a realistic choice.  Great stopping power, but not enough users therfore enough supply.  Brings you back to the 9 or 45 as far as caliber.

If the Army adopted it, it would no longer be a novelty. Remember, the thread isn't about what you would  want to buy, its about what you would want to be issued.
FQ13

[tombogan03884]

If the Army adopted it, it would no longer be a novelty. Remember, the thread isn't about what you would  want to buy, its about what you would want to be issued.
FQ13

FQ beat me to it.
As for revolvers, with the advent of higher capacity mags the revolver is no longer practical for military issue.
Part of the reason for the original switch to the 1911 was higher capacity and much easier to reload.

[warhawke]

Common caliber - 9mm/.40S&W/.45acp for autos, .38/.357/.44mag for revolvers
Functional reliability -  goes bang when you want it too
Mechanical reliability - does not break often or require professional repair
Spare parts availability -  if you can't get parts you can't fix it
User repair-ability - if YOU can't fix it it is useless (see again, spare parts)
Accessories - Magazines, holsters, cleaning kits, lights, whatever doesn't come in the box

The reason I like the 1911 is because there is nothing on the weapon I can't fix short of something requiring a welder. Magazine capacity is less important to me because if it is a "Combat" pistol it means it is a back up to my primary weapon (rifle, shotgun, etc.) while if it is a concealment weapon I am more concerned with keeping it hidden. I do like the most BB's I can get, but I won't sacrifice the rest for a few extra rounds. I don't like revolvers simply because they are almost impossible to fix without considerable training and ability, to say nothing about specialized tools.
Also, too many people forget that a gun, 2 mags and a box of ammo does not constitute being armed. Any weapon is a system and you need a complete system if you want to be armed, if you have no holster it is hard to carry, if you have no way to clean it properly it will stop working at some point.
Lastly, too many people think "Tests show that my _______ will work for 100,000 rounds", and it might, but it might not. It might never break, but everything made by humans can and will break at some point, if you want to bet you life on your (YOUR, not the one in the tests) pistol never failing, go ahead, but I won't. Better to have the parts and the skills to use them then end up unarmed because the PR from the people who want to make money turns out to be a tiny bit incorrect.

[kmitch200]

Colt 10mm Delta Elite or similar. But definitely a 10mm   

How do you get the girls and the non-handgun familar men to qualify with them?
Even the FBI wanted it downloaded, giving birth to the 40 S&W. Most soldiers (and most cops) don't shoot handguns worth a darn to begin with.
IMHO the 10mm is just way too much gun for what is needed.

[mauler]

I would stick with the 1911 in .45 (is there any other caliber?).  With military hardball it is far superior to a 9mm shooting military hardball.  If we are talking premium hollow points then I think the 9mm would be suitable.  It would have a rail, and tritium/fiber optic sights for day and night sight visibility.  I have had good experience with Kimber.  I think the original single stack version would be fine with an 8 round mag, but for those who must have capacity, go with the Para Ordnance double stacker for 14 round mags.  I suppose there could be more justification for a higher capacity in a combat setting versus the civilized world, but if you are in combat and you are down to fighting with your pistol, you have either torn up your rifle or ran out of ammo.  I would put a durable coating on it, like cerakote.  I realize that it would take a bit more time and intelligence to train troops to run a 1911, but I also believe, as Jeff Cooper said, that the double action semi-auto pistol was a solution to a problem that didn't exist.