It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
Originally posted by bmdefiant
Thankfully the MOD Police are getting rid of their 9mm Brownings....some of them are older than the people using them...and thats saying something At least the MP7 is a tad newer even though its taking an age to get deployed at station level.
Originally posted by HowlrunnerIV
Politics.
In the '50s the US forced NATO to adopt .30 cal federal as its standard calibre (re-named 7.62NATO). That meant that the Commonwealth had to completely re-arm from .303, the French had to ditch their traditional calibre, the (West) Germans had to shift from 7.92 Mauser when they were given an army...
The US were the only NATO force carrying a .45ACP pistol. Everybody else used 9mm.
Given that the US forced the change to 7.62 and then circumvented it by shifting to 5.56, if they were demanding sigularity of calibre, they had to play along and it was easier and cheaper for them to shift than everybody else. Politics were also pretty much at the root of the decision to choose the Beretta as the new 9mm pistol.
Now, the Brits were developing the EM2 assault rifle (the original bullpup system) in a strange calibre and the Yanks pretty much forced them to drop it, you can imagine how happy the Brits were when after re-equipping with SLRs at the expense of their superb prototype the Yanks jumped ship in favour of the Armalite/M16. There was no way the Brits were about to ditch the Sterling, Hi Power and MP5 in order to go to .45ACP.
Originally posted by Strangerous
A great summary of the machinations of NATO standardisation and it raises an interesting question - if the US drops the 9mm are they going to tell the rest of NATO to change as well?
Originally posted by Zenem
It is a good idea & I support it. I have seen too many clips on the net of cops getting sprayed at by perps in BPV's & high calibre rifles.
Then they gotta wait for SWAT or units with rifles instead of 9mms & shotguns to arrive.
That latest terror plot uncovered involving blowing up Sears Towers for example...They guy organising it wanted boots, armour, rifles & radios. A cop with a Glock17 is gonna have a hard time downing the guy.
I'd rather have a Glock19 or 26 myself.
Originally posted by Zenem
It is a good idea & I support it. I have seen too many clips on the net of cops getting sprayed at by perps in BPV's & high calibre rifles.
Then they gotta wait for SWAT or units with rifles instead of 9mms & shotguns to arrive.