M&P Pistol Contract - Belgium Federal Police

[LiveLife]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...ct-from-belgium-federal-police-134584698.html

S&W got a contract with Belgium Federal Police for 20K M&P 9mm pistols.

 

[highorder]

I'd like to see the loaded chamber indicator. It sounds like the awful thing on top of the Ruger SR9.

I love my M&P9's loaded chamber indicator, mostly because its just a small hole that can be ignored. Safe handling works well in place of idiot proofing.

 

[robinkevin]

I'd like to see the loaded chamber indicator. It sounds like the awful thing on top of the Ruger SR9.

I love my M&P9's loaded chamber indicator, mostly because its just a small hole that can be ignored. Safe handling works well in place of idiot proofing.

Maybe not... The Ruger is the most extreme I have seen to date. The XD also has a raised loaded indicator and doesn't stick up near as much but can be felt. I really like the way it is on the XD as it is nice for low light or dark checking of the pistol.

 

[mgmorden]

There are a lot of much less "in your face" indicators than the SR9 has. The Walther P1 for example has one that I didn't even know was a LCI at first. It's just a small pin that sticks out of the back of the slide when you have a round in. Almost unnoticeable unless you know to look for it.

I used to have a Star Modelo Super that had a fairly tame one too - just a small bump that stuck up off the top.

I don't think they're all that useful, but at the same time they don't tend to hurt anything either (except for the over the top ones like Ruger's which are distracting).

As a matter of fact, I think the SR9 would be a much better received gun if it weren't so lawyered-up. Remove (or tame down) the LCI, remove the mag disconnect, and remove the thumb safety and it would be on par with the Glock 17 and S&W M&P.

 

[highorder]

As a matter of fact, I think the SR9 would be a much better received gun if it weren't so lawyered-up. Remove (or tame down) the LCI, remove the mag disconnect, and remove the thumb safety and it would be on par with the Glock 17 and S&W M&P.

Agreed. The mag disconnect comes out in less than a minute, and the thumb safety is so low profile it can be ignored.

Replacement SR9 LCI's are available from Ruger for $7.30. You can buy one, grind the nose off, and be done with it, keeping the unmodified part for the day you sell it...

 

[mgmorden]

Agreed. The mag disconnect comes out in less than a minute, and the thumb safety is so low profile it can be ignored.

Replacement SR9 LCI's are available from Ruger for $7.30. You can buy one, grind the nose off, and be done with it, keeping the unmodified part for the day you sell it...

Problem there is that if you participate in shooting sports grinding the LCI is an illegal modification in USPSA Production (and I think in IDPA SSP). If they had a non-functioning LCI available as a stock part in some version of the gun then you could swap that in, but you are not allowed to intentionally disable a safety device in there. The mag-disconnect is an exception as they specifically state that a mag-disconnect is not considered to be a safety device.

I also don't consider any thumb safety to be ignorable. There's always a chance it could flip to on at an inopportune moment. Better if they just left it off completely.

 

[balance 740]

I guess they didn't like FN.

What other pistols were they considering?

 

[Madcap_Magician]

The heartburn in FN Herstal's corporate offices must be apocalyptic right now.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Belgium... BELGIUM? Picking an American firearm? I wonder if all parts of all pistols will in fact be manufactured in the States? Good for S&W and America in general.

I wonder who has the higher incidence of stress related medical conditions over this: EU protectionists, Herstal, Beretta or every one in neighboring France?

 

[Ghost Tracker]

It's a fine day Gentlemen. The good ol' USA just brought some manufacturing hours home from Europe in the form of a corporate logo near & dear to EVERY member of this forum. God Bless Smith & Wesson!

 

[ZEN.45]

The contract for the Belgian Federal Police is for 3000 pistols with an option for another 6000. Selling 20.000 pistols to 11.000 officers would be an exceptional sale success (dual wielding is frowned upon in the Belgian Police). Most of the Belgian Local Police departments (some 27.500) already replaced their pistols with mostly Glock’s and some H&K’s.

The heartburn in FN Herstal's corporate offices must be apocalyptic right now.

Considering that the Belgian police hasn’t bought any pistols from FN in decades, I don’t think they’re really surprised.

Belgium... BELGIUM? Picking an American firearm? I wonder if all parts of all pistols will in fact be manufactured in the States? Good for S&W and America in general.

A lot of Belgian police departments used to have S&W revolvers in the past, nothing new here.

I wonder who has the higher incidence of stress related medical conditions over this: EU protectionists, Herstal, Beretta or every one in neighboring France?

EU protectionists: make better guns (like S&W did) and we will buy them

Herstal: see above

Beretta: I don’t see why Beretta would be stressed over this, they weren’t even a contender for this contract.

Everyone in neighboring France: Really ???? I can’t even imagine why anyone in France would care.

 

[Onmilo]

EU protectionists, make better guns(like S&W did) and we will buy them

Belgian Local Police departments(some 27,500) already replaced their pistols with mostly Glocks and some H&K's.

Looks like the "EU protectionists" are already building those "better guns",,,

 

[cl4de6]

I am shocked that FN lost out, although sometimes these contracts don't necessarily go to the best gun, but the lowest bidder. There may also be political elements there such as: "If you buy 20,000 of our guns, the Secret Service will buy X number of P90s."

I am fairly agnostic when it comes to firearms. Its a tool to me, although I've noticed that I seem to be attracted to Berettas and metal guns in general for their aesthetics. I've recommended Glocks, Springfield XDs, and Ruger revolvers to others based on their need and price point. So I consider myself to be somewhat above the fray of "X is better than Y because it is, darn it."

I have a friend who purchased the M&P9 and I shoot with him quite regularly. I personally feel that the M&P9 is probably the finest polymer handgun in production today. It's almost like S&W took a look at the Glock and the Sigma and decided that they were going to do everything right... and they did. And this is coming from a guy who doesn't own a polymer handgun, and would probably buy the PX4 if I decided to do so.

Now there are still advantages to other platforms. If you buy a Glock, you know that you can get parts easily and you will always be able to find inexpensive magazines and springs. There is a darn good reason why the Glock 19 is the most popular handgun in America.

But if you have the money, the M&P9 is an excellent platform to consider.

 

[ZEN.45]

Quote:
Belgian Local Police departments(some 27,500) already replaced their pistols with mostly Glocks and some H&K's.

Looks like the "EU protectionists" are already building those "better guns",,,

At the time of those changes, all S&W had to offer was the (first) Sigma

 

[Onmilo]

Now, now, the Sigma is a FINE pistol!
Much better than a Hi-Point or Bryco which I understand were also participants in the pistol trials!

 

[HKGuns]

Considering that the Belgian police hasn’t bought any pistols from FN in decades, I don’t think they’re really surprised.

Sort of makes you wonder what the US shooter's fascination is with FN? Must be that Belgian mystique.....I've never cared for them personally, but there are lots who think they're great.

EU protectionists: make better guns (like S&W did) and we will buy them

That is classic! Yes, there are a ton of EU protectionists aren't there! The labor laws over there are fall just short of anti-business. Pretty cool to have a view from Belgium on this one.

All that said, S&W M&P's are really very good pistols.