U.S. Soldiers Test New Modular Handgun System at Fort Polk

Sgt. Ryan Tatum from the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade offers the below piece:

FORT POLK, La., Jan. 23, 2018 — Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 1st Security Forces Assistance Brigade familiarized themselves and qualified with the XM17 handgun at the Joint Readiness Training Center here, Jan. 19-20.

According to the Army, the XM17 and XM18 handgun systems are replacing the M9 pistol. The “X” in “XM” stands for experimental and will be used until February 2018 when the weapons complete Type Classification. Afterwards, the weapons will be referred to as the M17 and M18. The XM18 is the compact version of the XM17. Both weapons are capable of firing 9 mm rounds.

Army Maj. Lucas Leinberger, the chief range office from 3rd Battalion, 353th Armor Regiment, provided insight on the range and some of the fundamentals in basic marksmanship.

Familiarizing Training

“We are working with members of the 1st SFAB to get some familiarization with the M17 pistol,” Leinberger said. “Part of that training is going through fundamentals such as sight picture, proper grip and trigger squeeze.”

The Army currently has plans to buy approximately 238,000 units of the new pistol system.

“Personally, I noticed a better balance in the overall weapon -- how it feels in your hand compared to the M9 and the M11 [service pistol] both unloaded and loaded with a full magazine,” Leinberger said. “I believe it is much easier to use; it is more ergonomically correct. I believe it will make anyone who is firing the weapon more combat effective.”

The main reason for the change in weapon systems is to make the soldier and units more lethal. The XM17 and XM18 modular handgun system program is one of the first in what is expected to be a whole line of modernization efforts that the Army will pursue over the next few years, according to the Army.

Army Sgt. Max Gilbert, a combat engineer with 2nd Battalion, 1st SFAB, has learned about the weapon and put his trust in it to make him more lethal in combat.

“The instructors here at the range were professional,” Gilbert said. “Yes, I feel that I am combat effective and combat ready.”

Note: In the top photo taken by Sgt. Ryan Tatum, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Curtis Graham demonstrates how to properly shoot the new XM17 pistol from the prone position at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La on Jan. 19, 2018.