Summary and Key Points: The U.S. Army’s decision to select the SIG Sauer P320 over the Glock 19X came down primarily to modularity and cost.
-Though highly praised for its performance, the Glock 19X lacked the adaptability provided by SIG’s modular P320, which allowed interchangeable grip modules, caliber kits, and slides.
Glock 19X. Image Credit: Original Image from 19FortyFive.
-Additionally, SIG’s partnership with Winchester ammunition provided a strategic advantage.
-Despite its superior ergonomics, accuracy, and popularity among special operations forces and civilians, the Glock bid exceeded SIG’s by over $100 million.
-Ultimately, while the Glock 19X remains highly respected, the Army prioritized modularity, ammunition logistics, and cost-effectiveness in selecting the SIG P320.
Did The Army Make A Mistake In Not Selecting the Glock 19X?
There were eight candidates during the Army’s Modular Handgun System (MHS) competition, but the competition settled on two outstanding handguns. The Glock 19X and the SIGSauer P320.
Ultimately, as we all know, the SIG won the competition and was awarded the M17 and M18 pistol contracts. The SIG won the contract primarily due to the P320’s modular design, cost-effectiveness, and the Army’s specific requirements for a modular handgun system.
Glock appealed the decision, but after further testing, the decision was upheld.
However, the SIG’s win was by a narrow margin due to the excellence of the Glock 19X. During the trials, the 19X was considered the favorite among many and highly revered by law enforcement.
Despite Glock’s fame, the Glock 19X still failed to secure the Army contract.
But how did the Glock 19X, which had the blessing of many during the trials, come out second in the competition?
The Glock Is So Popular With Military, Law Enforcement, And Civilians
The Glock 19X is Glock’s first “crossover” pistol, combining the large, full-size Glock 17 polymer frame and the smaller Glock 19 all-metal slide. Some great features on the Glock 19X include ambidextrous controls and excellent accuracy thanks to the GLOCK Marksman Barrel, a polygonally rifled barrel.
Regardless of the competition, Glock’s 19X became the “must-have” for civilian handgun owners. In the first six months on the civilian market, Glock sold an incredible 100,000 19Xs.
Again, during the testing, the Glock and the Sig were head and shoulders above the rest to replace the M9 Beretta; my feelings on that particular weapon are well-known.
The Glock 19X has 17-round standard magazines. There are also 19, 24, 31, or even 33-round magazines. Depending on the shooter’s hand size, the Glock 19X has three different backstrap sizes (small, medium, and large).
It weighs around 31 ounces loaded. The barrel length is slightly over 4 inches, and the overall length is 7.4 inches.
US Special Operations Forces Favor the Glock
Many Special Ops units can purchase their preferred handguns for the operators. I visited my old unit, the 7th Special Forces Group, a few years ago at Camp Bull Simons, FL. When I went to the indoor shoot house, the operators had Glocks with plenty of accessories. And those weapons shot exceptionally well.
Ammunition and Modularity Win The Day
The Army sought modularity, and the SigSauer had that in spades. The SIG Sauer P320 was designed solely around a modular structure with a removable Fire Control Unit (FCU) and interchangeable grip modules, caliber conversion kits, and slides, which is precisely what the Army was looking for.
The Glock 19X, on the other hand, is rigid. It has a fixed G17/G19 crossover configuration and is not readily adaptable to different users, instead delivering more of a “one-size-fits-most” design.
SIG Sauer was leaps and bounds ahead in terms of ammunition. SIG partnered with Winchester to offer two powerful new types of 9x19mm ammunition to accompany their pistols as part of a package that couldn’t be beaten.
Glock 44. Image Credit: 19FortyFive Original Image.
“Winchester proudly developed M1152 to serve alongside the U.S. Warfighter and was selected as the sole source ammunition supplier for the United States Army Modular Handgun System (MHS) Program,” the company said in a news release. “Consumers can now use the same product selected by the U.S. Military for their training needs.”
Cost Was the Final Determination
The SIG Sauer M17 and M18 compact and the Glock 19X were nearly identical in everything recorded at the tests. It should be noted that SIG submitted two entrants: the full-size pistol and the compact. The Glock performed slightly better in some aspects.
But Glock’s bid was quoted at $272,232,563, while Sig’s proposal was $169,527,169. Even if the Glock performed slightly better, was it worth an extra $103 million?
Both handguns are outstanding, and many handgun enthusiasts own both. The SIG was much better at checking the modular block than the Glock was. The fact that they partnered with Winchester to supply the ammunition was a considerable factor in the decision.
Glock certainly didn’t lose anything. The civilian version is quite popular.
About the Author:
Steve Balestrieri is a 19FortyFive National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing for 19FortyFive, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
