Primary Arms

SIG SAUER M18 Sets New Standard for U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System (MHS) Reliability Testing

NEWINGTON, N.H., (February 5, 2019) –SIG SAUER, Inc. is proud to announce the M18, the compact variant of the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System (MHS), has successfully completed a recent Lot Acceptance Test (LAT) with zero stoppages during the required MHS Material Reliability Testing.

Historically, Lot Acceptance Testing would include testing handguns to 5,000 rounds and allow for up to 12 stoppages to pass.  The recent MHS Material Reliability Test consisted of firing three M18 pistols to an unprecedented 12,000 rounds each, and in an extraordinary display of reliability, the M18 performed with zero stoppages. Additionally, despite undergoing this level of strenuous testing the M18 passed a parts interchange test, met all of the stringent accuracy and dispersion requirements, was tested for firing pin indent and trigger pull measurements to ensure consistency, and conformed to all workmanship standards.

The success of the MHS program, and the performance of both the M17 and M18 pistols, was further confirmed in the recently published Director of Operation Testing and Evaluation (DOT&E) Annual Report, which provides an independent review and analysis of the U.S. Department of Defense weapons systems.  The report states that, “the MHS meets or exceeds requirements for accuracy, lethality, ergonomics, and safety,” in addition to stating that, “both the XM17 and the XM18 are operationally effective and suitable.”

Ron Cohen, President & CEO of SIG SAUER, Inc., began, “the results of this testing for the M18 pistol is truly impressive. The M18 withstood the harsh testing and performance requirements set forth in the MHS contract and has set a new standard for reliability in service pistols.”

The M18 is a 9mm, striker-fired pistol featuring a coyote-tan PVD coated stainless steel slide with black controls. The pistol is equipped with SIGLITE front night sights and removable night sight rear plate, and manual safety.

After one of the most rigorous and highly competitive selection processes in the history of military firearms, SIG SAUER was awarded the Modular Handgun System (MHS) contract for the full-size M17 and the compact M18 with the P320-based pistol platform. Both the M17 and M18 pistols are being adopted by the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The MHS contract was awarded to SIG SAUER in January 2017 for delivery of 480,000 pistols over a period of ten years; to date SIG SAUER has delivered over 20,000 pistols.

“For this testing the U.S. Army set very high standards for quality and performance, and at SIG we relish the opportunity to meet a challenge and exceed expectations. The performance of the M18 not only surpassed the U.S. Army’s testing requirements, its performance was simply outstanding and nothing short of perfection,” concluded Cohen.

www.sigsauer.com

38 Responses to “SIG SAUER M18 Sets New Standard for U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System (MHS) Reliability Testing”

  1. Tcba_joe says:

    Cool, let me know when I can buy one.

  2. Dave says:

    Cue the usual idiots who will say, “nuh-uh, Glock shoulda won, Sig under bid and tha Army got a gun that fails drop tests.”

    • TominVA says:

      Or how about: the M9 was fine. It had some quality issues the needed fixing (slide cracks, magazines and sand) but it was fine. It’s a 9mm pistol, the Sig is a 9mm pistol (that they ended up adding a safety to). Waste of money. The M9 was fine.

      • Ex11A says:

        But the SIG is modular. MOD-U-LAR.

      • Wake27 says:

        Fine isn’t good. It may be fine from a functionality standpoint, but I know far more people that struggle with it than not due to the DA pull and large grip. I’m not a huge fan of Sig, but I believe this will be a significantly more shootable gun and therefore, a worthy upgrade.

        • TominVA says:

          It is / was a long DA pull, but I found it manageable and something you could train past without too much trouble, especially for first shots when maybe tack driving accuracy isn’t all that crucial?

          The grip size argument I can see. Was it worth the money though going to a new pistol? Would the P226 have been a better fit (never held one) and maybe a cheaper option? I dunno.

      • Kirk says:

        Yeah… No. The M9 was not fine. Anyone ever having to do more than a field strip and then maintain that pistol will attest to that.

        The Beretta is a beautiful gun. It is not a practical one. Too many parts, too many little “gotchas” in the design, and the complexity of all the crap they stuffed into that poor Brigadier (the parent design the 92 was descended from…) was an act of mechanical abuse.

        I’m not sorry to see it go. Can’t say much about the replacement, due to a lack of experience with it, but anything that simplifies things for the armorer and maintainer is a good thing. Dear God, but the sheer number of replacement parts the Beretta had to have on hand for when the eedjit user decided to do his own detail-strip and cleaning… Sheesh–Back when we had the “war on SARP” out in the units, I had a Major deadline his pistol for six months because he lost parts, and getting replacements turned into a comedy of errors.

        • BAP45 says:

          I think I remember “Nose saying he carried a spare locking block or some such with him at all times when he had the M9. It seems like I only started hearing good things about the M9 once it was announced it was being replaced. Before that is was nothing but gripes.

          • Bobby Denard says:

            You are correct. I never heard anyone say a single good thing about the M9 when I was in. It’s only after the contract was announced that suddenly there seemed to be a lot of fondness for the M9 (on the internet, at least.)

            Some folks hate change. Some folks just like to grumble and complain. That’s the only explanation I can think of for this newfound love for the M9.

          • Joey says:

            When I was shooting competitions for the Army, my team carried several spare locking blocks everywhere because they would break and lock the gun up in the middle of the match. I, for one, won’t miss the Beretta.

        • TominVA says:

          I guess I just had and unusually decent experience with the M9 then? I never took it down beyond user level field stripping.

          “Too many parts, too many little “gotchas” in the design, and the complexity of all the crap they stuffed into that poor Brigadier”

          Hard to image a striker fired pistol being less complex, but ok, maybe.

          • Case says:

            As someone who has carried the M9 daily for several years, it is woefully inadequate. Its reliability is hit or miss, and it is massive and heavy for the amount of rounds it holds. Luckily the AF at least got it right and allows us to carry with the safety off, but for my brothers from another mother who have to carry it with the safety on… a slide mounted safety is idiotic.

          • balais says:

            The Glock sure is (less complex)

          • Joe says:

            TM 9-1005-317-23 & P

            Go look for yourself, it sucks.

    • Mick says:

      I was hoping to see a post with “1911” and “knock-down power” in it…

    • balais says:

      The Glock is the better handgun anyways. Who is the idiot?

  3. Erik Ellingson says:

    Now if only the Sig guide rod and spring issue can be solved so we can start arming up with them instead of the old M9’s

  4. JM Gavin says:

    Exceptionally superlative peerless unparalleled matchless unsurpassed outstanding superior unrivaled greatest press release. Ever.

  5. Joe says:

    The Coasties adopted an FDE Handgun? That will go great with their blue uniforms.

  6. Charles says:

    Did they drop test it, though? /sarc. These are impressive numbers, as long as the trigger issue is resolved, which iirc, it has been.

  7. Greg says:

    Does anyone else see the GO model NSN on the cover of that TM?

  8. Bobby Denard says:

    You are correct. I never heard anyone say a single good thing about the M9 when I was in. It’s only after the contract was announced that suddenly there seemed to be a lot of fondness for the M9 (on the internet, at least.)

    Some folks hate change. Some folks just like to grumble and complain. That’s the only explanation I can think of for this newfound love for the M9.

  9. Walter says:

    I can only attest to my usage of the P320 full size. Yes it is the upgraded one. It is the only pistol I’ve carried that ate the dept issued shitty range ammo for qualification without a problem. We self-purchase guns and ammo so I don’t have any of the problems with a beat-up issue gun. Plus it has eaten anything I’ve put through it. Last semi-auto I will ever carry. I’ve carried Glock, M&P, and XD before.

  10. Joglee says:

    So it’s less reliable than the Beretta M9. Lol.

  11. Chris says:

    For what its worth….

    My unit just received our M17s. We conducted a familiarization range today and I put 120 rounds through mine, in 5 degree (Fahrenheit) weather here at Ft. Carson, probably colder with windchill considered. We’ve each been issued three magazines that we retain as personal gear when the pistols are in the arms room, two 21-round and one 17-round.

    First and foremost, I experienced no malfunctions today (I know it’s only 120 rounds, but I also didn’t witness any malfunction from any other shooters).

    I like the sights. However, I was worried about the trigger, since it is atrocious during dry firing (a lot of take-up before the break and a terrible reset) but it wasn’t as bad during live fire. Nowhere as good as the 5-lb SA trigger on the M9, but not as terrible as I expected prior to actually shooting it.

    The safety is ……obviously an afterthought but it was a requirement for the contract, so whatever.

    Recoil was light, likely at least party due to the heavy-ish slide. Accurate rapid firing was a piece of cake if you know what you’re doing.

    I tried each mag fully topped off to see if there would be any first round feed issues. None were experienced.

    Can’t comment on slide release. I don’t like using slide locks/releases while performing reloads, especially while wearing gloves (see above weather comment) and using a new weapon. Slide racking worked just fine, no reason it shouldn’t.

    Overall assessment: I had my doubts, but for now it seems like a worthy replacement to the M9. Time will either confirm or deny that statement.

  12. TheScrutineer says:

    What the hell is this fluff?

    “After one of the most rigorous and highly competitive selection processes in the history of military firearms”

    That’s actually just a bold faced lie and it’s kind of insulting to be honest. Straight up fake news.
    The Army shit canned the process after PHASE I! The only reliability testing that mattered was completely blown off and no matter what independent blah blah blah they get to “test” this pistol after the fact is totally beside that point.
    The only thing SIG can do now is build a legacy of reliability and that’s going to take years. Can they? I don’t know let’s see, I think it’s certainly a possibility, but spending money on PR and independent testing of unknown oversight or corporate influence is not the same as the testing of the XM17 program. It’s dishonest and that’s never a good sign.

    • Ton E says:

      The reliability testing the Army cancelled was the Compact pistol testing the Army felt the testing done with the full sized handgun was sufficient both guns met the standards the Army set. They could have ran both guns till one failed but since they both met the standard what would have been the point?

  13. Glock was too stupid and arrogant regarding the rules and specs. A mustard colored G19, BFD!