The Canadian Forces have begun the process of looking for a new sidearm. At least, they’ve taken the first step. At this point they are looking at availability and price, sort of like a US pre-solicitation, but won’t issue the actual solicitation until 2015. But, at least they’ve started along the path. The US military has had two false starts since the war began. First with SOCOM and then with the USAF.
According to the online price & availability letter, this new General Service Pistol “will replace the 9mm Browning High Power (HP) and the 9mm Sig Sauer Model 225 pistol.”
The Browning Hi-Power as their current Service Pistol and the Sig P225 is in service with the Canadian Forces Military Police. Interestingly, no mention was given to the Sig P226 which is in service with Naval Boarding Parties. The P&A letter mentions the potential for 10,000 pistols. Furthermore, the eventual winner will be required to provide the Technical Data Package to the Crown who will, in turn, provide it to Colt Canada who will produce the weapons. And oh yeah, they are only interested in 9mm NATO.
Tags: Canada
As far as I am aware, the Naval boarding parties use the P225 as well.
Kango,
I have a source that told me that the Navy is using some P226. The source has been very accurate in the past.
Will Demarco make it or will they allow imports?
Chockblock,
According to the information provided by Public Works, and also restated in the SSD article, Colt Canada will produce the weapons.
Though I am a fan of the archaic P35, I am left to wonder how ‘advanced’ a pistol Diamaco will really be able to churn out, even off of someone else’s patent. I think the whole idea is redicilous, as the logical thing would be to buy off-the-shelf. This is just another one of those stubborn points that our govt isn’t willing to budge on. Though I would love to see another Canadian run of the 1911, I can only sit and wonder what the successor will be. They will probably end up buying the defunct Browning BDM, based on the experiences of using and purchasing platforms from what seem like another decade.
What’s the likelihood of these retired weapons traveling down south? A used Canadian Hi Power would make a FINE addition to a collection!
I wonder how the structure of this contract will limit the available options.
Canada wants the pistol manufacturer to open the kimono to another major firearms manufacturer (given that Colt produces no modern service handguns of their own).
The other interesting question is Colt Canada’s ability to produce a polymer frame pistol (which is to say, any modern service handgun). Colt seems to have limited injection molding experience. In contrast, pistol frames are highly stressed components, they require extreme precision in their manufacturing and utilize some ver advanced injection molding technologies. These are not the sort of parts you want a manufacturer cutting their injection molding teeth on.
I wonder how Colt Canada got the production contract, anybody have idea if there was a competition? I don’t recall seeing anything on MERX although CC could have a standing offer that covers something like this. Frigging standing offers.
GregK makes a good point regarding CC’s structural polymer production capabilities. I suppose they would have to farm that part out but it goes to a larger point regarding the effect this kind of approach has on industry. IE design and development capabilities versus strict OEM manufacturing capabilities. Having seen it first hand I think DND is killing industry in Canada with this stuff. If these companies don’t have to innovate they won’t which will put them in the position of waiting around for another order from the government (no doubt producing dated designs).
I anticipate zero success in this effort. No reasonable manufacturer is going to set up another company to produce their product, and suffer brand image issues when Colt Canada screws it up. Colt is not placed to successfully produce any modern pistol design.
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The squrrels currently use 226’s and on my tour some others got to do a “test” of them. Wouldn’t surprise me the RCN was doing a “test” also. Waste waste waste. RCMP had them in the 80″s! It’s good kit end of story. We already know this! The “Harper Government” wants to save money and they are laying people off, then this? Waste on so many levels. Was Gen. Leslie involved? He’s big on spending on new toys. How about COTS!
Here’s another classic case of Canadian bureaucratic BS provided to us by DND & PWGSC. What really saddens me is the fact that troops won’t have a reliable pistol for another four years…and that is simply put…downright criminal. To think they could outfit the soldiers within a matter of a few months…
To the industry…screw them and please do not submit any proposals.