According to information published on September 23, 2020, the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command began fielding the M18 Modular Handgun System in September 2020. This striker-fired, semi-automatic, 9-mm pistol is based on the Sig Sauer Model P320. The M18 will replace all other pistols in the Marine Corps inventory, including the M9, M9A1, M45A1 and M007.
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A Marine instructor shoots the M18 Modular Handgun System at a firing range during Instructor and Key Personnel Training, June 25, aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. (Picture source U.S. Marine Corps)
On January 19, 2017, the United States Army announced that the SIG Sauer P320 MHS variant had won the military's Modular Handgun System trials. The P320 is known as the M17 (Full-Size) and M18 (Carry) in U.S. military service. Currently, the M17 and M18 are in service with the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.
The SIG SAUER M17 and M18 pistols are modern handguns incorporating the latest technical advances in firearm design for military and law enforcement. The firearm is a mechanically locked, short recoil-operated pistol with semi-automatic reloading. Firing takes place with each press of the trigger until the magazine is empty. The slide remains open after the last round has been fired from the magazine.
The M18 is a 9x19mm Parabellum caliber, 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. It has a weight of 797 gr and can use 17 and 21 round magazines.
The M18 pistol is a new generation of handgun that incorporates the latest technical advances in firearm design for military forces. The pistol is made with a stainless-steel chassis that sits inside of a flat-dark-earth polymer grip frame, and the slide is also machined from stainless steel. The barrel is machined from carbon steel and features a nitride finish to protect it from wear and corrosion.
The M18 is a mechanically locked, short recoil-operated pistol with semi-automatic reloading. Firing takes place with each press of the trigger until the magazine is empty. The slide remains open after the last round has been fired from the magazine.
During a trial test, the M18 had successfully completed an MHS Material Reliability Test that consisted of firing three M18 pistols to 12,000 rounds each for a total of 36,000 rounds in accordance with the MHS requirements. Comparatively, the U.S. Army’s legacy pistol was only tested to 5,000 rounds making the test duration for the M18 pistol 2.4 times greater than that of the legacy pistol. In this testing, the M18 experienced zero stoppages despite being allowed up to twelve stoppages. Additionally, the M18 passed a parts interchange test and met stringent accuracy and dispersion requirements.
