Beretta is apparently scrambling to try to keep its US military pistol contract in the face of the Army’s ongoing Modular Handgun System (MHS) competition to replace the existing M9 pistol.

Some say Beretta is a shoo-in to win the competition with it’s revised M9, due to cost and logistics. But we wonder why even have a competition if the current gun fits the bill that well?

Beretta has announced the presentation of its M9A3 pistol to the Army. The M9A3 features a thin grip with a removable, modular wrap-around grip, MIL-STD-1913 accessory rail, removable front and rear tritium sights, extended and threaded barrel for suppressor use, 17-round sand resistant magazine, and numerous improved small components to increase durability and ergonomics, all in an earth tone finish. Most of those changes came directly from the specs for the replacement competition.

Beretta also says the M9A3 offered to the DOD is the “exact gun that consumers will be able to purchase in the second quarter of 2015,” and the pistol will “likely” cost the military less than the existing M9.

I think that all US military small arms contracts should require that manufacturers also make the SAME weapons available to the US civilian commercial market in reasonable quantities, subject to the laws of economics.