The earliest definition of the pistol was issued to officers, but with the development of the times, modern pistols are more widely used, not only to officers, but also to other classes and other special operations also need to be issued pistols, especially special forces, in addition to equipped with a submachine gun or automatic rifle, will also be equipped with additional pistols as secondary weapons, which is convenient for improving efficiency in close combat.
Everyone knows that the equipment and weapons of Western special forces are very advanced, and the same is true for pistols, so let's take stock of the top ten pistols most commonly used by Western special forces, which model do you think is the best?
1. Glock series pistols
Glock series pistol was born in the Austrian Glock company, in 1983 completed the development, and then into the military and police field, due to the Glock series of pistols excellent performance, reliability, rugged characteristics soon became famous, and then derived a variety of different models, such as Glock G17, G17C, G17L, G18C, G19, G19C, G26, G34 and G45 and so on, of which the Glock G18C has a fully automatic firing capability.
The first model in the series, the Glock G17, was designed in the early 1980s, it feels like it has a strong plastic feel, and has a boxy appearance, and a strong ergonomic design on the grip.
The Glock series is also different from the common pistols, the whole body of the gun is widely used in engineering plastics, such as sleeve base, magazine, crosshairs, triggers and shell throwing top rods, etc., and the plastic parts are basically made of polyoxymethylene, so that the weight of the firearm is reduced to 620 grams.
Glock also adopts the barrel partial open-lock structure of the Browning pistol, with the help of the rectangular cross-sectional thread outside the barrel and the sleeve connection, its biggest feature is the trigger safety device and firing device, using a double-action trigger, different from the common pistol, using a translational needle structure, so there is no external hammer.
Glock is a common munition that fires 9×19 mm Parabellum pistol cartridges, while other models fire 0.45 in ammunition, 0.357 inch ammunition, 0.38 inch ammunition, 0.40 inch ammunition, and 10 mm pistol cartridges, although the Glock 17 used in special forces generally fires 9 mm ammunition and is equipped with a 17-round magazine.
2. P226 pistol
The P226 pistol was introduced by Siegsauer in 1996 and is available in three caliber models of 0.40 inch, 0.357 inch and 9 mm. It initially competed with the Italian Beretta 92F pistol, will become a new generation of standard pistols for the US army, replacing the old M1911, although the P226 is also very good, but the cost is higher, the structure is more complex, and finally the US military chose the Italian Beretta 92F and renamed the M9 pistol.
However, the P226 was not completely left out in the cold, and was re-selected by the U.S. Navy Special Operations Department in 2004, and produced more than 600,000 units, which were completely reloaded in 2010 to equip the U.S. Navy Special Operations Force, and was renamed the MK25 pistol system, especially the U.S. Navy's Navy SEALs and the Navy Special Operations Research Group, which used p226 pistols in large quantities.
The P226 pistol is a member of the Siegsauer P200 series, inheriting the family's design tradition, using a breech-locked barrel, a short-stroke recoil mode, in which the sleeve and barrel are locked together when firing, and will recede a few millimeters, while the breech will tilt downwards, in order to achieve the purpose of buffering recoil.
P226 sleeve part is made of alloy stamping, the sleeve base is made of engineering plastic, and phosphating treatment, has a strong corrosion resistance, some in order to better adapt to the combat environment, but also painted with desert color or camouflage, in the U.S. military special forces model, under the sleeve base also with a small section of rail, can be more convenient to install infrared laser indicators and tactical flashlights, etc., the back of the cover door can also be removed, can be installed a small red dot sight.
The P226 pistol used in the Naval Special Operations Research Group fires 9×19 mm Parabellum pistol cartridges, with a magazine capacity of 15 rounds, an effective range of 50 meters, a muzzle velocity of 350 meters per second, a total length of 196 mm, a barrel length of 112 mm, an empty gun weight of 865 grams, and a desert color coating.
3. HK USP Tactical Pistol
The USP pistol has always been a symbol of SWAT and Special Forces, because there are many people who first come into contact with this pistol, all in the classic video game, Counter-Strike, giving people the first impression that they can be put on the silencer, and in reality, it is also a very practical tactical pistol.
The USP tactical pistol was introduced in the 1990s by the famous German firearms manufacturer, Heikler Koch, and is specially designed for counter-terrorism and special operations, it can be well adapted to assault operations and CQB operations, the gun body is light, the grip is also ergonomically designed, and with dense anti-slip modules, the ergonomics of the man-machine effect is particularly outstanding.
The whole gun is composed of 5 parts of the barrel, sleeve, sleeve base, re-entry spring and magazine, a total of 53 parts inside, the barrel is made of cold steel, the sleeve is made of special metal synthetic materials, the sleeve base is made of glass fiber and plastic synthetic materials, the sleeve base also has a tactical interface, can be installed with a usP pistol special infrared laser indicator and tactical lights as one of the tactical accessories, the muzzle position can also be installed with a threaded silencer.
The gun is available in 0.45-inch and 9-millimeter models, but most of the special forces use 9-millimeter calibers, equipped with 12- or 15-round magazines, an effective range of 50 meters, a full gun length of 194 millimeters, and a barrel length of 105 millimeters.
Since the birth of the USP pistol has not left the special operations and anti-terrorism operations, in these years, has been continuously improved, in the eyes of the special forces USP tactical pistol is also very good, trustworthy, in actual combat, the U.S. military likes it even better than the M1911 pistol.
4. FN Five-seveN pistol
Its abbreviation is also called FN57 pistol, by the famous Belgian firearms company FN, designed during the 90s of the last century, the biggest feature of the gun is the caliber is small, firing the same as the FN P90 submachine gun 5.7 × 28 mm small caliber ammunition, don't look at the bullet is small, but the speed is fast, the muzzle velocity can reach 716 meters per second, and the penetration is very strong, for the body armor equipped with ceramic armor.
The design of the FN57 also has many features, such as the use of bolt delay recoil mechanism, non-rigid latching mode, concealed hammering, etc., the gun sleeve also uses a composite structure, the inside is a frame made of metal stamping, the outside is covered with a layer of high-strength engineering plastic, and the surface is phosphating, so the whole gun looks very plastic.
The gun consists of four parts: magazine, barrel, sleeve and sleeve base, and the sleeve and sleeve base are made of engineering plastic, the grip part has a strong ergonomic design, and the sleeve base also has a Picatinny tactical guide that can be used to install the infrared laser indicator or tactical light needed for combat, and the rear door position can also be removed, and a small red dot sight can be installed.
The size of the FN57 pistol is relatively small, the weight is very light, the magazine capacity is large, it can be loaded with 20 rounds of ammunition, the full gun length is 208 mm, the barrel length is 122.5 mm, the full gun weighs only 618 grams, in actual combat, it can also carry an additional elongated magazine, for this pistol, it can be described as "small and tough".
But compared to the Glock and Siegsauer series of pistols, FN57 is indeed relatively small, but does not mean that no one uses, such as France's GIGN, known as the "sword in front of the triumphal arch", this special force is equipped with a lot of FN57 pistols, generally will be equipped with P90 submachine guns, because the ammunition is generalized, so it is very convenient to use.
5. HK45 pistol
HK45 by the famous German firearms manufacturer Black Kohler Koch, introduced between 2006 and 2007, its design and structure is the same as the USP tactical pistol, but the HK45 has a stronger ergonomic design, especially the grip part, suitable for each shooter's hand shape, but also with a soft anti-slip pad, which can reduce pressure when shooting, while enhancing the comfort of the shooter.
The HK45 pistol was adopted by the U.S. Army Delta Special Forces in 2007, and after testing and actual combat use, the HK45 is more useful than the USP, and the most important thing is that it can fire American 11.43×23 mm pistol cartridges, that is, 0.45 inches of ammunition, which also meets the requirements of the US military and can also digest their standard ammunition.
The HK45 pistol has a good ergonomic effect, when hanging up in an empty warehouse, no matter which hand is operating, the fingers are unhindered, and the whole gun is more flexible to operate, the grip guard also has a grooved anti-slip pad, and can also be replaced according to different hand types, and the sleeve base also has a small Picatinny guide, which can be used to install infrared laser indicators and tactical lights.
The HK45 pistol is also followed by a HK45C type, which is his compact version, which also fires 0.45-inch pistol bullets, but the size, weight, and magazine capacity are different, the HK45 has a full gun length of 119 mm, an empty gun weight of 785 grams, and a magazine capacity of 10 rounds, while the HK45C full gun has a length of 183 mm, an empty gun weight of 717 grams, and a magazine capacity of 8 rounds.
In addition to equipping the US Delta Special Forces, this pistol is also used by german special forces and Polish special forces, and its performance and reliability are trusted by Western special operators.
6. FNP series pistols
FNP series pistols for the North American civilian market and special forces development, which are divided into FNP45, FNP40 and FNP9 types, these three models represent 0.45 inch caliber, 0.40 inch caliber and 9 mm caliber, the size and use of the three models are also different, and most of the US special forces used in the 0.45 inch caliber, because it can match the M1911 11.43×23 mm bullet, plus the power of this ammunition, Therefore, the US special forces also like it even more.
FNP series pistols were first introduced in 2007, the first model is the FNP45 type, the earliest also known as the PRO-45, is a specially tailored pistol for special forces, the sleeve base also has a Picatinny tactical rail, can be easily installed infrared laser indicator and tactical lights, behind the door can also be installed small red dot sight, muzzle can also be installed with a specific silencer.
The pistol sleeve is made of metal materials, the sleeve base, trigger is made of engineering plastic, and in order to better adapt to the combat environment, the gun body is also painted in desert color or camouflage, and the grip also has a delicate anti-slip module and ergonomic design, which can bring a better sense of operation to the shooter.
The FNP-45 has a total length of 199 mm, a barrel length of 114 mm, a pistol width of 40 mm, and a vertical height of 161 mm for the whole gun, with a double-row ammunition supply method, a magazine capacity of 15 rounds, and an empty gun weight of 919 grams.
7. Px4 pistol
The full name of the gun: Beretta Px4Storm pistol, introduced in 2005 by the Italian beretta, its relatively small size, initially for the European police field, followed by personal escort, and special operations.
The gun uses a special latching method, but the sleeve still retains the design style of the Beretta 92F pistol, which can also fully reflect the tradition of the Beretta series of pistols, and this gun is also designed by the car designer, Joget, so the shape of the Px4 also has a streamlined style of the car, and the sleeve and sleeve base are made of engineering plastic.
Although it is a compact pistol, the sleeve base also has a guide rail that can be used to install a special infrared activation indicator or tactical light, and the grip also has a rough anti-slip pattern, which can enhance the feel, allowing the shooter to firmly grasp the gun when shooting continuously, and it is not easy to fall off.
Px4 pistol attaches great importance to man-machine efficacy, in the grip of the effort, can make anyone's hand shape can fit this pistol, so equipped with three different sizes of grip back, according to their own hand type, their own operating habits to replace, this aspect of the design is very humane, fully considering the use of the shooter.
The Px4 pistol is divided into 9×19 mm versions and point 40 versions, the most commonly used by Italian special forces is the 9 mm version, equipped with a 17 or 14 round magazine, full gun length 192 mm, barrel length 102 mm, full gun height 140 mm, width 36 mm, empty gun weight 785 grams.
8. MK23 Combat Pistol
The MK23, also known as the MK23 Mod 0, was designed by heikler Koch for special operations in Germany and was adopted by the U.S. Army's Green Beret Special Forces in the early 1990s, also known as the MK23 offensive pistol.
MK23 adaptability is very strong, can maintain normal firing in a variety of harsh environments, its durability is strong, waterproof and corrosion resistance is also better, in the special operations of the special pistol, MK23 is more durable, reliable, practical, not only the US special forces love, even German, French, British special forces are also very optimistic about the MK23 offensive pistol.
Its design is more clever, located on both sides of the gun body has a manual safety and magazine card shoot, so that both hands can be operated, the position of the manual safety in the rear of the large belt release lever, and the position of the magazine card shoot in the rear of the trigger ring, which facilitates the shooter to operate more flexibly, and even if the tactical gloves are worn, it can be easily controlled.
The gun's sleeve base is equipped with a Picatinny tactical rail, which can be used to install a special infrared laser pointer and a glare flashlight, the muzzle part can also be equipped with a special 45 caliber silencer, or muzzle suppressor, and a small red dot sight can be installed on the door position, and in the default case, the door and the crosshair are also equipped with luminous sequins for easy use at night.
The MK23 offensive pistol fires 11.43 × 23 mm ammunition, a magazine capacity of 12 rounds, an effective range of 50 meters, an empty gun weight of 0.72 kg, a full gun length of 244 mm, a barrel length of 149 mm, a width of 38.8 mm, and an empty gun weight of 1100 g.
9. Beretta M9 pistol
The M9 pistol is actually the 92F pistol owned by Beretta, Italy, which began to be developed in 1983, was selected by tender in 1985 as the standard weapon of the US military, and was renamed the M9 pistol, and also derived the M9A1 type, since then the M9 pistol has been widely used in the US army, police, special forces, or special services.
The structure of the M9 pistol is simple, using the barrel short stroke recoil principle, as well as the card iron sinking locking method, the whole gun is made of alloy material, only the grip guard is made of engineering plastic, but also combined with a strong ergonomic design, the grip is not only with a rough anti-slip module, the operation feel is also very comfortable.
The later derivative of the M9A1 type, a small piece of Picatinny rail was added to the sleeve base, which can be used to install tactical lights, infrared laser pointers and other accessories, and the illumination door and crosshairs also have night sequins for easy use at night, and additional small sights can also be installed in the position of the illumination door.
M9 pistol also has many advantages, such as simple structure, low cost, can be easier maintenance, and durable, can adapt to wind and sand, dust, swamp, sewage and other harsh environments, even under extreme conditions can maintain normal firing, barrel life is up to 10,000 rounds or so.
The M9 pistol fires 9× 19 mm Parabellum pistol cartridges, with a magazine capacity of 15 rounds, an effective range of 50 meters, a muzzle velocity of 375 meters per second, a full gun length of 217 mm, a barrel length of 125 mm, a height of 140 mm, a width of 38 mm, and an empty gun weight of 960 g.
10. M1911 "Desert Warrior"
"Desert Warrior" M1911 pistol is not produced by Colt, but by the United States Kimber Company on the basis of the M1911A1 model improved, specially equipped with the U.S. military special operations forces and naval task forces, research and development in the early 21st century, in essence, M1911 is already a century-old gun, the U.S. military has long replaced the M9 pistol that fires 9× 19 mm ammunition, but the special forces have always had a deep affection for this M1911 pistol with 45 ammunition at the firing point. The reason why this century-old gun was upgraded to a modern weapon.
Although the structure of the original M1911 has not changed, there are great changes in appearance, the main body of the gun is desert colored, in which the empty hanger handle, manual safety handle, grip safety, trigger, magazine card shoot, barrel bushing, re-entry spring sleeve, crosshairs, and the door, are made of treated black metal, and stainless steel.
The pistol sleeve is made of stainless steel, the sleeve base is made of engineering plastic, with Picatinny tactical rails, which can be used to install tactical lights, infrared laser pointers, etc., and military rope rings are also installed behind the grip to prevent shooters from being captured by the enemy or accidentally lost during battle.
The firing principle inherits the characteristics of the original M1911 pistol, using the barrel short recoil automatic method, as well as the barrel offset locking mechanism, under the action of gunpowder gas when firing, the sleeve and barrel will produce recoil together, and the barrel will swing backwards, through the lower end of the hinge, fixed to the sleeve base.
The Desert Warrior M1911 is equipped with a 7-round magazine and an 8-round magazine, still firing 11.43 × 23 mm ammunition, that is, a 0.45-inch ACP pistol cartridge, with an effective range of 50 meters, a full gun length of 221 mm, a barrel length of 127 mm, a vertical height of 133 mm, an empty gun weight containing a magazine, 1.11 kg without ammunition, and a pistol thickness of 34.3 mm.
The 10 most commonly used pistols in this issue about Western special forces are here for everyone, so which of these ten guns do you think is the best? Please express it in the comment area, if you want to know more about the content of weapons and equipment, please remember to pay attention, and continue to update for everyone in the next issue.