U.S. Army post Fort Moore, formerly Fort Benning, is offering a $15,000 reward for information regarding more than 30 missing M17 pistols assumed stolen.
The M17 became the Army’s official sidearm in 2017.
Ammoland reported “Enhanced Night Vision Goggles (ENVGs) and an AN/PAS 13D Thermal Optic” are also missing.
The guns and equipment were reported missing in May and could have been taken as early as March.
On July 10, 2019, Guns.com noted the U.S. Army’s announcement that is was adopting the Sig Sauer P320 platform M17 pistol. Sig Sauer’s M18 pistol, also a P320 platform handgun, was adopted as well and both guns have become prevalent among America’s fighting forces.
On June 23, 2020, Breitbart News pointed out the Air Force was replacing its Beretta M9 pistols with 125,000 M18s. On September 23, 2020, Breitbart New observed the USMC was fielding the M18 as well.
The Washington Times reported the M18 was chosen to replace “all other sidearms, including the M9, M9A1, M45A1 and M007.”
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio, a member of Gun Owners of America, a Pulsar Night Vision pro-staffer, and the director of global marketing for Lone Star Hunts. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal in 2010 and has a Ph.D. in Military History. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly: awrhawkins@breitbart.com.