The U.S. Marine Corps has announced it is fielding the Glock 19M, designated as the M007, to certain personnel who require a concealable weapon.
Touted as a replacement to the Beretta M9, the service says the M007 has “several physical improvements” over that gun, including a textured frame and no finger grooves, which boosts ergonomics and provides a comfortable grip with traction for more users. Meanwhile, the pistol sports an ambidextrous slide stop for right- and left-handed use. The mag release can also be changed, and the mag well is flared, making reloads easier.
“The M007 has a smaller frame and is easier to conceal, making it a natural selection to meet the Marine Corps’ conceal carry weapon requirement,” said Gunnery Sgt. Brian Nelson, Individual Weapons project officer at Marine Corps Systems Command.
M007 Testing Time
After coordinating with the FBI, which adopted the Glock 19M in 2016, the Corps started fielding the M007 earlier this year to Marines and civilian personnel working in the Criminal Investigation Division. Members of Helicopter Squadron One, better known as Marine One (which transports the president) were also given the pistol.
As the MARCORSYSCOM press release notes, the acquisition of a new weapons system is typically a lengthy process that can take years to wrap up. However, by leveraging the Glock 19M test data performed by the FBI, the Corps reduced its own testing time. This allowed the service to deliver the M007 to Marines in relatively short order.
“The fielding of the M007 is an example of how we can streamline the acquisition process by reviewing another service or agency’s test data to see if it fits the Marine Corps’ need,” said Lt. Col. Paul Gillikin, Infantry Weapons team lead at MARCORSYSCOM. “We received the initial request for a new concealed carry weapon system in April 2016. By collaborating with the FBI, we were able to procure, establish sustainability plans and start fielding the weapon to Marines by May 2017.”
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Check out the video below for a closer look at the new pistol.