Belgium Federal Police Select new pistol

Part of the article from the link:

Smith & Wesson® Secures M&P Pistol Contract From Belgium Federal Police
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By Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation
Last modified: 2011-11-28T13:10:12Z
Published: Monday, Nov. 28, 2011 - 5:08 am
Copyright 2011 . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Nov. 28, 2011 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SWHC), parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp., the legendary 159-year old company in the global business of safety, security, protection, and sport, announced today that it has recently received a contract from the Belgium Federal Police calling for 20,000 Smith & Wesson® Military & Police (M&P) 9mm polymer pistols over a ten-year period. The police agency, a force with 12,500 officers, has received an initial shipment of 2,500 pistols as part of the full department conversion to Smith & Wesson duty firearms.

After an open evaluation process that included numerous competitors, the Smith & Wesson M&P9 was selected for its performance and for the support services provided by the Company. A thorough test and evaluation process by the Belgium Federal Police indicated that the firearm's reliability, interchangeable grips sizes and low perceived recoil were among the key drivers in the decision. In addition to duty pistols, the Belgium Federal Police also placed orders for simunition and dedicated training firearms based on the M&P platform. The firearms offered by Smith & Wesson were supported with a full range of services, including armorer's training. The Company also provided the agency with product manuals in multiple languages in order to ease the transition process.

The pistols ordered by the Belgium Federal Police were based upon the well established M&P platform, which has been adopted by hundreds of police agencies and has achieved popularity with consumers as well. The M&P9 pistols were built to meet the exact specifications set forth by the police agency. Enhanced features included luminescent sights, a manual thumb safety with on/off red dot indicator, and a raised loaded chamber indicator on top of the slide that could be felt by hand. The M&P9 pistols retained the original design features and were supplied with two 17-round magazines along with cleaning materials.

Mario Pasantes, Smith & Wesson's Senior Vice President of Marketing and Global Professional Sales, said, "We are pleased to support the long-term needs of the Belgium Federal Police with our M&P pistols, which have become a sidearm of choice for law enforcement agencies in both the United States and around the globe. Our M&P line includes a full range of calibers and is designed to meet the exacting standards and tough test criteria used by professionals, such as the Belgium Federal Police. At the same time, our M&P firearms have become popular with consumers who have come to appreciate the pistol's professional-grade performance and features."
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I am currently in heavy debat with my self whether I should get M&P 9mm/.40 or Glock 17/22.

I like M&P but I already has MP15-22. I thought maybe I should get a different brand for my handgun.
With Glock though, I want to get G19/23 because they are compact, however they are prohibited, so no chance for owning them. At the end, I am stuck with G17/22 if I decided to go with Glock.

Anyone can help me to choose? Share your opinion.
 
I can't believe a country with a huge firearms manufacturing heritage like Belgium can't have something built locally?? f:P:
 
When you consider service and support, I'd wager Smith and Wesson practically gave these away to win over the award of the contract.

I like the M&Ps a lot, but I think the Glock has them in quality where it counts - barrels, mags and slides.
 
beltfed said:
When you consider service and support, I'd wager Smith and Wesson practically gave these away to win over the award of the contract.

I like the M&Ps a lot, but I think the Glock has them in quality where it counts - barrels, mags and slides.
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You prefer polymer mags over steel...really. Not sure what the issue might be with the M&P slides or barrels. I have never heard of an issue.

Take Care

Bob
 
Canuck44 said:
You prefer polymer mags over steel...really. Not sure what the issue might be with the M&P slides or barrels. I have never heard of an issue.

Take Care

Bob
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Gun people are right out of er

AR15 shooters; polymer mags "p-mags" are all the rage

Pistol shooter; Polymer mags not as good as steel

:p

Glock mags are fantasic and am sure S&W are too
 
bacardi said:
I am currently in heavy debat with my self whether I should get M&P 9mm/.40 or Glock 17/22.

I like M&P but I already has MP15-22. I thought maybe I should get a different brand for my handgun.
With Glock though, I want to get G19/23 because they are compact, however they are prohibited, so no chance for owning them. At the end, I am stuck with G17/22 if I decided to go with Glock.

Anyone can help me to choose? Share your opinion.
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Incorrect you can own a G26/27 or G19, dealers like Marstar or Blueline bring them in with "Canadian" barrels.

Good on M&P, Glocks are good guns but their adjustable grip is barely adjustable in size compared to the M&P. It's a whole host of things that may decide the contract and not just the gun.
 
Colin said:
Incorrect you can own a G26/27 or G19, dealers like Marstar or Blueline bring them in with "Canadian" barrels.

Good on M&P, Glocks are good guns but their adjustable grip is barely adjustable in size compared to the M&P. It's a whole host of things that may decide the contract and not just the gun.
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I find the S&W have great straps for palmswell but does little to increase the reach for the trigger. The glock straps work better for me as I have big hands. Glocks straps increase the length between the web of my hand and trigger finger.

Glock also wins in grip too "soak both grips in oil or sweat and you will find the glock RTF3 works better then the M&P
 
Canuck44 said:
You prefer polymer mags over steel...really. Not sure what the issue might be with the M&P slides or barrels. I have never heard of an issue.

Take Care

Bob
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Most common M&P barrel issue is overhardening at the transition from chamber to barrel, resulting in chambers physically breaking off the gun during firing, or what S&W techs call "flying mailbox syndrome".

The only slide problems that spring to mind have been finish related...although I believe FMS is also finish related in a sense: some barrels appear to have been over-treated in the meloniting stage leading to excessive hardness.

The other issues I'm familiar with are mostly small-parts problems.
 
Thanks for the article link. It looks like S&W bent over backwards for this contract and the result is entirely reflected in today's whopping SWHC stock price close at $2.94 a share. At $400 a pop, that is a whopping $5 million dollar contract, give or take some French manual translations and spare parts. Remember the old adage my freind: "Price Discounts Everything" which means that the current stock price fully reflects all information. Because all information is already reflected in the price, it represents the fair value, which means to me that S&W is in trouble. For comparison, look at RGR. Now THAT is a company going somewhere...in a solid uptrend for more than 2 years...SWHC, solid downtrend for at least 3....signed, your favorite Glockaholic. (lol) PS - here's my G21SF.
G21SF.jpg
 
The Belgians can keep their M&Ps, I'm looking forward to adding an ex-Belgian Police P7M13 to my collection this Christmas! :rockOn: Thank you Belgium! Please "upgrade" more of your gear.
 
meh... smith and wesson is aggressively trying to get back into the law enforcement market... smith won the contract because it was the CHEAPEST and they will manufacture the gun with any safety configuration that the dept requires...glock dosent do that...thats why they are loosing the market rapidly...lol still makes me lough because glocks are 300K plus on back order according to police ordnance...i still stick to my glocks...i dont need the mag disconnect bull #### or optional safety lever... i prefer my guns simple and easy to use because i dont decide my purchases on risk management principles like most big departaments out there do
 
bacardi said:
I am currently in heavy debat with my self whether I should get M&P 9mm/.40 or Glock 17/22.

I like M&P but I already has MP15-22. I thought maybe I should get a different brand for my handgun.
With Glock though, I want to get G19/23 because they are compact, however they are prohibited, so no chance for owning them. At the end, I am stuck with G17/22 if I decided to go with Glock.

Anyone can help me to choose? Share your opinion.
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Visit Questar's site... they have "prohib" handguns with slightly longer barrels so they become only "restricted". Including the Glock 23. They also have photos so you can see what the longer barrels look like.
 
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