On May 8, 2024, the company “Carl Walther” announced it officially: The new pistol for the special forces from Calw and Eckernförde (as well as the specialized forces of the military police) comes from Ulm!
And with the P14, the Bundeswehr is joining a series of procurements that are worth a second look. After all, they are ultimately a reflection of the latest developments in the field of handguns, even if they are usually somewhat delayed compared to the civilian trend. Specifically, we are talking here about pioneering procurement programs: The MK27 program of the U.S. Navy, the P14/P14K of the Bundeswehr, but also the M17/M18 program of the US Army and US Air Force. As is now known, the Bundeswehr is now also looking for a successor to the P8. So the new year has not even begun and already promises to be groundbreaking.
Picture above : KSK-Soldier / Source : Bundeswehr.de
The procurement of the “Special Forces Pistol System”.
But first things first. What exactly did the Bundeswehr purchase for the 2024 special forces? After receiving the “wish list (of specifications) from Calw and Eckernförde”, the Ulm-based manufacturer Walther initially qualified as a participant in the process and later prevailed completely. After Walther submitted its weapons, the initial briefing took place and these then went through the extremely extensive testing, it was then clear in 2024: the PDP was able to prove itself and hold its own against all competitors. As part of the new program, Walther will supply the handguns known as the “P14” and “P14K”. These will go to the Special Forces Command (KSK), the Special Forces Command of the Navy (KSM) and the Specialized Forces of the Military Police.
Specifically, 3,200 P14 (basic weapon, full-size, 4.5“ barrel) and 3,300 P14K (compact version, shortened grip, 4” barrel) will be supplied. These are basically the Walther PDP available for civilian use - a modern service pistol with a textured polymer grip and partially preloaded firing pin lock. The trigger used is the Performance Duty Trigger (PDT), which, as is typical for Walther, breaks dry at 2,200 grams. The specifications called for a trigger that meets the highest standards of (drop) safety, which is why Walther opted directly for the PDT. The specifications also called for a magazine funnel and a compensator. Two components that are almost standard in practical shooting today, but have never really been found in service weapons before. Further requirements: It had(!) to be possible to install a so-called “Closed Emitter Optic”, i.e. a red dot sight in a closed system, in which the light emitting diode and all relevant parts are protected from dust, water and dirt. An indirect preselection was already made in the specification, as the levels of illuminated dot brightness and other parameters were specified. Walther entered the well-known “AIMPOINT ACRO” into the race. The ACRO is mounted directly on the bolt - there is no need for an adapter plate.
Although an “Absolute Co-Witness” was specified by the Bundeswehr, the decision was later made in favor of a “Lower Third Co-Witness” for practical reasons. With a “Lower-Third Co-Witness”, the mechanical sights (rear sight and front sight) are arranged in the lower third of the field of view of the optic, whereas with an “Absolute Co-Witness” the sights are centered in the field of view of the optic. The advantage of “Lower Third Co-Witness” is that the red dot sight remains free of mechanical sights, which makes the target image clearer and less cluttered, while the mechanical sights are still available for emergencies. But what particularly distinguishes the P14 from the civilian PDP: The internals of the P14 are protected against corrosion with a special coating. This takes into account the maritime component of the KSK, the combat swimmers and their place of work. Which coating exactly - the lips of the Ulm team remained tightly sealed.
Picture above: The P14 and P14 procured by the BAAIM for the KSK, KSM and military police. Source: www.carl-walther.de
The P14 is delivered in Flat Dark Earth (FDE), the P14K as a compact, concealed-carry weapon in an inconspicuous shade of gray. In addition, there are "muzzle signature reducing devices" (Supressors), reflex sights and the compensators and magazine funnels already mentioned. The supressor supplied is the “Impuls-XM” produced by B&T and the ACRO P2 red dot sight from Aimpoint. The package is rounded off by an extensive range of accessories: interchangeable backstraps, interchangeable magazine holders, spare parts, handling trainers, training weapons and much more.
Let's move on to the topic of illumination: on the European procurement platform TED, under the number 388807-2024, there is a tender for the “Procurement of illumination modules for the Special Forces Pistol System” (BelMSysPiSpezKr - official abbreviations of the germans are always a dream). The aim is to procure 5,734 units with which both the P14 and the P14K can be equipped. Interestingly, no lasers are required, but modules that can illuminate the apron up to approx. 40 m in the visible and invisible (infrared range) light spectrum. A minimum of 300 lumens or 100 mW is specified.
MK27 and M17/M18 program.
Far over in the West, there is a nation that recognized and acted on trends a few years ago. The US Armed Forces began their search for a new service pistol for the broad base in 2015. After numerous trials, the P320 was then introduced in 2017 as the new M17 or M18 (compact version). Again: Polymer frame, striker-fired, optics ready. The Canadians also introduced the SIG P320 later as the C22. The Sig Sauer Romeo red dot was introduced under the NSN (NATO stock number) “1240-01-713-9795” and can now be requested by logistics and materials management companies. Red dot compatibility was also important here from the outset; it was no coincidence or by-product.
SOCOM (the US Special Operations Command) began preparations for the introduction of the Glock 19, which has since been introduced under the designation MK27 Mod. 0 to Mod. 2 for the Maritime Special Forces, among others, as early as 2014. Although there was initially a desire from the troops to introduce the Glock 17, the “M9” (Beretta 92) already existed as a full-size short weapon. The decision was therefore made to invite tenders for a compact weapon. Specifically, this was a Glock 19 of (initially) Generation 3 with Surefire X300 and maritime spring plates in order to do justice to the frogmen and their working area. The Gen 4 was then introduced as Mod. 2, which also had a threaded barrel. The crème de la crème.
Picture above: The Glock 19 introduced as MK27 Mod. 1 & 2 with Trijcon SU-291 (civilian: Trijcon RMR) and Surefire X300. Below the M17 (SIG Sauer P320) with the SIG Sauer Romeo and extended magazine. Source: www.glocktalk.com / www.sigsauer.com
The Trijcon RMR known as the “SU-291” is also included. It is true that these introductions to the US armed forces are still a privilege reserved for special forces when it comes to the comprehensive supply of red dot sights. However, the general direction of travel is clear. And the Bundeswehr is already almost breaking new ground here by procuring a pistol for official use, which is also being procured with an extended magazine well, compensator and convertible magazine releases. No less exciting is the procurement of the Swiss cantonal police. The protocol of the meeting on July 3, 2024 shows that 2,529 Glock 45 MOS FS and 135 Glock 26 Gen 5 MOS, 2529 Streamlight TLR-7 X and 2,664 red dot sights of the type “Holosun SCS” will be procured. In other words: no service weapon without a red dot.
We see a similar decision at the Pennsylvania State Police, where the decision was recently made to introduce the Walther PDP Compact and PDP F-Series as “Optic Ready” variants across the board. The recipe here: Aimpont Acro P2 and Walther Performance Duty Trigger. Cheers.
Trends from the civilian market.
But are the armed forces really lagging so far behind? In one word: yes. Because back in the 2000s (we remember: gray prehistoric times, the dinosaurs had just become extinct, women with highlights, young men with surfer haircuts, the emo look, Justin Bieber, Tokio Hotel and baggy pants), red dots on handguns were coming up. However, this was solved at that time by mounts that built a bridge from the rail on the dust cover to the rear and thus made it possible to place the red dot ABOVE the slide. In USPSA and IPSC, this variant can still be seen from time to time at matches. Especially when the top of the slide is rather narrow and direct mounting is almost impossible. Although the advantages were recognized early on, the (technical) breakthrough was lacking. Not at least because of the sheer size of these superstructures and the lack of options on the holster market, it took longer for them to reach market maturity. Then came the 2017s and a young dude from the southern states of the USA simply mounted an Aimpoint T2 (you read that right) permanently on the slide of his Glock 17. Lucas Botkin was certainly not THE first, but he was one of the first to experiment with it in a very public way.
Looking back, it is interesting to see how the idea of “red dot on a handgun” grew from an almost futuristic concept to a practical reality. Photo: T.Rex Arms, approx. 2017, colorized
And while police and military forces are now(!) starting to jump on the bandwagon in the masses, it has been almost the gold standard in the civilian sector for years to mount a red dot directly on the slide. The advantages are clear. Super-fine dots make it easier to harmonize target and sight picture. I no longer have to align two planes (front and rear sights have to be brought together perfectly) and then bring them to a correct position on the target. Now all I have to do is rest the dot on the correct aiming point. Furthermore, the dot provides direct information about trigger and even grip errors, if you are precise. If the dot is shaking like a leaf, it is obvious that the grip is unnatural and needs to be adjusted. If I have a trigger error, it is immediately noticeable during dry practice that the dot does not remain cleanly on the target when pulling the trigger. To a certain extent, this in turn saves a second person having to watch out for mistakes made by the shooter, as (with a bit of practice) the shooter will notice this directly and can adjust accordingly.
The MK27 in action. It was primarily introduced to the American maritime special forces. However, it can now be found in almost all branches of the US special forces. Note the typical “blue shade” of the window of the RMR. This is due to the material used by Trijcon for the reflective surface. Somehow almost iconic.
What did we learn about service handguns?
The introduction of “Optics Ready” service weapons is an exciting and important trend and follows directly on from the latest findings in civilian shooting. The advantages are undeniable and it will be interesting to see what awaits us in the field of procurement over the next few years. The fact that increased efficiency in shooting makes the difference in case of doubt applies in all contexts: sport, government, self-defense. Compensators and magazine funnels required by the authorities are particularly noteworthy and forward-looking. We like that.
Charlie Out.
Sources:
www.carl-walther.de
www.soldat-und-technik.de
www.defence-network.com
www.hartpunkt.de
www.zh.ch
