by A story posted on Soldier Systems this past week caught my eye. It seems that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police aka The Mounties have posted a tender notice saying they are seeking a new service pistol. This pistol will replace their Smith & Wesson Model 5946.
Their general requirements according to Soldier Systems include:
Determining that the current weapon has exceeded its life expectancy, they are looking for a modern design offering reduced trigger pull weight, various frame sizes, and a reduction in overall weight as well as the ability mount both a weapon light and Red Dot Sight (RDS).
While they are sticking with 9mm, the RCMP desires a mechanically locked, recoil-operated, striker-fired semi-automatic pistol with polymer frame which can accommodate at least three grip sizes. The pistol must also be matte black, corrosion resistant, and equipped with iron backup sights in addition to the RDS.
While the pistol must have no external manual safety levers, grip safeties, and push-button safeties, it must fireable without a magazine installed.
This requirement is fairly unique, each pistol must come with a ceremonial lanyard loop that can be attached to the pistol magazine’s base plate. Additionally, the slide must be steel.
In the solicitation’s Annex A – Statement of Work regarding one factor in the assessment of the new pistol I found this:
The RCMP is committed to being progressive, proactive, and innovative (Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 2006) and, having a diverse and modern workforce (Government of Canada’s diversity and inclusion priority), this requires that the RCMP’s general duty (GD) pistol be examined from a Gender-based perspective (Gender-based Analysis+(GBA+)).
Indeed, when the solicitation lists the expected outcomes, alignment with diversity and inclusion by “leveraging Gender Based Analysis (GBA+) in the selection of the service pistols” is first on the list. It comes before reliability or any other requirement.
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon is not amused.
Given Prime Minister Trudeau’s aim to disarm all Canadians, I fail to see why the RCMP even needs a new pistol or even a pistol in general. In areas where there are dangerous wildlife such as the polar bears of Churchill, Manitoba, I’d say they should be able to make due with the cast-off .303 Lee Enfields from the Canadian Rangers. For the rest of the Mounties, they should be able to make due with harsh, impolite words, eh!
It would be nice if no American companies bid.
I can think of a few weapons that meet that criteria, right now. It would be cheaper and easier for all concerned if the RCMP would simply pick 2 or 3 of them, and have them compete against each other, to see which one proves to be the best.
I could even see the Glock 17 fitting the requirements, if they just came up with replaceable back straps.
This was my thought as well. Any of the current polymer striker fire pistols from the major manufacturers with a replaceable back strap should fit the bill. As someone suggested, just make a new baseplate to include the lanyard loop. Heck, you only need it on one mag per Mountie since it is for ceremonial purposes.
The biggest challenge I see is designing a magazine base plate with a lanyard loop attached, which shouldn’t be hard. I’d guess they’re looking for a new pistol because there aren’t spare parts for their existing pistols anymore. I’d further bet they destroy the current pistols rather than trade them and see them show up on the commercial market in Canada or the States.
Mike,
Pistol sales are currently illegal in Canada for the general population so there would be no commercial market.
Liston,
Yes, this.