Pistols for pilots

[Brodie143]

Patmack18, LOL, man that is great. Those are words to live by. Unfortunately for us Navy guys and i suspect the Air Force too, rule #1 would have to be: bring your radio (one that actual works when it gets wet), bring your gun and 2 or more clips (damn the weight restrictions), call for the Marines, SEALS and yours buddies caring MK-82s and 20mm, and hid in a bush.

Now if they could just get an MP-5 or M4 broken down into a ejection seat seat-pan that would be awesome. Oh well, a 9mm is better than nothing.

 

[Banjo33]

That's awesome! I've got an amendment to #3 -- Close only counts with horseshoes and handgrenades.

 

[ea6bflyr]

We carried Sig 9mm's. NO SAFETY. But it was optional to carry. I always had mine....figured I could always use it to barter or get out of country if it was between me and a camel driver.....you just never know.
ea6bflyr

 

[Fly Navy]

Helo pilots I was with for my first class cruise this past summer said they carried SIG P228s. I personally own a SIG P226 and would love to carry a SIG as a pilot. BEST PISTOL EVER! *wink* Much much better than the Beretta in my opinion.

Navy ROTC Guy

 

[theblakeness]

The only pilots I know of carrying larger weapons are the Army SOAR pilots. They carry MP5s

 

[kabttu]

How much gun training do officers do in the Navy? Do they get to shoot and practice with MP5s?

 

[Brodie143]

For jet guys you go shoot a pistol right before you deploy and that is about it. I would suspect for most of the aviators, you don't practice shooting much. The HS and HSL helo guys might practice more as they insert SEALS and do SAR stuff.

 

[webmaster]

Ditto, I just had my annual shoot last month.

 

[Fly Navy]

Train yourself, it's fun ;-)

 

[webmaster]

I would rather spend my $$ sinking it into my boat.

 

[Gator]

I knew that some pilots carried Sig's because I saw one loading it into his survival vest when I was watching "A carrier at war" after Sep 11. I started shooting the Sig P226 when I worked with the State Dept Bureau of Diplomatic Security and loved the way it shot. I have a Sig P229, .40 and have shot thousands of round through it without one malfunction. They're expensive, but great pistols.

I just bought a Springfield XD-40 yesterday and am going to the range to shoot it this weekend. Everyone who has tested it, has had nothing but great things to say about it. It's basically a cross between the HK USP series and a Glock. The great thing is that it costs alot less than both.

If I could find a way to carry something bigger with me in whatever I end up flying, I defintely would. If Murphy's Law catches me and I end up in the ground, I'm going E&E as long as I can, but when that fails. I'm taking out as many bad guys as I can!!

 

[ghost_ttu]

Gator, just make sure you didn't buy the French model.

Eliminate distractions, focus on your goals and visualize what you hope to accomplish.

 

[airgreg]

When you do the Navy pistol qualification, how far do they make you shoot from?

 

[Gator]

If it's the same as when I was in the Corps, it's 25 yds.

Ghost_ttu, Springfield bought the design from some arms company from Croatia, but it's made in the USA!

 

[Tripp]

Originally posted by airgreg
When you do the Navy pistol qualification, how far do they make you shoot from?

Isn't that some sort of oxymoron?

And wasn't there talk (a long, long time ago in a Navy far, far away) about letting pilots carrying their personal sidearm instead of the M9? My Walther P99 (.40) and I were made for each other...I've shot a Beretta many times and frankly, I'd rather have a Swiss Army Knife than that NATO POS. Although, if they're handing out Sigs, that is not entirely a bad thing.