New from SIG AIR: An air pistol that's nearly identical to the U.S. Army's New M17 Modular Handgun System.
The new M17 Advanced Sport Pellet, or ASP, pistol is powered by a carbon dioxide cartridge and features a proprietary drop magazine that houses a 20-round rapid pellet magazine, according to a recent press release from Sig Sauer, the maker of the Army's MHS.
"This semi-automatic .177 caliber pellet pistol is a replica of the U.S. Army issued P320 M17 and is field-strippable like its centerfire counterpart," the release states. "It has the same look and feel as the M17, featuring a polymer frame and metal slide with realistic blow-back action."
Air pistols are becoming more popular as a training tool for military and police forces.
The U.S. Coast Guard recently selected the SIG AIR Pro Force P229 airsoft pistol, which is designed to be an exact replica -- in look, weight, balance, and handling characteristics -- of the Coast Guard's Sig Sauer P229 service pistol.
The Coast Guard, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has long used the Sig P229 .40 caliber pistol as its duty sidearm. The Coast Guard is scheduled to join the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps in fielding the Army's new Modular Handgun System.
But the service plans to use the SIG AIR Pro Force P229 for simulated training, according to a press release about the Coast Guard's purchase.
The new M17 ASP's CO2 cartridge features a patented cam lever loading port for quick and easy replacement of the cartridge, according to the release.
It weighs 2.15 pounds and comes with fixed sights. The M17 ASP has a velocity of up to 430 feet per second, but that may vary depending on pellet weight, temperature and altitude, the release states.
It comes in Coyote tan and retails for about $140.
-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
