The link has a video of 101st GIs on the range and two close up photos of the laser/light device.

https://www.armytimes.com/news...litarys-new-handgun/

Check out the new laser/light combo ‘pistol enhancer’ for the military’s new handgun

By: Todd South   14 hours ago

LAS VEGAS — As soon as April, soldiers could be getting a full sidearm kit complete with the Army’s newest M17 handgun, along with a new “pistol enhancer” and holster built to fit the device.

The Army selected Laser Max Defense to provide more than 20,000 pistol enhancers for its M17/M18 sidearm. The 9mm handgun, built off a modified version of the Sig Sauer P320, began fielding to Army units in late 2017. It will be the standard issue sidearm for all the services moving forward, replacing the decades-old Beretta M9 pistol.

The pistol enhancer gives shooters white light, Infrared laser and IR illuminator at the flick of a switch.

The device slides on the short rail system at the front of the gun and rests flush with the barrel and sides, keeping bulkiness to a minimum.

Chris Gagliano, marketing director for LMD, told Army Times that design work also included a flat bottom on the device, which gives it added stability over other such gear with rounded edges when shooting from a platform.

Gagliano said that both the Air Force and Coast Guard, who also field the pistol, have been tracking the Army’s testing.

The device weighs 1.9 ounces without the battery and 2.6 ounces with the battery.

The design also allows for operators to change batteries while the device is still on the pistol so they won’t have to re-zero the weapon. The battery door also has knurled screws for finger grip and can be tightened using a multi-purpose tool or a dog tag so no specialty tools are needed.

As far as adjusting fire, the enhancer has tic marks visible with night vision goggles for quick adjustments to the aiming point.

The commercially available 123-volt battery gives the user two hours of continuous operation on the white light mode and up to six hours operation with the IR settings, Gagliano said.

It comes in tan color for military handgun compatibility but is also offered in black for law enforcement use.

A commercial version is being developed, depending on demand. LMD is looking to make a version with a more universal mounting base that would work on a variety of handguns for the civilian consumer market.

Interesting. Kind of odd it does not seem to have a quick attach/release on it. Pictures seem to make it look like "cheap" plastic.

Looks like cheap shit. Doesn’t surprise me, lowest bidder wins again. And it will just be a waste of money anyway. The soldiers who will get them will probably never have batteries in them anyway and I’m betting most units who have them won’t issue them out unless on deployment for fear of somebody losing one. Because that’s damn sure going to be an accountable item.
My unit (an MP unit) had CT laser grips on a bunch of our M9’s and not a damn one ever had batteries or batteries with any juice in them.

I just had a flashback to the MK 23 and the PEQ 14.

Whoever thought up the term "pistol enhancer" needs to be spammed for the rest of their life

quote:

The commercially available 123-volt battery

Yikes!

quote:

Chris Gagliano, marketing director for LMD, told Army Times that design work also included a flat bottom on the device, which gives it added stability over other such gear with rounded edges when shooting from a platform.

Am I the only one who thinks this sounds like a load of marketing nonsense? Since when does anyone rest the front of a semiauto on a platform in order to shoot it accurately?

Looks like something you'd see on aliexpress.com.

Looks airsoft quality.

Man, that image in the link does not make it look very solid at all.

I like the term enhanced. Next time I put on my boots, my feet will be enhanced.

Sweet. 175 lumens of white light. Enough for a soldier to find his car keys if he drops them.

They should contact Uncle Mikes to provide a holster to complete the M17 lowest bidder system.

LaserMax? Garbage. Absolute garbage. Way to go penny pinchers.

Honestly nobody is really going to use these things.. and anyone serious like sf or rangers ect. Will have real weapon mounted lights. This is just a waste of money