Surplus M17 pistols? Already? You’re probably thinking ‘but they’ve only just adopted the Modular Handgun System.’ You’re right but the reason these M17s are now available as surplus is because the US Army has decided to transition away from the original Coyote Tan controls to pistols with black finished controls (slide release, safety, trigger, etc). So the Army basically swapped the early pistols for new production guns, giving SIG Sauer a number of original surplus pistols to offer onto the market.

The condition of the pistols will vary pistol to pistol, although all are rated to run with zero issues, meaning that you might get a pistol with an authentic inventory rack number scrawled onto it. If you’re a US Army sidearm collector who has been hoping for an authentic MHS pistol which has seen service then this sale of early surplus M17s is a great opportunity. Interestingly, because the M17s are rated for the Army’s +P ammunition SIG are including another guide rod assembly for use with standard velocity ammunition.

SIG Sauer recently announced that they have successfully delivered 100,000 MHS pistols to the US Army.

An original production M17 with Coyote Tan controls (SIG Sauer)

A more recent production M17 with black-finish controls (SIG Sauer)

Here’s SIG Sauer’s announcement:

SIG SAUER, Inc. is honored to bring authentic, M17 Military Surplus handguns to the commercial market. The M17 Military Surplus handguns were manufactured under contract with the U.S. Army according to the original specifications of the Modular Handgun System (MHS). This is an exclusive, limited availability offering from SIG SAUER and the condition of the handguns will vary based on field use.

“The M17 Military Surplus handguns are a very special release from SIG SAUER, that gives consumers the opportunity to own a piece of history, and includes a certificate of authenticity,” said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales. “These handguns were originally issued by the U.S. Army and fielded during the initial domestic and in-theater deployment of the Modular Handgun System. The unique, one-of-a-kind, features of the M17 Surplus handguns include coyote controls, the original government-issue markings and serial numbers, and orange rear and green front SIGLITE Night Sights, which will make them coveted by both military and firearms collectors alike.”

The M17 Surplus handgun is a 9mm, striker-fired, P320-based handgun platform, featuring a coyote-tan PVD coated stainless steel slide, coyote-tan controls, a coyote-tan medium carry grip module, with the U.S. Government slide markings and serial numbers. The handguns are equipped with SIGLITE sights (orange rear & green front), removable night sight rear plates, and the same optic cut as specified by the MHS contract, and ready to fit a SIG SAUER Electro-Optics ROMEO1Pro Optic. The M17 features an ambidextrous manual safety, ships with (1) 17-round and (2) 21-round magazines, includes an official SIG SAUER M17 Certificate of Authenticity, and comes packed just as the handguns are delivered to the U.S. Military.

M17 Surplus Handgun Specs:

Overall Length: 8.0”

Overall Height: 5.5”

Overall Width: 1.6”

Barrel Length: 4.7”

Sight Radium: 6.6”

Weight (incl. magazine): 29.6 oz.

The M17 Surplus handgun is now shipping.