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SIG SAUER‘s M17 and M18 pistols have served as America’s official service sidearms for six years, having been officially adopted as the winner of the US Army’s XM17 Modular Handgun System competition in 2017. The respective full-size and shorter carry-length models replaced the Beretta M9, which had been in service since 1985 after replacing the venerable 1911. Military units have been gradually phasing in the M17 and M18 over the last few years, with the company celebrating their 100,000th handgun delivery to the DoD in 2019. Now a special matched pair of these handguns are being auctioned for charity, benefiting the military-supporting Sterling Promise Foundation. This organization honors Staff Sergeant Scott Sterling, who succumbed to cancer in April 2021 after an illustrious US Army Special Operations career. The press release below provides further details.
The M17 and M18 @ TFB:
- POTD: The M17 in Best Warrior Competition
- POTD: The SIG Sauer P320-M18
- SIG SAUER Unveils U.S. Army Best Ranger Competition M17 Trophy Pistols
- SIG Sauer M18-Commemorative Edition Pistol – Your Piece of History
The pair of pistols being auctioned bear matching serial numbers, #TF000041 for the M17 and #TC000041 for the M18.
SIG SAUER Releases Rare Set of Surplus M17 and M18 pistols to benefit Sterling’s Promise Foundation
NEWINGTON, N.H., (April 24, 2023) – Ahead of Special Operations Foundation Week (SOF Week) SIG SAUER is pleased to announce the first-ever public offering of a pair of M17 and M18 military surplus handguns with matching serial numbers through an online auction to benefit Sterling Promise Foundation. All proceeds from this online auction, hosted by Guns America, will go to support the mission of Sterling’s Promise Foundation to provide financial support for early cancer detection and to cover the financial gaps that occur between treatment needed and benefits provided of special operations veterans.
This pair of surplus Modular Handgun System (MHS) pistols to include an M17 (serial # TF000041) and M18 (serial # TC000041) with matching serial numbers is 1 of 9 sets of MHS surplus pistols originally manufactured under contract with the U.S. Army according to the original specifications. Both pistols 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 these surplus pistols include coyote controls, the original government-issue markings and serial numbers, and orange rear and green front SIGLITE Night Sights.
“It is an honor for SIG SAUER to join forces with Sterling’s Promise to celebrate the life and service of Staff Sergeant Scott Sterling, who passed away early into his civilian career after a heroic battle with cancer, through this rare opportunity to own a piece of U.S. military history,” said Jason St. John, Sr. Director, Government Products. “We are hopeful that the rarity of these pistols will entice collectors to bid for a worthy cause. Not only are these pistols a rare set, but I would also note that this M18 surplus is the first ever to be released. With only 75 of the M18 surplus pistols in existence, SIG SAUER has no plans to offer them commercially, only through charitable auctions such as this or for historical display.”
The Sterling Promise Foundation was established in memory of U.S. Army SOF Veteran Scott Sterling who served in the 75th Ranger Regiment as well as 1st SFOD-D. Following his service, he enjoyed a successful civilian career in the industry and passed away in April 2021 from cancer caused by exposure during his military service. The Sterling Promise Foundation was set up in his memory to help special operations veterans and their families by covering the gaps that exist between expenses and benefits, and to provide financial assistance for ongoing early detection medical screenings for improved health and survivability.
The complete details of this auction, detailed product photos, and a product video with Jason St John can be found at GunsAmerica.com. Bidding is now open through Thursday, May 11, 2023, and the winner will be announced on Friday, May 12, 2023.
According to program documentation, this set is one of only nine such matching pairs produced under the DoD contract.
As of the time of writing, the auction’s bid sits just shy of $6000 with ten days remaining. If you’d like to own this rare set of handguns, bidding closes at noon Eastern on May 11th. The Foundation’s namesake, SSG Sterling, served in the US Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment before proceeding to the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment- Delta. His qualifications included training as a High-Altitude Low Opening (HALO) paratrooper, a Combat Scuba Diver, Reconnaissance Specialist, and more. He was an exceptional warrior, and the Foundation seeks to honor his memory by supporting US Army Special Operations veterans and their families. Whether or not you participate in the auction, please consider supporting the Sterling Promise Foundation. Visit sterlingpromisefoundation.com to learn more. See you at the range.
