This morning’s story created quite a stir in ICE, both in the field offices and at headquarters. In the headquarters our little story apparently alarmed an organization called OFTP, the Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs. OFTP used to be called NFTTU, and some ICEmen still refer to it by the old acronym.

Anyway, it’s OFTP that wrote the specs for a new handgun. And insiders say that we were totally wrong — not about whether they had written the contract with one particular gun in mind; a cursory read of the specs makes it pretty clear they did just that. Nope, we were wrong about exactly what handgun they were trying to buy.

OFTP wrote they spec, so they thought, to explicitly exclude everything but the SIG P320 Compact.

The SIG P320 family. The compact is the "Goldilocks" midsize -- about the same size as a G19.

The SIG P320 family. The P320 Compact is the “Goldilocks” midsize — about the same size as a G19. (The smallest is called the P320 Carry).

Some in ICE are in deep denial about that. They remember the fiasco with the SIG 250, SIG’s previous modular polymer pistol. They have fought NFTTU, which also specifies which personal off-duty pistols ICE agents are able to use. Any agent may carry a pistol from an approved list, but he or she must qualify with the pistol, and can only be authorized to carry two firearms. The qualified pistol list is strange: for example, the Glock 26 and Glock 17, compact and full-size 9mm pistols, are authorized, but the intermediate Glock 19 isn’t; fullsized Glocks are OK in .40 but the compact G27 is verboten. Why? No one has gotten a credible answer out of OFTP or its forerunner. Agents who prefer Glock pistols have long suspected NFTTU/OFTP of bias against the Austrian sidearm. OFTP insiders deny this, and claim that the new solicitation doesn’t exclude Glock.

“But it requires an ambidextrous slide release, which no Glock has.”

“Glock could make one.”

Whether that is possible for a company that’s already introduced several new models in the last year is an open question, as is whether it would be economical. (Beretta could tell you how lucrative it isn’t, making a new version of lockwork when a single client holds its breath until it turns blue). Glock has modified its weapons for a single customer in the past, but NYPD was a large customer with some 40,000 armed officers at the time. All ICE is probably a max of 12,000 gun carriers, split roughly evenly between HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) and ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations).

The interchangeable grip frames are possible because the trigger mechanism is the legal, serialized "firearm," a feature pioneered on the SIG 250. Absence of a hammer reveals this to be a 320 part.

The interchangeable grip frames are possible because the trigger mechanism is the legal, serialized “firearm,” a feature pioneered on the hammer-fired SIG 250. Absence of a hammer reveals this to be a striker-fired 320 part.

Another weird thing in the solicitation is this: when the competitors provide test guns, they also have to provide magazines. So far, nothing abnormal there, right? But they have to provide, we are not making this up, fifty-two (52!) magazines per pistol. We don’t think we could find 52 mags for any single make and model of pistol around here. We might have 30 or 40 M9 mags, but that would require us to shake out 30 years of rucksacks, ammo pouches, vests, and duffle bags. What earthly goal can one accomplish with as many pistol magazines as cards come in a deck?

UPDATE: Correction to the Correction

The only ICE employees authorized to carry the Glock .40 are members of the Federal Protective Service. FPS was consolidated into ICE after adopting the Glock 22, and so they’re grandfathered. However HSI and ERO agents can’t carry the G22, only 9mm Glocks. We regret not making this clear initially.

UPDATE 2: OFTP’s justification for not approving the G19 is that it supposedly failed an endurance test that the 17 and 26 did.

UPDATE 3: This issue is being discussed on the HSI SA’s forum on Delphi. Note that that is their sandbox and so we don’t usually go there to play. They are

This entry was posted in Administrivia, Pistols and Revolvers on by Hognose.

About Hognose

Former Special Forces 11B2S, later 18B, weapons man. (Also served in intelligence and operations jobs in SF).

8 thoughts on “CORRECTION: ICE Bosses Deny Shooting for S&W

Jim Scrummy

It technically doesn’t exclude Glock, but it does exclude the HK VP9 and Walther PPQ, because the slide widths on these pistols are greater than 1.25 inches (Section 3.13). The slide lock released is “desired” to be on both sides (Section 3.11.2). “Desired” in govie speak, means it better be there or don’t bother submitting, because you’re not going to win. Oh well it was fun while it lasted. Have fun with your M&Ps, ICE.

aczarnowski

I had to check hat VP9 width since the only one I’ve handled felt much thinner than my M&P9. Dang if it isn’t a hole 1/10″ wider so ICE won’t be having those. Never thought I’d be tempted by an offering from the backwards loaded mag company but those VP9s do feel great in the hand and the aquaintance that picked it up for a great price is having good luck with it so far.

The SIG P230? I guess my tax money might as well go to working the kinks out of that platform for them. Maybe they’ll actually get it working.

aczarnowski

Gah. SIG 320. The 232 is surely running at peak by now…

S

“What earthly goal can one accomplish with as many pistol magazines as cards come in a deck?”

In case the guests tire of roulette, they can play blackjack instead….

Ratus

‘…trigger mechanism is the legal, serialized “firearm,” a feature pioneered on the hammer-fired SIG 250…’

Nope! The Kel Tec P11 had it in 1995.

And I believe that a pistol from around WW 1 had a similar ‘fire control group’ but I don’t think it was the SN# part.

Tom Stone

NFFTU? ‘No fucking thanks to you”?

Hognose Post author

“National Firearms and Tactical Training Unit”, based in Altoona, PA, basically a jobs program for armorers. Renamed OFTP sometime in 2014 but the leadership is the same ex-ATF guy.

http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/top-story-nfttu-arms-ice-best-ammunition-and-firearms-available

http://www.ice.gov/management-administration/oftp

It was OFTP and the DHS Weapons and Ammunition Commodity Council that blew up the internets with a contract that looked like an order for 450 million 5.56mm and another half-billion or so .40 warshots a couple of years ago. Here’s some congressional testimony.

http://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Nayak-Medina-DHS-Testimony-4-25-Ammunition-COMPLETE.pdf

Ken

The P320 is getting some traction as a Practical Pistol competition gun.