My Navy years were back in the Viet Nam era. Somebody with some recent experience tell us what weapons the Seals use today. I am most interested in their handguns. I suspect that the politically-correct BS about NATO 9mm has not reached the guys who double tapped UBL.
Thanks,
Cockerpoodle

If I am not mistaken, SEALs are at liberty to use what suits them. I believe they have used the H&K SOCOM, as well as various 1911 types, and even some wheel guns on occasion.

What Do Navy Seals Shoot ?

Terrorists.

(sorry, had to do it)

The only active SEAL I personaly know seems to carry a variety of handguns depending on the assignment. The one I thought most interesting was a non-import Makarov. I don't mean he carries multiple handguns, just that there seems to be some latitude.

of late ... I hear they shoot Bin Ladens brain case

Ok who didnt see that one coming

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it just needs more voltage

I retired from the Navy in 2001, my last deployment was on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, an aircraft carrier, and we had some embarked Seals aboard. They gave the Chiefs of the ship a tour of thier spaces, showing off some of thier equipment. A dizzying array of weapons, Sig 9MM pistols, H&K pistols, silenced Ruger .22 pistols, MP5 machine guns, SAW light machine guns, M60 machine guns, M4 carbines, Smith and Wesson stainless .357 revolvers (66 or 686, can't remember exactly what model now), Limpet Mines, grenades, you name it.

They'd leave the ship by small boat or helicopter, be gone for a week or so, return tired and grubby. Don't know what they were doing or where they were going, they weren't saying....

Last I played with the SEALs (90s) they were primarily using the MP5 (N & SD2), SIG P-226s, S&W 66 (for ops in silty water), silenced Ruger Mark II, and pistol grip 870s.

In reality they could carry anything they wanted. I saw folding stock M-14s, Browning Hi-Powers, Glocks of all flavors, M-4, and 1911s. I heard about but never saw silenced H&K P9S, they liked the fixed barrel for the cans.

My bud carried an Officer's Model and got frustrated with a shooter (not a SEAL) who couldn't sight his rifle @ 100 yards. He said "Jesus, I could hit it from here!" and drew his mini 1911 and dumped a mag into his target from the 100 yard line. I thought it was hilarious.

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Μολών Λαβέ

One of my Cousins is in the Special Forces. I met him for the first time last summer(he was on a short leave) Guy is amazing, he is a sniper, Intel, Medic and linguistics Apparently they are all cross trained in everything.Plus he is under 30 yrs old.,. and we got to talk about guns. I imagine the Seals are similar. The Special Forces can and do use anything and everything they need to get the job done. Of course after he told me all this he had to dispose of me.

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Still Running Against the Wind

A post here a few days ago by an ex-SEAL said that the basic handgun, the most-used, is the SIG P-226.

That is consistent with what has been printed elsewhere.

If you can find it, check the thread about SIG vs. Beretta.

However, most special ops groups in the Western nations use what they want, and it may vary with the mission.
My son saw SAS troops in Kuwait and Iraq using H-K USP's.
Officially, they carry SIG P-226's and P-228's.

The Army's Delta Force and Marine spec ops have customized 1911's of a variety of makes, but surely can get what they want.

T-Star

As others have said special units can carry anything they want as long as their C.O. agrees. From what I've read SEAL teams armaments can vary from team to team.
A professional firearms photog who is well known and published gained visitor access to a SEAL team's lockers maybe 1-2 years ago and he posted a few pictures on a well known website. I saw racks of Colt M-4s, some with M230 grenade launchers, interspaced with a lesser number of FN SCARS finished in that desert cammo. MK 19 grenade launchers, some sniper modded M-14s, a lot of well used SIG P226s, a good number of SIG P239 pistols, a lesser number of HK 45acp USPs and MK 23s.
I was informed recently by a suppressor mfg. whom I personally know that he was contacted by the people who do procurement for these teams and one or more teams also like the USP CT in 45acp. They wanted to see what he might be able to sell them that was shorter and more efficient than the Knight's suppressor for the MK23 pistol for the shorter USP CT pistol this team(s) evidently used.
These weapons photos were only on one wall and corner of the firearms locker or vault. Who knows what else was in there.....

Texas Star was referring to me I think? But to get to the question at hand.
Our weapons are dependent on our mission, we have access to all the small arms of the U.S. military, with the exception of the Beretta M9. Also we have access to; Barrett M107, M-14 (in various configurations), M-4 (Mk18 IIRC), MP5 Navy and SD versions, SIG P226,228(M11) and 239, Remington .308, and .300 Win Mag., (the .338 Lapua was after my time) Remington 870s and (if any are still left) Ithaca M37s, HK USP Mk23, USP CT, SCAR H, FN m240 and m249, and Smith and Wesson 66s and 686s. Plus a plethora of weapons used by the rest if the world including AKs! I was last operational in 2009, so things might have changed, but knowing SEALs they tend to use what works best for the job.
It would be some sort of poetic justice if he got capped with an AK though wouldn't it? Dale

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"Long live the S&W 3rd. Gen.!"

I'm sorry: I don't recall the name in the earlier topic. Probably was you, though. We can't have that many recent SEALs here.

Why cannot SEALS access the Beretta M-9? I know they got upset with the M-9 because some broke when firing a heavy diet of ammo that was loaded to about PROOF PRESSURE specs!

I understand why they'd prefer the SIG's after the Beretta got a bad rep with them, but not to have them on hand or available seems odd. Doesn't the rest of the Navy have M-9's?

Thanks for your comments. Very informative!

BTW, is/was the SOG SEAL 2000 knife ever actually issued to the teams? Which knives are most popular, other than basic "Ka-Bars"?

T-Star

Apparently Osama bin Laden with extreme prejudice.

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Vaya con Dios

Bad guys. They shoot bad guys.

Stainz

Roger That!!!

Why not read their site to see what they shoot?

Weapons & Demo | NavySEALs.com - Experience the SEAL Edge

Please note they use .45 caliber weapons as God intended.

Well, it didn't take long...people are already second guessing the killing ("execution") of Bin Laden. My wife asked my opinion and I told her that if it were up to me, I'd do two things: 1) sanction the use of anything up to and including thermonuclear devices; 2) make sure the trigger pullers received a marksmanship award for putting steel (er, lead) on target. Go Navy!

Regards,

Dave

Sir, with all due respect, this post cannot be accurate.

You say your "wife" asked "your opinion."

How can this be? Once married, a man loses his right to have opinions. Wives do not care about the opinion of a man at any time after they marry the man.

I discovered that when your wife asks your opinion of something, it's a TRAP. Whatever you say next is wrong or worse.

Honey, does this dress make me look fat?

Do you like the new sheets I picked out?

Oprah had a guest on who said "blah, blah, blah", what do you think?


Best thing is to talk like a politician; give a quick speech that says absolutely nothing and commits to no side, but sounds good. Then run.

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"... shall not be infringed."

Which raises the question..."If you voice your opinion in the forest, where your wife is not around to hear it, are you still wrong???...

Messers. Oldman45, Bitstream & Ohiobuckeye:

Ya'll crack me up! We've been married 23 years. She's a former (West) German national, so sometimes doesn't quite get American politics, humor, etc., and requires clarification. Sometimes, she has to throw me a softball cause she knows I've got to hit something. She's a good woman and a great wife - better than I deserve, but don't tell her I said that.

Regards,

Dave

I normally don't do 'political' posts, but that had to be repeated for the fun of it.

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Incoming fire has right of way