TFB Exclusive: The B&T Universal Service Weapon

Patrick R
by Patrick R

TFB has obtained an exclusive look at the new B&T Universal Service Weapon in 9mm that is going to accompany the Aimpoint Nano sight release later today. The USW is being billed as a duty weapon that will be able to stand in for a pistol caliber carbine when needed for police and military.

UPDATE: We have confirmed with a source within the company that the USW is produced with Sphinx 3000 parts obtained from the failing Swiss company.

In the sales sheet that we obtained B&T references the terror attacks that much of the world has become all too aware of stating “The current threat is not anything like Europe has faced before. The terrorist chooses the time, place and exact moment to strike”. B&T aims to give each officer the opportunity to deploy an accurate pistol caliber carbine in as little as 1.5 seconds from the included level 3 holster. B&T claims that the USW is capable of 1.6″ groups at a range of about 27 yards, or 40mm groups at 25 meters making the USW very capable in a trained officer’s hands. Head shots on an armored suspect at distances nearing 100 yards would be very possible, stopping the threat quickly.

Looking over the photos and little information that we were able to get our hands on it appears that the USW shares some design elements with several well known pistols. The locking system is very similar to just about every common polymer pistol; the controls, take down marks, frame shape, full length internal slide rails and grips smack of CZ-75; also using a separate material for the steel slide, alloy frame and grip is very reminiscent of the Sphinx SDP (also a Swiss design). B&T is planning on a polymer framed version of the USW that will be striker fired available in 2017.

B&T also says that the stock on the USW is built into the frame of the firearm and is non-removable, bad new for those of us who wouldn’t mind buying a handgun version of the USW. Sadly this firearm will not be offered in full auto at this time, only semi automatic. As I mentioned in the Aimpoint Nano post the optic was designed especially for the USW and will not be available separately and will be mounted to the USW with a non-reciprocating mount that is tied into the frame and appears to be closed off. I wonder what field stripping the USW looks like as a result, it must be a reasonably complicated process.

The Universal Service Weapon will come standard with the B&T Advanced Pistol Light (branded as Inforce here in the States), the level 3 holster specifically designed for the USW, the new Aimpoint Nano, 3 magazines, a single point sling, and a plastic case. No word on price at this time or if they are planning on importing it to the US to be sold as a factory SBR (Yes please!).

Patrick R
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  • Maodeedee Maodeedee on Jul 03, 2016

    How is this weapons system going to interface with the new US Service pistol AKA The Modular Handgun System (MHS) which is supposed to replace the M9 Beretta? Does this mean that the Sphinx 3000 is going to win the contract to be the new service pistol? Or is it going to be a whole separate weapons system with no interchangeability? If the new service pistol were truly "Modular" it would also function in the mode of the B&T Universal Service Weapon but I guess the military doesn't' think that way, That's why the term, "military intelligence" is such an oxymoron.

    The Modular Handgun System (MHS) is a United States Army and United States Air Force competition for a new handgun. The Modular Handgun System is anticipated to be the next U.S. military standard side arm replacing the Beretta M9 pistol. The U.S. Marine Corps is also participating in the program to have input on source selection, but likely will not order the resulting weapon until their current pistols' life-cycles end in the mid-2020s.
    ?????

    http://www.armytimes.com/st...

    • Mazryonh Mazryonh on Jul 17, 2016

      @maodeedee It's unlikely that this system will have anything to do with the US MHS program. But if the MHS actually goes through, then the US Armed Forces could either request the USW or request a variant that uses the MHS handgun's magazines.

  • RickOAA . RickOAA . on Jul 06, 2016

    The RONI is poop. This is kinda cool.

    I understand the seriousness, but calling this a new concept or new class of weapon is silly.
    https://upload.wikimedia.or...

    comment photo
    • Mazryonh Mazryonh on Jul 17, 2016

      @RickOAA . Everything old is new again!

      It's also not the first time a pistol-caliber weapon has had the word "Universal" added to its name to sound more capable. Heckler and Koch has done it a few times already, such as for their USP and UCP handguns along with the UMP SMG.

      The RONI is different in that it doesn't need a holster (because it turns a handgun into a carbine with its shell) and has a foregrip, which the USW doesn't appear to have.

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