Italian gun manufacturer Beretta began selling the newest version of the Beretta M9 to the public last week.
The M9A3 is a sand-colored and sand-resistant 9mm semiautomatic designed for U.S. soldiers in the harsh terrain, according to Fox13. However, the military hasn’t yet made a decision whether or not it will choose to use the M9A3 or go with a competitor’s gun.
One noticeable upgrade with the M9A3, which retails for $1,099, is that it holds 17 bullets instead of the standard 15. (RELATED: Beretta And The M9A3: Update)
Beretta, which has supplied weapons to the military since 1985, has a contract to provide the military with 100,000 weapons through 2017, according to Fox13. The military is looking for a new handgun design for general use, and the preferred weapon would be one that can consistently fire hollow-point bullets and be equipped with a silencer.
Beretta has been manufacturing weapons since 1526 when it first began making cannon barrels. The gun company is currently in the process of moving its US headquarters from Accokeek, Maryland, to Gallatin, Tennessee.