H&K makes history with pistol contract.

• Position: Security beat: homeland defense briefs - Heckler and Koch incorporation

The Department of Homeland Security has awarded the largest ever law enforcement contract for pistols to Heckler & Koch Defense Inc. to make tens of thousands of small arms for immigration and customs enforcement personnel.

The multi-year contract has a potential value of $26.2 million. The maximum number of pistols being purchased hovers at 65,000, making it the single largest handgun procurement in the history of U.S. law enforcement. Three models of firearms were selected, chosen in three calibers, from a pool of 46 weapons from different companies vying for the contract. The company said that more than 3 million rounds were fired during the testing of the weapons.

"The testing protocol not only included one of the most rigorous battery of reliability, environmental, accuracy and durability tests a handgun has ever been subjected to," mentioned Wayne Weber, the company's defense federal operations manager. It also featured the "most powerful selection of cartridges within each of three calibers." Those calibers are 9x19 mm, .40 cal. Smith and Wesson, and .357 mm SIG.

H&K has long sought the border enforcement market. In 2000, the company modified a trigger...