Happy birthday, M1911
A hundred years ago today, the John Browning-designed pistol was adopted by the US Army as it’s standard side arm which lasted until 1985 when they foolishly dumped it for the 9mm Beretta. I carried my own Colt Combat Commander in Desert Storm, a shorter version of the M1911. Everyone I know has an M1911 somewhere in their collection. It takes some practice to get accurate with it, but it’s as reliable as any other weapon.
I shot on the XVIIIth Airborne Corps Pistol team for several months and we all used any old arms room .45 – after a few rounds, we were shooting over 800 points on a 900-point target. I just taught my daughter how to shoot with the .45 this last weekend (but she liked the Ruger Super Blackhawk).
I think it’s reasonable to credit John Browning, as COB6 once said, as being the most deadly man in history. He’s been sending America’s enemies to their makers for a hundred years now.
Category: Guns
God bless you, Mr. Browning.
My first and only .45 is a 1911 Auto Ordinance, milspec. Right out of the box I hit the X ring with it. I get teased about “little woman – big gun” but when I go into the woods, that’s the sidearm I carry.
Got six of them, and my favorite CCW pistol is my Novak customized LW Colt Commander.
JM Browning, the “Mormon Genius”. Between the 1911, M2, BAR, and the M1919, he did more than his fair share to ensure that this nation’s enemies die for THEIR country, and our warriors continue to live and enjoy the fruits of victory.
I’m too poor to afford one of these…if anyone has one they’d like to donate, I’d gladly give it a good home. LOL!
Funny, I trained on the M9 in basic and never saw one again. Always had a 1911 right through Desert Storm. Loved it and have one on my wish list!
@#4 Claymore:
That’s why I went with Auto-Ordnance. It’s nothing fancy, but it is a good piece of machinery, and I didn’t have $1000 to spend on a gun. Here’s a link with some prices:
http://www.auto-ordnance.com/PA-1AO_pkz.html.
Yea I would have taken a 1911 over my 9mm any day when I was in Iraq.
Old Tanker,
Nowadays we grunts just ain’t fortunate enough to get issued a sidearm. At the Infantry Company level, only machine gunners and the command team are issued them, and no one can bring their own anymore (even if we could, we wouldn’t be able to bring it home). I recall my 1SG in Iraq carried a Helwan he’d acquired from somewhere.
I carried my buddy’s Springfield a couple of time but to this day have never owned a true M1911 (had a 1911 and a few A1s in one of my armsrooms, though). My Para has the look and most of the feel but is double action and has a 13-round mag. The best of all worlds…
Here’s too my favorite piece. What a great weapon.
As Homer Simpson would say…”Ahhh, 1911A1. My only weakness.”
Honor and Courage
@ #8 fm2176! My Para has the look and most of the feel but is double action and has a 13-round mag. The best of all worlds… PFFFT! Nice choice but…1911A1, loaded and three on the belt, good for the go! 😉
#2 son ordered each of us one (engraved) while he was in Iraq. Still waiting on delivery. Until then I have to make do with the Walther P38 my father took off of a German officer. He always bragged he could shoot better with that than the 1911A1 he had qualified as Marksman with.
Correction – the M1911 – not the M1911A1. My bad.
Two of the older Colt models, both rigged for bull’s-eye. One with the scope, the other for national match. Great guns, but I’ll take my Sig P220 for a .45 carry.
Don’t own one… Qualified with, and carried one in The Navy.
Not exactly a crack shot though. I might have set some sort of record for just barely making quals a number of times.
Got my eye on the Glock 21, until then I’ll make do with my .38.
A little off topic, well, not much:
Pons, did you get my email this morning?
FM2176 – As a REMF pogue in Afghanistan, I had an M4 and an M9, and that was standard throughout the G-staffs. Right now in the 5 sided building we are going crazy filling operational needs statements for either rifles or pistols for dual carry, but I haven’t looked at the units to see if they are line or staff.
As always, the staff gets the good stuff while the grunts suffer.
Honestly, even the Para is a safe queen now. A S&W Model 19 is my carry gun of choice along with a couple speedloaders. Eighteen rounds of .357 (or .38 +P) should do the trick outside of a firefight.
As for the Para, Todd Jarrett basically sold me one when they first released the LDA. He was at a local shop and we talked guns for a bit, with him telling me how well the LDA shoots. Some four years later I got a little re-up bonus and added one to the collection. The trigger pull feels similar to my Beretta 92F with the safety on (and trigger disconnected) and the Commander-sizing makes it perfect for open or concealed carry.
Love my Les Baer Concept V from John at Proload Dist. Over 12K rounds and runs like a Swiss watch.
Issued one in 1982 as a fledgling M-60 gunner. Brought one in 1983 on my 21st birthday that was full G.I.WW2 Issue. Issued a Commercial Finish Pre War Blued M1911A1 Marked Property of New York State in 1984 when I joined the guard, came in a Boyt 1942 Holster with a Mills Nov. 1918 Mag Pouch.
In the 29 years since they only thing I’ve changed on my Colt is the Sights to a Higher GI fixed configuration, still have the plastic grips
(((Sigh)))
I miss mine……
“…I miss mine…”
You know better than that, Jacobite. I smell a story.
No story, it’s simple, lengthy divorces sucks. Starting in 2006 I sold off a $3000 to $4000 gun collection piece by piece to survive in the first few years afterward. Though things are looking up, I haven’t recovered enough yet to start replacing my good stuff.
My personally customized Colt Commander and three 8 round magazines of hand loaded 200 gr. XTPs used to go with me every where. It still taunts me on occasion at the gun store where I sold it. I’ve quit going in there. 🙁
Sorry, Jacobite. I didn’t mean to rub salt into any wounds… 🙁
Looks like that divorce stuff is contagious. I caught it last year.
I recall you saying something about that on another thread. Sorry to hear it PN, it’s never an easy thing to deal with.
Jacobite, I feel your pain man. Still arm wrestling with the ex 3 years after I left. I swore that I will live on dog food before I sell a gun! But that’s just my jacked up priorities. Look at this as an opportunity to restart your armory with the knowledge you gained building your first arms room. I’m a big believer in quality over quantity with two exceptions: my AK-47 and my one of my carry guns an Kahr CW 45. They are both utterly reliable but can easily be replaced with very little emotional angst. Good luck to you.
I broke out my vintage Union Switch for the occasion and put a few mags through her. Good as it ever was.
…I’ve heard you can even knock a Moro down with one.
Jacobite: Nope. Wasn’t me in the other thread. But I do hope you get a chance to rebuild your collection.
I had an M9 in theater–actually issued to the team leader, but he carried his M-16 so I would have a backup for my SAW. As I explained it to the driver, my only reason for carrying a pistol was to make sure I didn’t die alone if he rolled the HMMWV.
I don’t even own a pistol, but I have a two-week TDY to Hawaii coming up. Meals and Incidental Expenses per diem is $106. If I live on Top Ramen…