Marines Pick Colt for New Pistol

Military.com ^ | 7/20/12 | Matthew Cox

[Bringbackthedraft]

The Marine Corps has tapped Colt Defense LLC to make more than 10,000 new Close Quarter Battle Pistols for the service's elite special operations troops.

The July 19 contract, which has a total value of $22.5 million, brings an end to the Corps' exhaustive search for the top .45 caliber, 1911-style pistol to replace the fleet of worn-out Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, or MARSOC, M45 pistols

[Bringbackthedraft]

Am I reading correctly? The 1911 is back in action? I always wondered why they even thought of replacing it. I know special units had requested that they get the ole 1911 out of storage. If it works fix it comes to mind. The M9 probably worked great for the Italian Army but why did we adopt it? Italian Army?? Come on. It had to be because they were cheap? I'm sure the new 1911s will be a lot more accurate.

[GladesGuru]

The 1911 was too large a grip for the female hand, and the recoil was “unpleasant”.

Snickers quietly while types...

[FlingWingFlyer]

It doesn’t come in those fabulous rainbow colors either.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Double stack mags?

[SkyDancer]

Yup, some things we can do, some things we can’t and that’s firing that nasty thing. I tried my dad’s 1911A1 and only lasted two shots. Hit the target but no way I want to shoot that thing again. I use my Beretta Tomcat .32cal.

[Tallguy]

I’ve also read that the Army felt that the average soldier could better keep the M9 on target. I’ve never shot the Baretta, but I have used other similarly sized 9MM semi-auto pistols. I must be the exception that proves the rule, because I shoot a 1911 better. Much better.

[Blado]

The 1911 is back in action? YAY!!!

[Bryanw92]

Geez. A 1911 and they’re paying $1875 apiece!

[expat1000]

>>Yup, some things we can do, some things we can’t and that’s firing that nasty thing. I tried my dad’s 1911A1 and only lasted two shots

Hmmm. My daughter was firing mine with standard loads when she was 10, and she was petite, so I would have to put it down to technique.

[mnehring]

$1875... Damn. They could get some custom Dan Wesson specials and have money left over.

[yarddog]

My understanding is they agreed to go to the 9mm since it was NATO policy to use common calibers. That meant 9mm since all the other nations used it.

The Air Force did the original tests which were very thorough. This was done at Eglin AFB in Florida. The Beretta was the only pistol which survived the tests.

The Army being unhappy with the Air Force being given the original tests insisted that they should do the testing. In the second round of tests, only the SIG P226 and Beretta passed all phases. I have read that it was awarded the contract on price as there was basically no difference in the two guns performance. They both had performed superbly.

Some of the special forces types wanted other guns such as the SIG or HK in .45 or the old 1911 and were given permission to purchase them for their own needs.

Now it looks like the 1911a1 will be back for a full department, the Marines. Probably should have just kept it.

[Dead Corpse]

You could get a decent STI for that money. The Spartan is only $800...

:-(

[Usually_Disappointed]

I have a Beretta 92FS and a series 80, gold cup, national match Colt 45. I can shoot the Beretta fine, but I swat flies on the woodpile with the Colt. Granted I’m comparing an average Beretta to a Cadillac Colt.

[JayVee]

What we have here is a failure to learn history. Why was the .45 adopted in the first place. The .45 was adopted due the the Army .38 revolvers’ abysmal failure to put down Moslem insurrectionists who were whacked to the eyeballs in the Phillipines in 1902. In Iraq, post-mortems in Iraqi insurrectionists revealed that these men were doped to the eyeballs and that the 9mm and, for that matter, the 5.56mm rounds were marginal at best for bbringing them down.
Especially in its military hard-ball form, the 9mm is NOT a reliable man-stopper.

[Hardraade]

Hehe. The 1911 45 has the sweetest recoil this side of 22LR.

[SkyDancer]

I was using two handed hold. What is weird though, I shot a Desert Eagle in .44mag and it was okay. Had no problem with that.

[CrazyIvan]

Never thought I would hear something like that from a woman with your capabilities. My petite wife shoots my .45 so well
it's scary. She shot my .44 mag once (all six) rolled her
eyes, and said. “I guess it's a guy thing”. I am blessed.

[SkyDancer]

But I shot the Desert Eagle in .44mag okay though. Go figger.

[goodwithagun]

Excuse me? See my screen name? I’m a happily married mama of a (soon to be) four year old boy and (soon to be) one year old girl. I am out of practice because nursing makes shooting just a bit uncomfortable, but as of last week I’m ready to roll! I can’t wait to get to the range and practice the skill that earned me a college scholarship ; )

[Vendome]

So a Colt is worth $2,200?

I don’t believe it and they are great guns.