Sticking to their guns: Marines place $22.5M order for the Colt .45 M1911

http://www.foxnews.com/ ^

[jakerobins]

It’s been called the greatest handgun ever made, and it has barely changed sine 1911, when the legendary John Browning designed it especially for the U.S. Military.

And now, the Colt .45 M1911 is making a big comeback, now that the U.S. Marines have placed a $22.5 million order for the Connecticut-made pistols.

The gun, which has been wielded on film by John Wayne and in real life by Sgt. Alvin York and Maj. Audie Murphy, was the standard-issue sidearm in the military for decades, until it was replaced by the Beretta M9 in 1985.

[jakerobins]

.45 M1911... Getting the job done for over 100 years! Semper Fi

[beebuster2000]

looked on the colt website, doesn’t look like you can get one thru the regular civilian gun store channels. wasn’t listed that i saw.

[CodeToad]

There are excellent polymere pistols in 45 that hold 10+ rounds. Travis McGee brought up why didn’t the Marines choose one of those instead of an 8 rounder? I LOVE the 1911 and I carry one every day but for a service combat handgun I’d still go with something less likely to rust and could carry more rounds.

[fortheDeclaration]

You can’t improve on perfection!

[GreyFriar]

Now if the Army would do the same. The only reason soldiers ‘couldn’t hit anything with it’ was that they were not actually trained on how to use it. My platoon sergeant taught me how to aim and fire it and I qualified expert that same day. You actually have to aim it, quite simple, just look/site down your arm at your target and squeeze. most soldiers just waved the .45 in the general direction and shot, thus the inaccuracy.

[Libloather]

Is there gonna be a gunfight?

[2111USMC]

I agree. Sticking with an 8-round single stack mag is silly in this day and age.

From another article:

“The new Close Quarter Battle Pistols will be very similar to the M45s they are replacing this fall. They will have a rail for mounting lights, a custom trigger, a manual safety, improved ergonomics and glowing Tritium sights for low-light conditions.”

[Sea Parrot]

IIRC, the price to the Marines is over $1800.00. I paid 20 dollars for mine about 30 years ago. It was pretty well beat up from residing and riding in a tool box full of wrenches behind a D8 Cat. Did some file work to clean it up, installed old set of Micro sights and relieved the ejection port. Result, with original barrel, a deadly accurate and most reliable .45 acp. 1943 RR 1911A1 US Army issue.

[Venturer]

If you cannot get the job done with 8 rounds, what makes anyone think two more will get it done.

Carry another clip if you need more.

[2111USMC]

The $1800 cost includes a long-term support contract that includes spare parts, replacement parts, armory services, and even complete weapon replacements.

[2111USMC]

.45 autos don’t use “clips”.

Sorry, couldn’t help myself. :)

[skeeter]

This warms my heart.

[SandRat]

Contact Red Jaket Arms at http://www.redjacketfirearms.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&product_id=45&flypage=flypage.tpl&pop=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2

[Carriage Hill]

I carry one of these on the opposite side of my 5” Kimber 1911 “Eclipse Target II”, in its Galco FED 212 paddle:

http://www.usgalco.com/HolsterPG3.asp?ProductID=2053&GunID=173

[drbuzzard]

Not to mention there’s simply better designs in terms of field stripping these days. A gun without a take down lever is just rather behind the times. There is no reason to make field stripping and cleaning harder than it has to be. Modern pistol designs are just plain easier to deal with.

[zot]

Thanks for the ping. I also liked the Colt .45 M1911.

[SailormanCGA72]

I would rather have an M1911 than the Beretta in a gunfight. When I was in that sort of business, I carried my own .45 and a Mossberg Bullpup 12 ga.

[ansel12]

These pistols are for Marine special operations I believe, the Army special ops also use the .45 as far as I know.

[mylife]

I don’t know how anyone can not like the 911.

[Venturer]

Magazine—Clip

Symantics.