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Trusted Old Sidekick; The Colt .45 Semi-Automatic Pistol - By: Randall Graham  Anyone who served in the United States Armed Forces from 1911 to 1985 is most likely familiar with the Colt Government M1911 .45 automatic. During both World Wars, Korea and Vietnam, whether in combat or just pulling guard duty, the M1911 was the standard military issue sidearm for all branches of the US military. While in the US Navy, I carried one myself while on guard duty aboard the USS Texas (CGN-39) in the summer of 1988, patrolling the decks while we anchored just offshore at Ras Al Hadd, Oman in the Straight of Hormuz. Though the Colt was replaced in 1985 with the newer Beretta M9 and 92F models, it continues to see service in police forces around the world, and still has limited uses in the US military. After extensive field tests of many pistols in the late 1890's--including tryouts of the German Mauser C96 and Luger P08--the M1911 was chosen as the standard US military issue sidearm. The Colt .45 Government M1911-A1 proved to be a reliable, durable and highly effective firearm. It was the first pistol to utilize the recoil energy from firing a bullet to reload. This "short-recoil" firing system became the prototype for all modern centerfire pistols. There have been modifications too numerous to explore here, but the original, innovative design has remained unchanged for decades. Today there are many different variations of the original firearm, from many different sources. But they all use the same tried and trusted frame and short-recoil firing mechanism as the first M1911 that has stood the test of time by remaining in service for more than 74 years--a sure sign of a great design. The M1911 has earned a place in history as one of the best gun designs of all time. Legendary for its accuracy and straightforward ease of use, the .45 is still very popular for its rugged design. Because of its long association with U.S. military forces, it has attained the status of a true American patriots' firearm. Recently, an all-new version, the M1911A2, was introduced by Rock Island Armory, and is already in use by some police officers. Based on its track record to date, it's a safe bet that the M1911 is here to stay. Anyone who served in the United States Armed Forces from 1911 to 1985 Randall Graham is an internet marketer and author and fan of history. He is also a co-author of the blog, "The Non-Smoking Gun". Reenactors, history buffs and gun fanciers will find authentic non-firing, black powder and blank-firing replicas of historic and classic firearms of the American Revolution, Civil War, Old West, both World Wars and the 20th Century at GunsOfOld.com. Other items of interest include Old West badges, Civil War and World War reenactor gear, holsters and other leather goods. |