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Thread: Who has carried an M1911A1 in uniform? Part III

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  1. #1
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    Who has carried an M1911A1 in uniform? Part III

    I found a closed thread on this topic, and thought I would revive it since it seems a good subject.

    I qualified on the M1911A1 at the US Naval Academy in the summer of 1985. I shot "Expert" and had the high score in my company, which got me a free ammo box as a prize. Later when I was the Gunnery Officer on my ship, we had M1911A1s, M14s, shotguns and M60s and M79 grenade launchers in our weapons lockers for our boarding parties and security alert teams. They were like old staplers. They rattled and looked all scratched up and well worn, but usually gave good service. During weapons qualifications one time at sea, we set up targets on one side of the flight deck, and lined up our shooters on the other side - 5 at a time since it was a small ship. The ship was rolling pretty good that day, but most of the sailors managed to qualify. We had one OS however, who actually bounced a few rounds off the deck! He got a lot of ribbing for that. Months later, during a security drill, he actually pulled the pistol out of his holster, pointed it at a crew member from the opposing force, and pulled the trigger! Fortunately the round did not go off. Miraculously, he had a failure to feed. He was locked up at attention for the next 15 minutes while the Chief and others chewed him up and down. He was relieved of his weapon and qualifications. He never carried a weapon again on that ship. I have other stories too. I also carried one on occasion when I stood OOD watches in port, to relieve the Petty Officer of the Watch (POOW) when he needed a bathroom break. I have always liked these old warhorses.
    NRA Life Member
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    R1Pete (7th December 2016)


  2. #2
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    I carried on in both the Military and Law Enforcement. And I continue to carry even now. The 1911 has been my trusted companion for going on 50 years.
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    Atticus (21st August 2016), KevinRohrer (21st April 2019), R1Pete (7th December 2016)


  3. #3
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    I came on active duty in 1979 and at my first duty station, Fort Bragg, got introduced to the 1911. Frankly, I was not very impressed with the pistol. By the early 80's the 1911s in the inventory were 35+ years old, had been through three wars, several rebuild programs, had a lot of range time and were plum worn out. They had not been well maintained, the sights and triggers were terrible and most of them had feeding issues due to weak magazine springs. Nobody shot them well and you sweated through every qualification. To be honest we were glad when the new Beretta M9s hit the street. But I still maintained an appreciation for the 1911 platform. It was the pistol my father, uncles and all the key adult males in my life had carried into combat, and they had nothing but praise for it. Down through the years I've had a number of 1911's pass through my hands, and right now a Ruger SR1911 and a RIA M1911A1 sit in my safe. I think its important when discussing the 1911 platform that the pistols we buy today are really nothing like the pistols our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers carried into battle. The 1911s made today reflect the lessons learned from 30+ years of bringing custom features and reliability improvements to production handguns and they really are a breed apart from the original 1911A1.
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    Atticus (21st August 2016)


  4. #4
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    Yeah, I agree. The 1911s out there while I was on active duty were in bad shape all around. Old and beat up. My new 1911s are of much the same DESIGN, being Series 70 repros, but the finish, the tightness of the springs, the smoothness of the slide action, the crisp new sights - all are better than the old 1911s we had in the Navy. I was extremely pleased when I handled my first Series 70 blued Colt. It was a beautiful new weapon that felt like a Cadillac compared to the old 1911s I'd seen before, which were more like an old Chevy - to continue the analogy.
    NRA Life Member
    US Navy Veteran
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    R1Pete (7th December 2016)


  5. #5
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    Being in the Army Security Agency in Germany in 1970 we all had to pull courier duty now and then. I was issued a 1911 and one of those holsters that kind of hang on one side and hook to your belt. I can't remember what they were called. The Colt was really old and loose. I had to go down to the rod and gun club and qualify with it. It seemed to have a lot more recoil than does my new Government model .45 full size. It was fairly accurate for me and that was before I had shot a handgun very much. I told myself that when I got out of the Army, I would try to find me one of my own. I finally did as few years back and it is a fine gun. I was normally a radio teletype operator but had to escort a few gun shipments here and there. Today, that old colt would be considered a beater, but I would love to own it.
    digada.....

  6. #6
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    US Army Tanker 1976.....Germany

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by crockett007 View Post
    US Army Tanker 1976.....Germany
    I went to radio school at fort Knox Kentucky in 1970 and saw a lot of tanks there. I had guard duty in Germany once and drove a tank about 10 feet forward and backed it back up, so technically, I have driven a tank! Learned my Morse code there and got out of there to fort Gordon for RTT and got in the ASA there as well. I hope they never find out about that tank.
    Have a great day,
    digada

  8. #8
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    Carried one as an Army MP for three years, carried a Colt Delta Elite and a Gunsite Custom Carry as a Deputy Sheriff. One of my current off-duty carries is a Wilson Combat CQB Compact.

  9. #9
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    I carried the M1911A1 for four years, 1957-1961, as an Air Policeman. They were all rattletraps but I don't recall a single malfunction with those guns. They were reliable. We re-qualified with them every year. I went from Marksman to Sharp Shooter to Expert in those four years.

  10. #10
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    Let's talk about my 1975 Westpac. It was the change of the Petty Officer of the Watch on the Quarterdeck when I was being relieved and went through the protocol of dropping the magazine and clearing the weapon, M1911A1. After my relief had buckled on the belt and holster I handed him the open breeched weapon and the loaded magazine which he promptly put the magazine home, closed the slide and pulled the trigger shooting a hole in the plexiglass that kept the cold wind and rain off of the group. Him and the OOD nearly crapped themselves. That cemented into my brain the correct order of turning over a weapon.

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