# U.S. Marines still love the Colt .45 M1911 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 28, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705 "2012-07-28T19:58:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/1 "2012-07-28T19:58:04Z")
hur·rah 🙂 Marines just ordered $22.5 million of Colt .45 M1911. The iconic military handgun that was carried in both World Wars, Korea, and Viet Nam. Unfortunately, the Beretta M9 is still the standard issue handgun. Maybe someday they’ll issue the Colt .45 M1911 to all the Marines again. I target shoot with a Ruger 22/45 Mark III. Has nearly an identical grip as a 1911 and the .22 ammo is much cheaper. I’d love to buy a 1911 someday. Prices new are between $1000 and $1800 depending on the sights. > **[www.galleryofguns.com - Gun Genie - Davidson's most popular and powerful...](https://www.galleryofguns.com/genie/default.aspx?pg=list&mfg=Colt&mdl=1911&cat=1&type=Semi-Automatic%2BPistol&cal=All&fin=&sit=&zipcode=72210)** > [@](#): > > The gun, one of the most successful pistols ever used at Camp Perry’s National Matches, a competition known to be the main world event in artillery sports, has barely changed since it’s creation. Dinkel says that shows the gun’s “elegant design” just can’t be improved on. And firearms experts agree. > > “You can’t beat a .45 cartridge,” Jack Lewis, firearms director for Cowan’s Auctions, told [FoxNews.com](http://FoxNews.com). “Some things are hard to replace,” he said. [http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/28/marines-pay-22m-to-go-back-to-their-old-guns-colt-45-caliber-pistols/](http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/28/marines-pay-22m-to-go-back-to-their-old-guns-colt-45-caliber-pistols/) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/2 "2012-07-28T20:02:50Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’d love to buy a 1911 someday. I have two Colt .45s; a 1991A1 that I bought when they first came out, and a Government Model 1911 with a civilian serial number made in 1917. Haven’t gotten round to firing the old one yet. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/3 "2012-07-28T20:33:07Z")
Do you have to buy Colt? There are plenty of other good, cheaper brands. Colt is still quality, but in a way you are also paying for the name. Johnny, how much was the 1917 Government, if you don’t mind me asking? And bought recently? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/4 "2012-07-28T21:08:46Z")
I find the Commander more comfortable to shoot because of my smaller hand span. But it is truly a timeless design. If you want to get looked at at the range, pull out one of [these](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d7gJYvnv9oA/TzvlzHz0PoI/AAAAAAAAEyc/VKUq2zAvKOg/s1600/AMT_Hardballer_Longslide_45.JPG). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/5 "2012-07-28T21:37:17Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Johnny, how much was the 1917 Government, if you don’t mind me asking? And bought recently? I bought it a few years ago. I don’t remember how much it cost, but over $1,000. It’s been refinished, so it’s a shooter – though as I said, I haven’t yet. I bought original-style diamond stocks for it, so it looks very nice. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/6 "2012-07-29T01:58:48Z")
It’s been a bone of contention since they were replaced 27 years ago. Even after they were replaced the spec-ops community still used .45s, and if it’s good enough for them it ought to be good enough for the rest of us common military folk. I suppose we could have switched to some other .45 if cocked-and-locked carry was an issue, and while .45 is heavy nobody carries a ton of handgun ammunition anyway so that’s moot. Magazine capacity? Maybe, but it’s not like it’s hard to reload, and my predecessors made due with the 1911 for the better part of a century. It seems that they went to 9mm for no particularly good reason, unless it was some NATO standardization issue. Maybe we’ll one day get rid of the M9. I hope so, it’s a heavy kludge. I’d rather carry a 1911 or a Glock in .45 with a few extra magazines. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/7 "2012-07-29T02:01:45Z")
I like my M92FS (M9). ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/8 "2012-07-29T02:17:18Z")
I’ve owned a Taurus PT-99 (The Baretta clone) for over 20 years. Love it. It was what I carried when I worked Armored. Has never malfunctioned on me. But the 1911 is on my list. It’s my next gun. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/9 "2012-07-29T02:48:10Z")
I love my Beretta 92F. Same as the military M9. Great gun. Currently looking at 1911 style .45s too. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/10 "2012-07-29T03:25:50Z")
I earned my Navy Marksmanship ribbon with an ‘E’ with the M9, but I learned to shoot auto handguns with the .45. In combat, I’d probably prefer the .45, at least it would knock the son-of-a-bitch over! ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/11 "2012-07-29T03:45:16Z")
I’m curious, indulge me. How many of you have actually used weapons in real life firefights, let alone shorts ? I’m honestly not making a dig at any of you, I’m just genuinlly curious. ---
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/12 "2012-07-29T06:48:06Z")
In boot camp our gunnery instructor pointed out the necessity of closing with the enemy before trying to shoot him with the forty-five. He said the weapon would be much deadlier if it had a place on it to affix a bayonet. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/13 "2012-07-29T15:15:53Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Do you have to buy Colt? There are plenty of other good, cheaper brands. Colt is still quality, but in a way you are also paying for the name. [Rock Island Armory](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Island_Armory_1911_series) has a 1911 for about $400-$500. [This guy likes his](http://journal.drfaulken.com/rock-island-arms-1911-government-model-pistol-review/), and there are other reviews on the web (which I haven’t read). It looks similar to my Colt 1991A1, which I bought because it was ‘bare bones’. As a rule, I do not prefer clones. Not that there’s anything wrong with them (Taurus has been mentioned), but because I like to have The Name. I’m more of a collector (or ‘amasser’, rather) than a shooter. That’s why I chose an Italian-made Beretta instead of the U.S.-made one. So a Kimber might be a better gun, and a Taurus (in the case of a Beretta 92) might be a better value; but I want a Colt, if you follow. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/14 "2012-07-29T15:29:50Z")
I heard that the Colt 45 is the only pistol with left-hand rifling-is this true? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/15 "2012-07-29T16:16:38Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > I’m curious, indulge me. > > How many of you have actually used weapons in real life firefights, let alone shorts ? > > I’m honestly not making a dig at any of you, I’m just genuinlly curious. You should try creating your own thread then rather than hijacking this one. ---
**Author:** ![gunnergoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e95f7d/32.png) [@gunnergoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gunnergoz)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/16 "2012-07-29T17:00:08Z")
I’ve owned, shot and enjoyed Colt 45’s but I have to say that this particular gun selection has the appearance of being flawed. I hope they did not make a big mistake for the sake of nostalgia or to make some lobbyist rich. Testing after the trials showed that the winning Colts had numerous frame cracks afterwards. [http://soldiersystems.net/2012/07/20/marsoc-winning-colt-guns/](http://soldiersystems.net/2012/07/20/marsoc-winning-colt-guns/) And still the Marines picked the Colt. You’d think they’d ask a question or two about those cracks, but no… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/17 "2012-07-29T17:57:06Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > You should try creating your own thread then rather than hijacking this one. He has a point. A race gun has no place on a battlefield. But for the purposes of this thread, having used a handgun in a battle situation is not important. The closest would be self-defense or stopping a bad guy, and those are rare occurrences. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/18 "2012-07-29T18:55:49Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [Rock Island Armory](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Island_Armory_1911_series) has a 1911 for about $400-$500. Yeah, I’ve heard good things about those. I’d almost want one, although I keep telling myself that would mean I’d have to start buying .45, so I resist for now. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/19 "2012-07-29T19:18:45Z")
> [@movingfinger](#): > > In boot camp our gunnery instructor pointed out the necessity of closing with the enemy before trying to shoot him with the forty-five. He said the weapon would be much deadlier if it had a place on it to affix a bayonet. I don’t want to gainsay a drill instructor, but my father in law can put 2 bullets through the same hole at 75 feet with his 1911. I’ve seen him do it. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705/20 "2012-07-29T19:27:53Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > I don’t want to gainsay a drill instructor, but my father in law can put 2 bullets through the same hole at 75 feet with his 1911. I’ve seen him do it. But a stock 1911 as issued and in the hands of a raw recruit can’t do that. ETA: How big was the hole? 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-marines-still-love-the-colt-45-m1911/629705.md?page=2)