Posted on 07/24/2017 11:21:40 AM PDT by Hotmetal
Congress will allow the transfer of old U.S. Army pistols to the Civilian Marksmanship Program as a part of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act.
The 2016 NDAA allowed the release of 10,000 M1911 .45 caliber pistols to be released via a pilot program, but providions in the bill didnt mandate the transfer of the guns to the Civilian Marksmanship Program. The new bill, passed by Congress and expected to pass the Senate, would allow the CMP to sell the pistols to civilians.
The surplus pistols are the largest remaining stock of military World War II-era handguns according to Guns.com, which costs the Army 200,000 to store. Guns.com reports theyve been out of contract production since 1945.
The 1911 is a historic pistol and one of the most popular models made today. Originally designed for the U.S. Military by Colt, the gun continues to be manufactured in various models by dozens of firearm manufacturers.
The semi-automatic pistol, which fires a .45 caliber round, because the base Army side arm in 1911 before World War I. It was most famous as the gun used by Sergeant Alvin York in World War I at the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in France, where York killed 25 German soldiers and captured 132 by himself, winning him the Congressional Medal of Honor. Some claim the pistol was carried and used by more Medal of Honor winners than any other U.S. military firearm.
York was portrayed by Gary Cooper in the Oscar winning movie Sgt. York in 1941, which won him Best Actor.
The guns being sold by the Army and the CMP are expected to be well-worn, but still have considerable worth as a collectors item, an inexpensive shooting gun.
(Excerpt) Read more at daytondailynews.com ...
Nice thing about the 1911 is that there are so many aftermarket parts easily available that almost any 1911 in almost any condition can be brought back to serviceable condition for a reasonable price.
You could buy three and take the best parts of the three to make one serviceable weapon and be ahead.
“The semi-automatic pistol, which fires a .45 caliber round, because the base Army side arm in 1911 before World War I.” Proofreading is dead.
The service-level Garands I have bought from the CMP were nicely reworked where they needed to be. My guess is that the CMP will replace a lot of barrels and springs and make very good pistols out of what they have.
“Originally designed for the U.S. Military by Colt...”
Wrong...it was designed by one of greatest of all time, John Moses Browning, the founder of todays Browning Arms Company.
I bet some of them are still packed in Cosmoline and like new!.....................
It’s all speel cheked now.......................
Do I have to join a club to buy one? They’re worth $400 to me.
The Garands from CMP were “ready for issue to troops going overseas”. That means combat ready. No sure that the 45s being offered up for sale will be in that condition. One would hope so.
You are right, Browning invented it but he was working with Colt.
Browning greatly admired the workers at Colt and FN for their ability to produce beautifully made and finished guns.
Blessed be his name ;)
I don’t know, but I’d like to find out!
If you find out let us all know!.....................
If they have been in ‘storage’ since WWII, I’d bet that some are used and some are new and all ready to go as soon as you get all the Cosmoline cleaned off!..................
While of historical value, these pistols are likely worn out.
“Id bet that some are used and some are new and all ready to go as soon as you get all the Cosmoline cleaned off!..................”...
You are probably right but the average shooter would never even get close to purchasing one. I’d love to have one of those and I highly doubt they are “worn out” as another poster has suggested.
Correct!
For them to have been in storage, they would have needed to be checked and passed by an armorer first before packing in Cosmoline, sealed in vacuum heat seal bags and stored in wooden(?) cases.......................
I would LOVE to surprise my husband with one of these guns! I wish there were details on how to purchase one once they are available. :(
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