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The 1911 Semiautomatic Pistol: Why America's Enemies Still Fear This 100-Year-Old Gun
The Natural Interest ^ | 28 Jan, 2017 | Kyle Mizokami

Posted on 01/28/2017 9:22:37 AM PST by MtnClimber

For more than a hundred years, one weapon has travelled with American troops into almost every crisis, hot spot and war the United States has participated in. Developed as a response to Washington’s first overseas insurgency, the 1911 pistol still accompanies U.S. forces today around the world.

The 1911 semiautomatic pistol was invented by John Moses Browning, one of the most successful—and some would say, legendary—inventors of firearms who ever lived. Between 1879 and 1926 the prolific Browning invented some of the most successful firearms ever made, including the 1911 pistol, the Browning Hi-Power pistol, the Browning Automatic Rifle and the M2 Browning heavy machine gun. Invented in 1921, the M2 still serves as the standard heavy machine gun of the U.S. armed forces.

The 1911 was designed with a new handgun cartridge, .45 ACP, in mind. The .45 Automatic Colt Pistol round, also designed by John Browning, was developed in response to the ineffectiveness of the U.S. Army’s then sidearm, the Colt M1892 revolver. U.S. troops sent to the Philippines during the Philippine-American War (1899–1902) discovered the revolver’s .38 Long Colt cartridge lacked the ability to reliably incapacitate Moro warriors in combat. The Muslim warriors tied off their limbs to prevent blood loss. They were still able to get within striking distance of U.S. soldiers with melee weapons, even after being shot.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalinterest.org ...


TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: banglist; browning
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To: MtnClimber

can someone explain why so many 1911 owners seem to carry in the cocked position?


41 posted on 01/28/2017 10:13:40 AM PST by camle (keep an open mind and someone will fill it full of something for you)
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To: GregoTX
Most handgun triggers hang from the top with allot of travel in the pull.

Lots of handgun triggers are awful (recent S&W designs in particular) because they were designed by lawyers.

42 posted on 01/28/2017 10:14:07 AM PST by Senator_Blutarski
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To: MtnClimber

Carried it as top side watch and shore patrol. Couldn’t hit a damn thing with it.


43 posted on 01/28/2017 10:14:55 AM PST by MNnice
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To: Wyrd bið ful aræd
Glock triggers, especially with a drop-in 3.5 lb trigger connector, are far crisper than most stock (and affordable) 1911s.

Yes, and just primed for an AD. No thanks.

44 posted on 01/28/2017 10:22:46 AM PST by Vinnie
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To: MtnClimber
Nearly all experts prefer the 9mm. But when posed the question, "if you are in a room, and a bunch of guys burst in that want to cut your head off, what do you want a 9mm of a .45?".....A: the .45. Enough said on the subject.

I also love the 1911.

45 posted on 01/28/2017 10:31:46 AM PST by D Rider
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To: Charles Martel

Do you still have the HK91?That’s a weapon with real short range stopping power.I have complete confidence in mine.


46 posted on 01/28/2017 10:33:41 AM PST by Farmer Dean (168 grains of instant conflict resolution)
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To: Wyrd bið ful aræd
1911 is a good gun. Many well-made modern design semis is better are as good.

FIFY.
47 posted on 01/28/2017 10:34:49 AM PST by 98ZJ USMC
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To: Afterguard
"1911. Like a Glock, but for men.”

wish I said that. Best quote of the day.

48 posted on 01/28/2017 10:37:22 AM PST by D Rider
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To: Garth Tater
I'd rather have the crisp, 3.5 lb pull of a Glock trigger (again, with the drop-in, no tuning required aftermarket connector) than a 2 lb trigger on a 1911 hidden under the multiple-layer safety net built into 1911s by default.

Although for the record, I don't carry either.

49 posted on 01/28/2017 10:38:14 AM PST by Wyrd bið ful aræd (Flag burners can go screw -- I'm mighty PROUD of that ragged old flag)
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To: camle

Not safe to carry hammer down on a loaded chamber. So you carry hammer down on an empty chamber (and have to rack the slide to deploy it) or cocked and locked (thumb safety engaged) with a loaded chamber. To deploy it you draw, griping the grip safety and disengage the thumb safety as you come on the target.

Hope that makes sense.


50 posted on 01/28/2017 10:38:41 AM PST by MileHi (Liberalism is an ideology of parasites, hypocrites, grievance mongers, victims, and control freaks.)
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To: Vinnie

I’ve never carried a firearm with either a beast of a trigger or any external safeties, and I’ve never had an AD.


51 posted on 01/28/2017 10:40:44 AM PST by Wyrd bið ful aræd (Flag burners can go screw -- I'm mighty PROUD of that ragged old flag)
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To: 98ZJ USMC

Modern technology has made better guns. I know there’s a lot of nostalgia and whatnot attached to the 1911 but it simply isn’t the best anymore.


52 posted on 01/28/2017 10:41:48 AM PST by Wyrd bið ful aræd (Flag burners can go screw -- I'm mighty PROUD of that ragged old flag)
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To: Abathar

Speaking of ergonomics of 1911 pistols, I fired a Sig 1911 the other day with palm swell grip panels and now I think I need to procure some for one of my 1911s.


53 posted on 01/28/2017 10:45:44 AM PST by Blue Collar Christian (I thank God, Broom Hillary was stopped. Now, moving on, I pray for Trump.)
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To: MtnClimber
Right out of their boxes, 5-6yrs ago, these 2 Kimbers were flawless. And after 1,500+ rnds thru each, now fitted w/ laser grips, still flawless.


54 posted on 01/28/2017 10:51:54 AM PST by Carriage Hill ( Poor demoncrats haven't been this mad, since the Republicans took their slaves away.)
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To: Gaffer

55 posted on 01/28/2017 10:56:01 AM PST by Bratch ("The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke)
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To: Wyrd bið ful aræd
It's not a multi-layer safety system when used. The grip safety is automatically taken off as you grip the weapon. Even removing the thumb safety is just a part of acquiring the grip on your weapon. No thought or skill required.

Do the sellers really recommend carrying a Glock with a 3.5 lb trigger pull? I'm willing to bet the sellers of that drop-in device have some wordage in their sales contract telling the purchaser that concealed carrying is strongly disadvised.

Care to discuss the travel distance required on a Glock trigger vs a 1911?
56 posted on 01/28/2017 10:57:15 AM PST by Garth Tater (What's mine is mine.)
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To: null and void
"I'd be willing to bet that the Lugar would be the hands down winner, time after time. "

I have to agree with you that the Lugar has the best natural feel of all of the pistols I have shot. But it isn't a good combat pistol. It doesn't handle dirt or mud well, because many of the operational parts are exposed.

Repairing a Lugar requires an expert gunsmith that knows Lugars, because many of the parts have to be hand fitted. And each part depends upon another part. For instance, a lot of them have horrible trigger pulls (not bad- horrible). Guess what, to correct a horrible trigger pull many parts have to be refitted or replaced.

Like a high-end Swiss watch, it is a masterpiece of gun art. But I would rather carry a generic revolver, if my life depended upon it.

57 posted on 01/28/2017 11:03:32 AM PST by fini
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To: Wyrd bið ful aræd

Maybe so.

Still, a lot of LE and special forces still prefer the 1911.

Here’s an article on the MEU SOC 1911 in use in Iraq:
http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/history/meusoc.htm

According to Mas Ayoob Albuquerque SWAT use 1911’s:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_n26876430/

LAPD SWAT issues them:
http://www.shootingtimes.com/handgun.../st_0212_lapd/

FBI SWAT and HRT use them:
http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/history/fbi_1911.htm

Tacoma, WA police uses them:
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-107542889.html


58 posted on 01/28/2017 11:04:09 AM PST by gettinolder
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To: Wyrd bið ful aræd

Someone had to turn this article from being about the 1911 to being about how Glocks are better. Might as well be you.

One of my buddies has a beautiful Kimber .45Auto in Commander size and a Glock 20 10mm. He says to me he says, “To impress, you show your Kimber to your friends, you show your Glock to your enemies.”

So for me, my next project build gun is going to be a 1911 in 10mm.


59 posted on 01/28/2017 11:16:43 AM PST by Blue Collar Christian (I thank God, Broom Hillary was stopped. Now, moving on, I pray for Trump.)
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To: MileHi

Does to Me

I love that carry.


60 posted on 01/28/2017 11:26:21 AM PST by Big Red Badger (UNSCANABLE in an IDIOCRACY!)
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