Marines order Colt .45s

[Maverick21]

I seriously doubt that the Glock will be in service for 100 years. If for no other reason then the geewiz boys will demand the next big thing.

It has been years, but I have personally put many thousands of rounds through an old government issue 1911a1 without failures. Heck we once put 5,000 through an old Argentine copy. You guys also have to remember that military handgun use is different then civilian or police use. It is a last ditch or specialty weapon not their primary arm. A smaller number of rounds is not a real problem if there is sufficient knock down power. Not to mention the steel frame can also be used as a club.

While I can't discredit, nor would I attempt to, discredit the fact that they'll run for thousands of rounds, are you saying other options won't? In your point, the only advantage I see in having a 1911 over any number of other options, is the ability to use it as a club. Let's please not let this boil down to a matter of "knock down power". That can/will be argued until the ends of the Earth. And again, all of the guns I mentioned offer the .45 so I think that's a moot point.

 

[HiredHand]

Obviously, the Marine Corp disagrees. I'll let the guys that will actually use the weapon system decide what they need.

 

[JB Books]

I am shocked to say I agree with Rick (ha ha). The handgun is a last ditch weapon for soldiers. Many speciality teams already use .45 caliber pistols. I think I'd rather have a high cap 9mm, but it's hard to argue with the knock down power of a .45 acp.

Besides, they are just so damn pretty:

 

[Norman]

Reports on lightfighter is of the 12000 round test, 197 failures and 4 out of 10 guns completely destroyed. There is no such thing as knockdown power in handgun calibers. I'd personally rather hit someone with 2 well placed 9mm rounds than 1 well placed 11.4 mm round. One failure drill with that will take about half of your mag. They'd be better served with a different weapon. IMHO.

 

[yukonjack]

Next they'll bring single action revolvers back. And with only 12,000 units ordered that isn't a big purchase. Doubt you'll see them going back for more....

 

[Norman]

Obviously, the Marine Corp disagrees. I'll let the guys that will actually use the weapon system decide what they need.

Was it actually the end users that got the pick of the litter, or was it command staff making decisions,.doing their adminly duties and sticking their opinions and weight where it doesn't belong?

 

[JB Books]

Here's one of my favorite 9mm pistols. Walther P88. King of the "Wonder Nines" in the 1980's and early 90's. I have a couple, including one that looks exactly like this one, including the $185 grips.



It eats any and all ammo you feed it. Never had a failure in it. Draw back was that it has a very heavy trigger pull.

 

[RickN]

While I can't discredit, nor would I attempt to, discredit the fact that they'll run for thousands of rounds, are you saying other options won't? In your point, the only advantage I see in having a 1911 over any number of other options, is the ability to use it as a club. Let's please not let this boil down to a matter of "knock down power". That can/will be argued until the ends of the Earth. And again, all of the guns I mentioned offer the .45 so I think that's a moot point.

None of the others I have tried have stood up to the test like the old 1911. I will admit to not having tried it with a Glock 45 but I have with a friends old Glock 9mm. 5 of us tried it one weekend using the same number of new mags (9) and a quick field cleaning every 250 rounds just like I and another group did with the old a1. With old military surplus ammo (again like the 45) we had several failure to feed, jams, and other problems. (misfires were not counted in either case)

I must also admit that the 1911 was very well broken in. (the slide rattled when you would shake the gun) As long as you fed it military hard ball ammo and gave it a quick cleaning every now and then, it would fire. Not very accurate and it liked to send hot brass down the front of your shirt but it would fire.

 

[Maverick21]

I am shocked to say I agree with Rick (ha ha). The handgun is a last ditch weapon for soldiers. Many speciality teams already use .45 caliber pistols. I think I'd rather have a high cap 9mm, but it's hard to argue with the knock down power of a .45 acp.

Besides, they are just so damn pretty:

View attachment 22780

I'll say it again that the 1911, despite popular belief on OSA, is not the only handgun to offer the beloved .45 ACP. Like I said before, we could get into the argument of what can a .45 do that a .40 can't, but that's not the point here. "Knockdown power" is for another thread. But that, again, would be pointless because Glock and other manufacturers DO have .45's available (with more than an 8 round mag). I only hope that the LOGIC I provide here will grant me favor in your camp when I prove myself the superior logical being.

 

[RickN]

Here's one of my favorite 9mm pistols. Walther P88. King of the "Wonder Nines" in the 1980's and early 90's. I have a couple, including one that looks exactly like this one, including the $185 grips.

View attachment 22781

It eats any and all ammo you feed it. Never had a failure in it. Draw back was that it has a very heavy trigger pull.

My favorite 9mm pistol has to be my old Ruger P89. I got it from a member a while back and still love it. It ain't pretty or hi-tech, but it goes bang every time.