# Marines place $22.5M order for the Colt .45 M1911



## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Sticking to their guns: Marines place $22.5M order for the Colt .45 M1911 | Fox News

Looks like history may be repeating itself. It wouldn't be the first time the military decided that its current issue sidearm didn't have enough stopping power. If given the choice, I'd choose the Colt 1911 over the Beretta M9 any day of the week. How about you?


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## bluetogreens (May 31, 2010)

I love the new issue look and modernization effort by colt by adding the rail on the bottom. I only hope that these come for sale to the military/leo market "soon" as I will be adding one to my collection.

With that being said

We all know the "stopping power" of any handgun caliber weapon is lacking and the beretta fixes the trade-off of capacity vs caliber, but in doing so is bulky, un-wieldy and against the 1911 strangely unrefined. Still the bulk of my personal preps for handgun caliber rounds will be in the 9mm variant using JHP or Bonded HP/SP ammunition which NATO forbids us to use.


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## Old Vet (Oct 15, 2006)

Cabin Fever said:


> Sticking to their guns: Marines place $22.5M order for the Colt .45 M1911 | Fox News
> 
> Looks like history may be repeating itself. It wouldn't be the first time the military decided that its current issue sidearm didn't have enough stopping power. If given the choice, I'd choose the Colt 1911 over the Beretta M9 any day of the week. How about you?


The Marines have always had an option of having the Beretta or the Colt 1911 along with the special forces. They may be ordering replacements.


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## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

Cabin Fever said:


> Sticking to their guns: Marines place $22.5M order for the Colt .45 M1911 | Fox News
> 
> Looks like history may be repeating itself. It wouldn't be the first time the military decided that its current issue sidearm didn't have enough stopping power. If given the choice, I'd choose the Colt 1911 over the Beretta M9 any day of the week. How about you?


I do have some 9mm but also .45's 
I read a sig line on another forum that I like...

"A 9mm might expand but a .45 will never shrink".


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## DEVILDOG (Dec 20, 2010)

Force Recon has continued to use the M1911. All others who are authorized to carry a side arm usually have a Beretta 9MM.


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## braggscowboy (Jan 6, 2004)

Cabin Fever said:


> Sticking to their guns: Marines place $22.5M order for the Colt .45 M1911 | Fox News
> 
> Looks like history may be repeating itself. It wouldn't be the first time the military decided that its current issue sidearm didn't have enough stopping power. If given the choice, I'd choose the Colt 1911 over the Beretta M9 any day of the week. How about you?


Can't beat them, been around a long time. Only way to go. There may be somethings better,but I doubt it.


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

Hands down 1911


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I am sort of surprised that they didn't test or try for one of the high cap 1911

cause the only thing better than a 1911 45 would be a 1911 45 with more capacity


but the better question, when will surplus 45acp and 45acp brass be available cheap


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## doc66 (Jul 22, 2009)

According to the Marine Corps Times, they are simply replacing the Special Operator 1911s. 

Front line troops will continue to use the M9.




As an aside; Double stack 1911 mags are not as reliable as the single stack, over all.


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## Dutch 106 (Feb 12, 2008)

Well to make the point I own NO 9mm's and own 5 45 acp and 15,000 roughly rounds and brass for them along with a hundred moon clips for the !917 and 20+ standard mags and a couple shorties for the officers model.
So I've made my mind up, Ya think.
Dutch


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

the finest design ever...perhaps ever to be


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## doc66 (Jul 22, 2009)

ace admirer said:


> the finest design ever...perhaps ever to be


You mean Glock, right? :happy:


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

Cabin Fever said:


> Sticking to their guns: Marines place $22.5M order for the Colt .45 M1911 | Fox News
> 
> Looks like history may be repeating itself. It wouldn't be the first time the military decided that its current issue sidearm didn't have enough stopping power. If given the choice, I'd choose the Colt 1911 over the Beretta M9 any day of the week. How about you?




No doubt about it!

I carried one in the Marines back in the 70's, and I carry a Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special today.

45 ACP, good enough for two world wars, good enough for me!


Tim


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## doc66 (Jul 22, 2009)

Okay, they are NOT replacing the M9. It is an order to replace the ones in service with the Special Operations. History is NOT repeating itself. These pistols are going to the 12,000 Special Operations units, not the other 200,000 standard, front line troops; they still are issued the M9. 

The USMC DID go with Colt, however. 

Elite Marine Corps units to field new pistols - Marine Corps News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Marine Corps Times


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

doc66 said:


> Okay, they are NOT replacing the M9. It is an order to replace the ones in service with the Special Operations. History is NOT repeating itself....]


Yes, I do know the military is not doing a wholesale replacement of the 9mm Beretta. My comment to history repeating itself was in reference to the decision made back in the very early 1900s when the military sought a replacement for thier current sidearm of the time (.38 special revolver) because it didn't have enough shock effect and stopping power. As we all know, the replacement was the .45acp cartridge used in both the 1911 pistol and 1917 revolvers. This is the same reason why SOME of the current 9mm pistols are being replaced with the .45acp pistol, thus, history repeating itself.


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

doc66 said:


> You mean Glock, right? :happy:


ok,,,,, maybe an ok gun,,,,but if 20 people in committee were told "come up with the uglest gun possible" well the glock would be uglier.....


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## doc66 (Jul 22, 2009)

Cabin Fever said:


> Yes, I do know the military is not doing a wholesale replacement of the 9mm Beretta. My comment to history repeating itself was in reference to the decision made back in the very early 1900s when the military sought a replacement for thier current sidearm of the time (.38 special revolver) because it didn't have enough shock effect and stopping power. As we all know, the replacement was the .45acp cartridge used in both the 1911 pistol and 1917 revolvers. This is the same reason why SOME of the current 9mm pistols are being replaced with the .45acp pistol, thus, history repeating itself.


It is still not "history repeating itself."

This is a limited issue and replacement of a firearm that was ALREADY in the system. 

That (in the 1900s) was a total revamp of the issue firearm. They also replaced the issue bolt action around that time; the Krag was replaced by the Springfield and Enfield. Check out the very well researched book "American Rifle, A Biography" by Alexander Rose.

The 9mm is not being replaced in those units because it doesn't have enough "stopping power" or "shock effect" (both of which are fallacies that have been discounted by modern research); they never really got away from the .45. Did you even read any of the articles that were linked? The articles clearly stated that the 1911s were replacing those already in the system. The USG has to go through a bidding process to obtain new firearms. This was a part of that trial and bidding process. 

I'm glad Colt got the contract.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

doc66, of course I read the article. It was quotes like the following that would make the reader believe that the purpose of the new contract was to actually replace the Beretta (for some units, not all) and not just for replacing current issued 1911s. In addtion, the reason for the selection of the 1911 was for its superior stopping power over the M9.

"The Colt .45 M1911 is making a big *comeback*, now that the U.S. Marines have placed a $22.5 million order for the Connecticut-made pistols."

"The gun has long been the weapon of choice for special operations agents, thanks to its reliability and the *stopping power* of its massive bullets."

"Some reports suggest Marines are not happy with their main Beretta M9s for their lack of accuracy and *stopping power*. With M1911's now supplying Special Ops, growing interest may lead to a better solution."

"To have the 1911 *selected again* for U. S. Forces 101 years after its initial introduction is just an incredible testament to the timeless design and effectiveness of the Colt 1911..."


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

The only reason they even considered the Beretta to begin with was because of NATO.

They wanted ammo *interchangability*, and THEY mostly carry 9mm's


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Bearfootfarm said:


> The only reason they even considered the Beretta to begin with was because of NATO.
> 
> They wanted ammo *interchangability*, and THEY mostly carry 9mm's


Yeah that's why Canada had to switch to an AR platform and drop the FN in .308, because the USA uses 5.56.


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