AJ
US Veteran
Iconic 1911 Pistols Have Finally Been Retired From Marine Corps Service
The M1911A1 will be missed.............
The M1911A1 will be missed.............
USMC Retires the M1911's
- Thread starter AJ
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
I doubt it. Young Americans do not have the fondness for the M1911 that pervades the Baby Boomers, their parents, and perhaps the Gen-Xers. Millennials, Gen-Z, and all that follow won't care a whit about the 1911.
I could write an essay on the subject but suffice it to say that younger folks like high capacity and polymer and TDA or striker fired pistols far better than 7 round, single action 1911s.
There are exceptions, of course, but not many.
Besides, there are exceptions in the ranks of the Baby Boomers with respect to the M1911 and I'm one of them. No fondness for them at all, although I admit in my misspent youth and even more recent past I did like them but I've grown since then.
Golphin
Member
I am fine with people not liking the 1911's if it makes them cost less. That way I can buy more of them for less money.
Catwrangler
Member
Even though I'm southpaw my love of the 1911 is the manual of arms required in it's use. If you don't know the MOA you'll quickly have an AD or can't get the pistol to even fire.
If you're giving up on your 1911s feel free to PM me so I can see about taking them off your hands.I
Besides, there are exceptions in the ranks of the Baby Boomers with respect to the M1911 and I'm one of them. No fondness for them at all, although I admit in my misspent youth and even more recent past I did like them but I've grown since then.
You mean they hadn’t already
Marshal Tom
Member
I have had several striker fired pistols, Glocks, a gen1 Shield, a P-10C and presently a Sig 365X Macro but I love 1911'a and BHP's. I have two of each and carried a 1911 for probably 25 of my more than 35yrs in LE. They do require more training and maintenance.
Echo40
Member
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2017
- Messages
- 4,031
- Reaction score
- 7,821
Frankly, I'm surprised that they held onto it this long, I could have sworn that they retired it back in 2016, but perhaps that was specifically the Colt M45 CQB.
Regardless, the 1911 had a long and successful military career that won't be forgotten, and clearly remains popular with shooters of all ages due to its iconic appearance, reputation, and unrivaled potential for an excellent trigger.
Personally, I was always more enamored by the Walther PPK and Beretta 92 than I was the 1911, but that was most likely due to them being featured so prominently in the movies that I grew up watching in the 1990s. Nevertheless, I still think that it's an absolutely gorgeous pistol that everyone should own.
To this day I wonder what ever became of the USSOCOM MK23 Mod 0... Now that was one heck of an impressive-looking military pistol.
Regardless, the 1911 had a long and successful military career that won't be forgotten, and clearly remains popular with shooters of all ages due to its iconic appearance, reputation, and unrivaled potential for an excellent trigger.
Personally, I was always more enamored by the Walther PPK and Beretta 92 than I was the 1911, but that was most likely due to them being featured so prominently in the movies that I grew up watching in the 1990s. Nevertheless, I still think that it's an absolutely gorgeous pistol that everyone should own.
To this day I wonder what ever became of the USSOCOM MK23 Mod 0... Now that was one heck of an impressive-looking military pistol.
Exception
“ There are exceptions, of course, but not many.”
Count my 23 year old son as one. He was in the Marines and daily carries a Remington 1911R1 IWB appendix. He is very fit so doesn’t have a stomach like I do
. He also has large hands so the grip of the 1911 fits him better than any other gun. And he is ridiculously accurate with it as I have lost many a shooting range bet.
“ There are exceptions, of course, but not many.”
Count my 23 year old son as one. He was in the Marines and daily carries a Remington 1911R1 IWB appendix. He is very fit so doesn’t have a stomach like I do
. He also has large hands so the grip of the 1911 fits him better than any other gun. And he is ridiculously accurate with it as I have lost many a shooting range bet.
Last edited:
cmj8591
Member
They will be retired until they’re not. The conditions that caused them to come back into use haven’t changed. We transitioned away from regular combat and the decision makers have mostly moved on. They get replaced by people who have gotten their combat experience from video games. Once, or if, those decision makers get into combat, they will come to the same conclusions as those before them and start looking for a more effective handgun and out of retirement they will come. I wouldn’t count the 1911 out until the Spec Ops people dump them altogether. They continue to be in harms way on a regular basis so they get actual experience. If they’re using a piece of equipment, it’s because it actually works and not because of a bureaucratic decision. It’s a merry-go-round. Stand still and it will come back again. The same thing happens in law enforcement.
Last edited:
I bet it will be a while before they actually all gone.
Borderboss
Member
IMHO, the 1911 is the most "shootable" pistol ever made. It points perfectly and the trigger is exceptional compared to the junk in all the polymer pistols.
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2007
- Messages
- 27,660
- Reaction score
- 21,270
They have been mostly withdrawn from active service but are being kept in inactive status. Probably similar to the M14s that were kept that were never going to be needed again, until they were. 
Last edited:
Well I guess I am just a dinosaur. I do not think that the 1911 should be officially retired, but I am sure it will always be used by special ops forces that have latitude to select their own weapons.
I know the Springfield, P17, M1 carbine, and Garand had to go, but the 30-06 should still be around doing something but it was kind of swapped off for the 308.
I also think that the Missouri should have sailed the seas forever. The last of its' class, the official end of WW2 with Japan, and the biggest of the battleships. A testament to conventional American might. The baloney from the government is just that. They say too much cost to keep her afloat. This coming from a government that wastes that tab by 8:30 am every Monday morning.
To me it is a sense of historical pride
I know the Springfield, P17, M1 carbine, and Garand had to go, but the 30-06 should still be around doing something but it was kind of swapped off for the 308.
I also think that the Missouri should have sailed the seas forever. The last of its' class, the official end of WW2 with Japan, and the biggest of the battleships. A testament to conventional American might. The baloney from the government is just that. They say too much cost to keep her afloat. This coming from a government that wastes that tab by 8:30 am every Monday morning.
To me it is a sense of historical pride
LVSteve
Member
Amazing. It took 13 posts for somebody to trot out the old lie that all polymer pistols have rubbish triggers. Must be a new record.
1. Reliable
2. Powerful
3. No tools necessary to completely disassemble or reassemble
4. Best trigger pull of any combat pistol
5. John Browning didn't mess around
6. 1911 pistols will live forever
John
SnidelyWhiplash
Member
Back in the ‘70s when Vietnam was still fresh in our minds I heard a vet say he was in favor of sending foreign aid to North Vietnam. He wanted to recommission all four Iowa class battleships so they could sail up and down the Vietnamese coast and send them “16” care packages all day long.”
OP
AJ
US Veteran
Amazing. It took 13 posts for somebody to trot out the old lie that all polymer pistols have rubbish triggers. Must be a new record.
What are the trigger pulls on your polymer guns? My Colt Gold Cup is at 2lbs 7 ounces and so is my Colt Government Model. Only my S&W 52 is better at 2 lbs. 3 ounces.
Borderboss
Member
Amazing. It took 13 posts for somebody to trot out the old lie that all polymer pistols have rubbish triggers. Must be a new record.
Every polymer pistol I've ever shot has had a trigger that's a spongy mess. And I've shot a lot of them.
Similar threads
