CMP 1911 news

[pmanton]

What percentage of applicants will get a pistol?

 

[Grayfox]

What percentage of applicants will get a pistol?

Pretty much all of them as long as the paperwork is right.
Sales haven't been as brisk as was expected.
Only us old guys want the old warhorse. Many folks just don't get the nostalgia of owning a piece of history when they can buy brand new for less than half the price. Younger shooters seem much more interested in plastic.

They are all rebuilt. It is just a question of when and by whom. That information they will not know. I don't know if the Army reparked theirs, I know the Marines & Navy did so at NWS Crane, Indiana.

There are different levels of repair. Almost all these guns are mix-masters that have had parts changed over the years. Some may have been done on company or direct support level and then there are full arsenal rebuilds. The arsenal guns were re-finished and made as much like new as possible. That's what I'm hoping to get this time.

 

[pmanton]

In 1959 when I turned 21 I got a 1911 shipped direct from Benicia Arsenal for $19.00 or so. The 03A3s were about the same price. If I remember correctly they had M-1s but the price was over $100 which was too much for me back then.

 

[LostintheOzone]

I'm still debating this. I got a pretty well used gun in the first round. I already had one G.I. issue pistol. So that makes two I already have.
If I knew for sure I'd get one of the fresh arsenal rebuilds this time, I'd go for it. But you don't get a choice. Just not sure if I wanna take the chance.

People trade those you know.

 

[LostintheOzone]

I'm torn. Ever since I read you could get a second pistol, I have been contemplating it. I should probably be happy with the one I have.

In the second round, My paperwork was damaged at an indecent there. Once they were pretty far past my RGN, I started calling. They told me what happened, and I had to resubmit my paperwork (complete with a trip to the notary).

Once my paper work was resubmitted, the woman handling my order said they would make up for the inconvenience. I received a matching (and by everything I can tell correct) Ithaca. What little remains of the finish looks original. There are no indications it has ever been through an arsenal for a rebuild. It is more accurate than it should be considering the sights.

The only possible downside is that is was a summer 1945 manufacture, so it is unlikely to have WWII history.

Long story short, I couldn't be happier with my Field Grade. A second one would probably bring disappointment.

Weirder things have happened. My number came up when the pandemic hit. CMP ran the BC but they closed up before they got the proceed. I knew my number was coming up as I was watching the CMP forum. Then no contact. So I called and was told I'm out of luck because they never run a BC twice. The fed doesn't keep a record of it either. I had to beg them because it wasn't my fault and assured them that I passed the BC. So 5 minutes with a supervisor and they said they would run it again. I got my gun a few weeks later. Good folks there at CMP.

That's the first time I've heard of someone running a BC on both ends.

 

[MSD2343]

Three years ago, my response to all the CMP 1911 excitement was to buy a new Colt Classic 1911 for $800. I've been very happy with the pistol, but I'm still tempted to jump-in for this round.

 

[31FordA]

What does a FOIIA request on these give you?

From the FOIA results I've seen on the CMP Forum the oldest information goes back to 1975. Some pistols must have been in storage the whole time, others the FOIA shows the units the pistol was assigned to until ending up at CMP. A FOIA to Redstone Arsenal gets you the Army records. If that indicates the pistol entered Army records from NWS Crane then a separate FOIA to the Navy can yield its time in the Navy since around 1975. I don't think I've seen a FOIA return from the USMC, although I know people have submitted them on the OB marked pistols.

I keep meaning to send in a FOIA on my CMP 1939 Colt and my brothers CMP 1945 Rem-Rand. His pistol has "U S Coast Guard" elecropenciled on the frame, so a FOIA to the Coast Guard would probably be worth doing also.

I'm putting in for a second pistol, as is my brother, to see what we get. The first pistols were CMP Auction guns, we'll see what the lottery gives us this time. I think I'll go for Field grade if it's available when they call, but I'll be happy with whatever shows up.

 

[ladder13]

Apparently sales haven't been as expected, they're letting folks have another bite at the Apple. OR, they found many more than they expected?

 

[SF VET]

I was just out this am shooting my TRP and my recently acquired CMP Service Grade 1911. I decided to repalce the recoil spring and put in a stout Wolf firing pin spring, after a thorough cleaning. Mine is a 1945 RR frame and a '80S replacement fully hardened slide. The slide stop, and the slide release look unworn, so probably mine was rebuilt back in the early '80's and placed in storage, although there was plenty of carbon I cleaned oiut of the perfect appearing barrel. I guess when they rebuilt them, they didn't take the time to clean the barrels.

My trigger is nice but 6.5 pounds. I was surprised at how perfeclty accurate it is, if I do my part, it was just as accurate as my tuned, TRP, which has aftermarket sights.

for those who wonder why some of us have a desire to own a "real" ex-military 1911 when "modern" pistols can be cheaper and perhaps better, I can only say that having carried one in an issue flap holster in Vietnam and Desert Storm, fortunately never having to use my issue pistols in combat, getting one similar to the two I had in those conflicts is important to me.

No modern 1911 can ever mean as much as one similar to those two handguns. Thanks to CMP for making it possible for me.

SF VET