1911A1 Still Fighting

For the second time in US history, the military has realized its mistake in issuing ineffective sidearms to its troops. The first time was when the US Army issued a revolver in the anemic .38 Colt caliber to replace its Colt .45 Single Action Army. The second came a century later in 1986 when the venerable 45 caliber ACP Model 1911A1 was replaced service-wide with the ineffective 9x19 mm NATO. However, a major element of the United States Marine Corps never fully adopted the 9mm pistol, retaining an unknown number of its original 45 ACP 1911A1 pistols for special missions. Agreeing with the Marines are the soldiers I've spoken to; contempt for the weak 9 millimeter Beretta M9 pistol is nearly universal.

For much of the last twenty years, certain close quarter battle (CQB) special operations teams have continued to utilize the much more effective 45 caliber pistols; SEALs have used the H&K Mark 23 and SIG 220. Some soldiers serving overseas are permitted to carry their own personal sidearms, such as the high capacity ParaOrdnance P14. The Marine Expedition Unit (MEU) has procured reworked and refurbished 1911A1s, but Quantico was only capable of rebuilding 1911A1 pistols on a relatively limited basis.

After 9/11, the USMC’s MEU (SOC) joined the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM); it was allowed to do a one-time sole-source buy of new 1911A1-style .45 ACP pistols. This was the 87-operator, Detachment 1 (Det-1) at Camp Pendleton. The pistol chosen by Det-1 was a Kimber Custom model similar to that adopted by the LAPD SWAT unit, but with additional special features specified by the Marine Corps. These included a traditional extractor, no firing pin safety, a standard recoil spring guide, ambidextrous thumb safety, lanyard loop and genuine Novak Lo-Mount Night Sights. The Kimber pistols were shipped directly to Dawson Precision in Texas where they were each fitted with the Dawson Rail in order to mount a proprietary SureFire Weapon Light designed especially for the Military. A commercial variation of this fine pistol is offered to the public as the Kimber Warrior, and Desert Warrior.

Will the U.S. Military adopt the Kimber Warrior, or a similar 45 ACP model? Who knows. The military adopted the 9 millimeter in the first place as a concession to European NATO members' pistols. Further, there's a movement to adopt a double-action pistol with a composite frame. And aside from military politics, price is a big factor; the Warrior runs about $1,353 a pop.

But what's encouraging about this procurement by MEU is that the military is moving in the right direction toward a return to the most popular and effective handgun cartridge ever made - the 45 ACP. And for the troops, that's good news.