By John Farnam
Ft Collins, CO –-(Ammoland.com)- On pistols for the USMC, from a friend in a position to know:
“Most of the USMC has been using the 9mm M9 Pistol (Beretta 92F) for the last several decades, but Force Reconnaissance companies and some other special units, who have sufficient political autonomy to be able to get specific equipment, wanted to stick with the 1911 (and the 45ACP round), and were ultimately able to get their way!
However, new-production pistols were deemed necessary, because 1911 pistols in the existing inventory date from the 1930s. Most have been ‘rebuilt’ so many times, they are little more than scrap metal!
So, Colt won the contract to produce a new 1911 pistol in 45ACP for the USMC. It was an “ID/IQ” arrangement (Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity), hardly a ‘contact‘ at all! Window was 4k to 12k pistols, delivered on an indefinite schedule. Price per copy was $1,875.00 (including spare parts).
A small number of Kimber 1911s also made their way into the system.
The plot thickens!
When SOCOM subsequently ordered, and starting issuing, stock G19s (much less expensive than Colt’s 1911s) to other special operations communities, the USMC quickly joined in!
It is now generally accepted that, with modern high-performance ammunition, arguments over ‘effectiveness’ of various pistol calibers have become mostly outdated and irrelevant.
Again, it is only certain special USMC units who were issued the Colt 1911 (and now the G19). The rest of the USMC has been using Beretta pistols all along. And, presumptively Berettas will now be replaced with SIG 320s, the pistol recently selected by the Pentagon for global issue.”
Comment:
Will the G19 and the Colt 1911 stick around within special units, or be replaced with the SIG320 across the board?
Stay tuned!
/John
About John Farnam & Defense Training International, Inc
As a defensive weapons and tactics instructor John Farnam will urge you, based on your own beliefs, to make up your mind in advance as to what you would do when faced with an imminent and unlawful lethal threat. You should, of course, also decide what preparations you should make in advance, if any. Defense Training International wants to make sure that their students fully understand the physical, legal, psychological, and societal consequences of their actions or inactions.
It is our duty to make you aware of certain unpleasant physical realities intrinsic to the Planet Earth. Mr Farnam is happy to be your counselor and advisor. Visit: www.defense-training.com
Just shows you how wrong you can be! I did two tours in Nam and 20 years as a Marine.. A few years as a weapons instructor and shot Competition both Rifle and pistol. Now at 81 years old I sometimes meet people like you. some people never learn thru life. For your information the “PREP” is a Preparatory Attacker. The term is used by Law Enforcement extensively. One of my son’s spent 40 + years in Law enforcement in Las Vegas (lots of action). If you don’t know something you should try to find the answer by research or… Read more »
Since you folks have gone from good sense to name calling here’s an opportunity to call me idiot also. Think of the caliber issue this way. Which nation in the last two hundred years has had the most experience with side arms? What bullet did we prefer when we could have used .25, .32, 38, .380 See the direction in which this is going? Which country has had to pull the French’s (they don’t even count once they got past using swords) and English’s (who still aren’t allowed to carry or own guns) asses out of the fire twice, at… Read more »
I’m long past being professional; but the Ruger 1911’s made in AZ are damn fine pistols & I got mine for just under $700. Put one of those with 4-5 Wilson magazines; PRESTO! American sidearm.
The amount of derp in these comments makes Baby Odin weep….
stunning lack of any real world knowledge of wound ballistics being displayed…. shocked no one has brought up “The Moros!!!!!” yet….
What about the S&W M&P or the new Ruger American handguns. Both American made, both in 45cal or 9mm, both at a very good price and very good quality firearms. Think about it.
I earned my cross pistols in the Marines before the 1911 was retired. Let me tell you the switch was all politics. None of us Marines in my Corps wanted that M-9. I still carry 1911’s. I have owned others but none feel right in my hand like JMB’s design, save the Ruger MK 22 pistols.
Years ago; video regards a 9mm round that expaned without being a hollow point; and also let x-ray show fragments for surgeons. Anyone know the outcome?
Another correction to the article: the Army selected the P320, not all military branches as the article infers. Makes me wonder why, though. The testing protocols were less stringent in this round of tests than they were back in the ’80s when the Beretta 92 was selected. Also, Beretta’s M9A3 was banned from the competition. See where I’m going with this? The M9A3 should have been used as the baseline for testing… anything that performed better when subjected side-by-side to the same test protocols should have been considered. However, this did not happen. So, if someone eased test protocols and… Read more »
What does this article have to do with the title of the article?
“United States Marine Corps Pistols in Question?”
NOTHING.
Based on my limited experience! He! He! Having used all 3 of the above, I’d rather have a FNX-45! I do have the FNX-45! The recoil is about equal to a 9mm and I have 16 rounds of 45acp instead of the under powered 9mm! The 45acp was developed to Kill not piss of your enemy! Remember the recent Terrorist that was shot 5 times in France? Well he was shot with a 9mm! He lived! One 45acp round and he wouldn’t have!