Friday, March 29, 2013

Today in History

I am reminded, that today, March 29th in 1911 the Colt pistol was adopted as the standard sidearm of the US Army.  I have one and it is as good a fighting pistol today as it was in 1911.

It's still a damned fine pistol.

4 comments:

The Displaced Louisiana Guy said...

Seems fitting that I finished a set of grips for mine today.

Old NFO said...

That it IS! :-)

Rivrdog said...

Mine is positioned at hand to get me from my bed to my Marlin Camp 45 across the other side of the bedroom. The Camp 45, of course, takes the 1911's magazines and cartridges and is as good a defensive carbine out to 50 yards as has ever been built. Out of the Camp 45 barrel, 230-gr Ball will accelerate to about 1,000-1,100 fps, making the old round more respectable than it already was.

Word to the wise: if you pack a 1911 in it's original caliber, shop for a Camp 45. Eat the high price tag of $600 or better and buy it. There are Weaver bases for it if your eyes need help.

If you like the Euopellet (9mm Luger), get the Camp 9, which takes S&W Model 59 (659) magazines of up to 30 rounds capacity, IIRC. The 15 & 20-round versions of THAT decent fighting pistol's magazines are more available than the 30', though.

Although the same age as the 45 ACP, the 9mm Luger is higher pressure, so you can get better velocity and range out of it. It's only half as heavy, though, keep that in mind.

Gerry N. said...

Some years ago I acquired a Star B in 9mm Parabellum. Shortly after, I lucked onto a Spanish Desroyer Carbine in 9mm Largo. I found the barrel was loose in the reciever so removed it, chucked it in my little lathe and slowly, ever so slowly trimmed the breech and the headspacing shoulder until it accepted a 9mm Para. headspace gage. Then I screwed the barrel in until the witness mark lined up, found the extractor groove still large enough to allow the extractor to work. Now I have a pistol and a carbine, albeit a boltie, that use the same round and with a little careful work with a dremel tool and a file, accept the same magazines.

Not perfect, but good enough. The little carbine is sufficiently accurate with my cast bullet loads to hit minute of boiler room on coast blacktails and bad guys if need ever occurs.

Gerry N.