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Marines place 22.5 Million Dollar Order for the M1911 Government Model

thebigsd

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Good news! Glad the Marines are able to get the tools they deem necessary for their work! As a huge 1911 fan, I'm glad to see it make a comeback in the military.
 

Maine Expat

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I carried the 1911M1 in the Army MPs and have always loved that tough old hog leg. Rugged and reliable and always goes BANG when you tell it too.

About time it made a come back. HUAH!
 

Michigander

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For the money and effort that goes into buying and making a good 1911, then keeping it running, I'd have thought it much better to go with another model. But I guess if anyone knows what they want in a gun it'd be the Marines.
 

WalkingWolf

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For the money and effort that goes into buying and making a good 1911, then keeping it running, I'd have thought it much better to go with another model. But I guess if anyone knows what they want in a gun it'd be the Marines.

They may not be buying colts. The 1911 is not an expensive gun to make, the popularity of it is what drives prices up. The fact that the imports of surplus 1911's has dried up, has contributed to the rise also. I am sure the marines will not be paying as much as a civilian for them.
 

Maine Expat

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And now, the Colt .45 M1911 is making a big comeback, now that the U.S. Marines have placed a $22.5 million order for the Connecticut-made pistols.

According to the article, they're getting the original. The Colt .45 M1911M1

Colt Defense, based in Hartford, Conn., will supply as many as 12,000 of the 200,000 U.S. Marines with semi-automatic, tan-colored M45 Close Quarter Battle Pistols, and they will include spare parts and logistical support.

At $22.5 mil that comes to $1875 per pistol, but that includes a spare parts and support deal too.
 
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WalkingWolf

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According to the article, they're getting the original. The Colt .45 M1911M1



At $22.5 mil that comes to $1875 per pistol, but that includes a spare parts and support deal too.

Wow, $1875 seems like a lot for government contract, but hey I guess they know what they are doing.
 

Michigander

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The 1911 is not an expensive gun to make.

Relative to todays designs, yes it is. It's an older design, which as others have said elsewhere is from a time when labor and materials were cheap, and technology was expensive.

No one will argue it can be used effectively, especially where FMJ use is required, but there is no getting around it being an expensive design to get right.
 

Tanner

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Relative to todays designs, yes it is. It's an older design, which as others have said elsewhere is from a time when labor and materials were cheap, and technology was expensive.

No one will argue it can be used effectively, especially where FMJ use is required, but there is no getting around it being an expensive design to get right

Ditto.



I love 1911s but I can only afford the cheap-O- ones for now. The design is good so even the cheap one are worth their weight in gold. That my opinion anyways. I have a Auto ord... works perfectly
 
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KYGlockster

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Wow, $1875 seems like a lot for government contract, but hey I guess they know what they are doing.

Apparently you are not familiar with how things work in government and contracting. They always pay 3 or 4 times what we would pay for any service. Research some of the government contracts issued as part of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. When I worked for the state of Ky. we would hire a contractor to run an excavator for nearly $2,000 a DAY. We done this regardless of the fact that each guy on the crew was perfectly able to operate heavy equipment, and had access to the equipment needed. We would even hire him for jobs that could have easily been completed with our backhoe, and most of the time he would set while we used the backhoe! The government spends our money the worst ways possible.
 

davidmcbeth

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9mm better .... (waiting for the expected pelting of "your nuts" etc) .. at least that's what the Army has said ...:dude:

and the cost?? man, they know how to waste out money (I hope I can post this)
 

Ca Patriot

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I have always wondered if the military keeps any stats or data on usage of handguns in combat ?

A few of my friends who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan have said they have never seen or heard of anyone using their handgun in those conflicts except for maybe special forces or CIA guys.

I would love to hear how many, if any, enemy have been killed by American handgun fire.
 

KYGlockster

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Talk to or read stories about the men of WW2, Korea, or Vietnam. Every story I have ever heard when it comes to putting down bad guys with a Handgun is that they would rather have the .45 in their hand instead of the 9mm/.38. Once soldiers were given the .45 ACP (switching from the .38 revolver) they started seeing one shot stops; then we go back to a weak 9mm round. The 9mm Luger is a weak round, but step it up to .357 Sig. and you have a good round with proven performance. The old 125 gr. .357 Mag. is considered the all time best self defense cartridge. The .357 Sig. is actually a .355 diameter bullet (like the 9mm), and I am carrying it right now. I carry either the .357 Sig. or .40 S&W the majority of the time. I have heard too many horror stories of people firing full magazines of Hollow-point ammunition at BGs and them still continue their assault. There is not enough shock to the system to stop them, or at least make them think of something else (like dying). The truth is no Handgun cartridge is great for SD (except your big revolver cartridges), but I would rather have the .45 on my side than the 9mm Luger. It makes me proud someone is finally looking out for our Marines.
 
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CCinMaine

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Sexy...its a good thing lusting after guns isn't cheating or else my girl would have already killed me. Haha. (Instead she just thinks I'm crazy). Haha.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
 

KYGlockster

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Sexy...its a good thing lusting after guns isn't cheating or else my girl would have already killed me. Haha. (Instead she just thinks I'm crazy). Haha.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

Haha. My G/F says all the time she thinks I care more about my guns than I do her! Somedays she might be right!
 

hjmoosejaw

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Sexy...its a good thing lusting after guns isn't cheating or else my girl would have already killed me. Haha. (Instead she just thinks I'm crazy). Haha.

Haha. My G/F says all the time she thinks I care more about my guns than I do her! Somedays she might be right!



I know what you guys mean. I've thought of getting something a little smaller than my Sig P226 for when I want to CC rather than OC. I'm up in the air, between the Taurus 24/7 G2 compact or the M&P Shield. Then I get a little bit of a feeling of infidelity. It would be like one is the wife and one is the mistress. LOL!
 

WalkingWolf

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I have always wondered if the military keeps any stats or data on usage of handguns in combat ?

A few of my friends who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan have said they have never seen or heard of anyone using their handgun in those conflicts except for maybe special forces or CIA guys.

I would love to hear how many, if any, enemy have been killed by American handgun fire.

Handguns WW1 and WW2 and many conflicts there after were not issued. But then the reliability of the rifles were very high. Many soldiers carried personal firearms, but that is no longer allowed. I believe pilots were the most common soldiers to be issued handguns.
 

Wolfstanus

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There are plenty of stories of soldiers using their sidearms in every war/ conflict we have had to justify giving the a sidearm. Complaints from soldiers also helps in getting firearms changed. Also the m9 was kind of a political handgun. 45 is Actualy better than a 9mm and it's has been proven in the current war/conflict. You hear of stories of soldiers shooting at a enemy to find out your ammunition is not strong enough to take them down. Or of stories of them having to switch to a sidearm because of tight spaces. Or of main weapon malfunctions. The m9 and the 9mm round it fires has had a lot of complaintS in its 30 plus years of service.
 

j4l

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Relative to todays designs, yes it is. It's an older design, which as others have said elsewhere is from a time when labor and materials were cheap, and technology was expensive.

No one will argue it can be used effectively, especially where FMJ use is required, but there is no getting around it being an expensive design to get right.

2 things to keep in mind, with GSA/DoD procurement contracts like this-
1) they are almost always inflated somewhat above the equal item on the civi market- (part of the sweeten the pot bit, for the contractor)
2) they include large amounts of spare everything (barrels, slides, frames, trigger groups, magazines, etc.) rather than just a price-per-gun package.

Most of you would crap yourselves to see what the DoD pays for the M4 lol. you could buy a Caddlilac for what one M4 costs. lol.

Expect more to come - Army/Navy, before long. They've already spec'd the next U.S.-issue pistol's min. requirement be a .45 or greater caliber.
Army's been throwing fits for something OTHER THAN 9mm for decades, but hasnt been able to due to politics and budgets...
 
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