MY 1911 Story...

[OLDGUY79]

My very first introduction to a 1911 happened while I was stationed at Fr. Wainwright AK back in 66-67. I was a Nike Hercules Radar and Computer repairman assigned to the 166 Ordinance company.
One day the First Sargent walked up to me and asked me if I wanted to be a PAYROLL GUARD!
Back in those days we were paid in cash every month.
When I say "SURE" he told me I had to QUALIFY with the .45 before becoming a guard.
On qualification day, there was four of us qualifying. We had two 1911's, one was the CO's gun and the other was the XO's gun. Both were undoubtedly two of the first ones made!!
The barrel bushings of both guns were about as sloppy as it gets. So, the initial familiarization gave each of us three or four rounds to fire at a man sized target.
Of ALL THE ROUNDS FIRED, ONLY ONE HIT WAS REGISTERED, AND THAT JUST NICKED THE SHOULDER!!!
Before the actual qualification, we got some pointers of shooting that fine piece of machinery.
In the end, I did qualify MARKSMAN. To me, that sucked because I was an EXPERT with the M14 and felt that MARKSMAN was a sucky qualification.
Fast forward about 60 years and that MARKSMAN qualification has been sticking in my craw for a long time!
In great, " I've got to put this to rest" fashion, I bought a Tisas 1911, the USARMY version. I LOVE THAT GUN!!! And I have hit every target that I shoot at with it! So...it wasn't ME, it was those OLD 1919"s!!
That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

 

[Paul B]

My first serious handgun was an Ithaca 1911A1 that had better days. Serial number put it at around 1943 and based on condition, I bet it'd seen some serious duty overseas. Always sorry I ever sold that one.
However, my history with qualifying in the military was with an M-2 Carbine We had to shoot a ten shot group from prone IIRC, and I'd run about three shots when the gun lost the extractor. They handed me another carbine and set the sights at what they called a "mechanical zero." Torqued the hell out of my jaws and carbine #1 had put three shots almost touching and carbine #2 scattered shots all over the paper, some not even hitting the paper. There was only eight holes in the target when all was said and done. That was in basic at Lackland. The only other times I was officially allowed to fire my weapon was once at Nellis AFB and once while at OSAN AFB. So that was 13 rounds at Lackland, ten at Nellis and ten at OSAN. I got to "officially shoot 33 rounds during a four year enlistment. What fun. Unofficially is another story. Loved TDYs at Koon-ni gunnery range Korea. EOD used to give us carbine ammo to play with and play we did. That's also when I learned full auto may be fun but.
Paul B.

 

[Jeepnik]

I got to Lackland after the M16 was adopted. But weapons training wasn't much better. I do recall we had to shoot from prone, sitting, kneeling and standing. But prior to "qualifying" instruction was piss poor.

Only case they forced me to shoot right handed. As they did with all southpaws.

 

[OLDGUY79]

I got to Lackland after the M16 was adopted. But weapons training wasn't much better. I do recall we had to shoot from prone, sitting, kneeling and standing. But prior to "qualifying" instruction was piss poor.

Only case they forced me to shoot right handed. As they did with all southpaws.

Great Story Paul

I got to Lackland after the M16 was adopted. But weapons training wasn't much better. I do recall we had to shoot from prone, sitting, kneeling and standing. But prior to "qualifying" instruction was piss poor.

Only case they forced me to shoot right handed. As they did with all southpaws.

I really liked the M14 better than the M16 which I had to qualify with also, in a second enlistment. During that time in the reserves, I was a range NCOIC and had to inspect the pop up target before every range session (daily). That dang M16 made such small holes, that at the longer range (350 yards or meters) I doubt that it had enough ompf to knock over the target!!
But I love shooting mine today!

 

[XUSNORDIE]

assigned to the 166 Ordinance company

Ughhhhh. I felt another disturbance in the Ordie Force.....it's O-R-D-N-A-N-C-E !!! ;)

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I went through SAMI (Small Arms Marksmanship Instructor School) in the late 80's. The 1911's were REALLY old then lol. Guys failed out during live fire. Always blamed the weapon. The Course Instructor's would use that as a training moment telling us to remember the attitudes of those that failed to pass the school. That we would come across it many times, everyone who fails will blame the weapon. That certainly came true when I went back to my Command as a fresh Instructor and as Jr Instructor would be assigned to "remedial shooters". "When the M9 was being implemented it got worse. "These old things can't shoot, if I had a new M9 I'd have all bulls".....Nothing gave us more pleasure than to stand next to them, use the very same 1911 they blamed and put a magazine full of lead through the 25yd bull (Marksmanship COF), or COM on a 15yd standard B17 Silhouette (Watch Stander COF). Rarely was it found to be the 1911's fault. Some that were nearing time to send back to CRANE for rebuild would have disconnectors break. But it was rare. Even the worst looking 1911's shot very well. We also had to fire M39's and M15's....but nobody really complained because pistol phase of SAMI you only had to pass with the 1911. The others were just fam fire. You fired 1000's of rounds in SAMI. Plus you had to have already had a Marksmanship ribbon/medal to be selected....it's beyond me how some failed out in live fire.

Same for the guys who failed out in rifle phase of SAMI. You had to pass with the M14.....that was harder for many than the M16. So they blamed the rifle. Even if they shot poorly with the M16 in fam fire they blamed the rifle "If I had the new M16A2 that the Marines have I would have scored higher" :rolleyes:

What it really boiled down to was their attitudes, thinking they knew it all, and not paying attention in class. Makes you wonder how they showed up with a Expert Ribbon, but couldn't pass the Instructor Course :unsure:......some SAMI's were unethical and I'm sure earned some beer money fudging scores.....

 

[Jeepnik]

Ordie, sure hope you weren't like the instructor I had in BMT. The fool insisted that I shoot the course right handed even though I told him I shot southpaw. Basically, when he ask if there were any left handed shooters he ask me which hand I wrote with. Since it was my right hand he told me to shoot right. Even at 18 I had probably been shooting longer than this "expert". Later I realized the "instructor" was just a lazy SOB.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

We determined strong hand by a eye dominance test. Some COF required using both hands. We qualed with both hands in SAMI School. Shooting an entire COF weak hand really made you concentrate on the basics of marksmanship, and humbled you a bit.

Today, during the Navy basic marksmanship COF you switch hands/grip by command during the COF.

 

[RockyD83]

I hate to say, I am late to the 1911 party. About 35 years ago, I was doing some dozer work for a guy. He asked me if I wanted to do some shooting. I said absolutely, I am always ready for that. I had a .357 with me and he had a 1911. He handed me his 1911 and I touched off the first round. The slide sliced my hand good. I handed it back and said no thank you. A few years ago, I saw a SR 1911 10mm, and that has been my favorite handgun caliber for 30 years. I had to have it, and took it home. I held it and racked the slide, I realized that this had an extended beaver tail and wouldn't bite. I took it to the range and touched off the first round with great apprehension. No slide bite! I was in love! The only problem was cost to shoot and loss of precision 10mm brass. I bought the SR 1911 9mm both are the target models. The 9mm is only a month old and has 450 rounds through it. I guess I am now an honest 1911 lover.

 

[GunnyGene]

I hate to say, I am late to the 1911 party. About 35 years ago, I was doing some dozer work for a guy. He asked me if I wanted to do some shooting. I said absolutely, I am always ready for that. I had a .357 with me and he had a 1911. He handed me his 1911 and I touched off the first round. The slide sliced my hand good. I handed it back and said no thank you. A few years ago, I saw a SR 1911 10mm, and that has been my favorite handgun caliber for 30 years. I had to have it, and took it home. I held it and racked the slide, I realized that this had an extended beaver tail and wouldn't bite. I took it to the range and touched off the first round with great apprehension. No slide bite! I was in love! The only problem was cost to shoot and loss of precision 10mm brass. I bought the SR 1911 9mm both are the target models. The 9mm is only a month old and has 450 rounds through it. I guess I am now an honest 1911 lover.

Good start. Now when are going to get a real 1911 (.45acp), the way JMB designed them. ;)

 

[RockyD83]

Good start. Now when are going to get a real 1911 (.45acp), the way JMB designed them. ;)

While going through a bucket of brass that I have this weekend, I realized I have 2 coffee cans worth 45ACP brass, and only have a conversion cylinder for a Blackhawk. I actually gave it some though, maybe in 2026.

 

[GunnyGene]

While going through a bucket of brass that I have this weekend, I realized I have 2 coffee cans worth 45ACP brass, and only have a conversion cylinder for a Blackhawk. I actually gave it some though, maybe in 2026.

I have a handful of .45's, Colt, Tisas, Springfield, Ruger, and even a Glock. They're all pretty decent shooters, tho a couple are prettier (and more expensive) than the others. ;)

 

[wproct]

I have an odd relationship with the 1911 pistol. In my 60 years of shooting I've always had at least one. I just love about everything about them, the way they look, shoot, and the fact that there is such an array of after market goodies that you can really make it your own. Having said all of that, I seldom shoot them due to the fact that almost all of my shooting is casual plinking and target shooting and my .22 semi-autos and revolvers will provide the same entertainment for a lot less expense in ammo. Like I say, I love them but not really sure why.

 

[Tensaw]

My introduction to the 1911 was Coast Guard bootcamp. I shot expert with a couple of other guys. i asked the instructor would we get a certificate. His response was. "Yea, yea, chow time". I never got a certificate and it was never listed on my DD-214. Now I really enjoy shooting my Dan Wesson 1911.

 

[neilin]

My very first introduction to a 1911 happened while I was stationed at Fr. Wainwright AK back in 66-67. I was a Nike Hercules Radar and Computer repairman assigned to the 166 Ordinance company.
One day the First Sargent walked up to me and asked me if I wanted to be a PAYROLL GUARD!
Back in those days we were paid in cash every month.
When I say "SURE" he told me I had to QUALIFY with the .45 before becoming a guard.
On qualification day, there was four of us qualifying. We had two 1911's, one was the CO's gun and the other was the XO's gun. Both were undoubtedly two of the first ones made!!
The barrel bushings of both guns were about as sloppy as it gets. So, the initial familiarization gave each of us three or four rounds to fire at a man sized target.
Of ALL THE ROUNDS FIRED, ONLY ONE HIT WAS REGISTERED, AND THAT JUST NICKED THE SHOULDER!!!
Before the actual qualification, we got some pointers of shooting that fine piece of machinery.
In the end, I did qualify MARKSMAN. To me, that sucked because I was an EXPERT with the M14 and felt that MARKSMAN was a sucky qualification.
Fast forward about 60 years and that MARKSMAN qualification has been sticking in my craw for a long time!
In great, " I've got to put this to rest" fashion, I bought a Tisas 1911, the USARMY version. I LOVE THAT GUN!!! And I have hit every target that I shoot at with it! So...it wasn't ME, it was those OLD 1919"s!!
That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I wonder if all the target practice you have done, since, for 50 or so years, has maybe helped? Maybe?

 

[neilin]

I have an odd relationship with the 1911 pistol. In my 60 years of shooting I've always had at least one. I just love about everything about them, the way they look, shoot, and the fact that there is such an array of after market goodies that you can really make it your own. Having said all of that, I seldom shoot them due to the fact that almost all of my shooting is casual plinking and target shooting and my .22 semi-autos and revolvers will provide the same entertainment for a lot less expense in ammo. Like I say, I love them but not really sure why.

It is easy to go back to a 1911 and still be able to hit with it. Seems the training never completely leaves you.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

My introduction to the 1911 was Coast Guard bootcamp. I shot expert with a couple of other guys. i asked the instructor would we get a certificate. His response was. "Yea, yea, chow time". I never got a certificate and it was never listed on my DD-214. Now I really enjoy shooting my Dan Wesson 1911.

For expert you should have received a ribbon and a medal. USCG ribbons were similar to Navy just different color stripes (Navy-Green/USCG-White).

We didn't get to fire the marksmanship COF in boot camp, just watch stander qualification. EASY PEASY. But no ribbons/medal for that. We first used the Colt ACE and then the 45.

Funny memory.....our Company Commanders lined us up against the wall on the range, standing at attention facing the bench waiting for the SAMIs to come in. One of my Company Commanders walked up to the bench, picked up a pistol and stated messing with it.....then the booming voice of one of the SAMIs "PUT MY WEAPON DOWN AND MOVE AWAY FROM MY BENCH NOW!" he did so quickly and we didn't see him again until it was time to march from the range building back to the barracks....it was weird observing our Company Commander getting screamed at the way he screamed at us.....the SAMI's tore him up. Several years later while I was attending SAMI School I brought that up during "positionary authority" class. The instructors got a kick out of it and said they were going to use it as an example going forward.

 

[jmca]

My introduction to the 1911 was Coast Guard bootcamp. I shot expert with a couple of other guys. i asked the instructor would we get a certificate. His response was. "Yea, yea, chow time". I never got a certificate and it was never listed on my DD-214. Now I really enjoy shooting my Dan Wesson 1911.

Odd, because we got it put in our service record so we could wear the Marksman ribbon with the "E" in the center

 

[Jeepnik]

If I recall correctly, you couldn't even "qualify" expert in basic. It wouldn't have matter to me, as I "qualified", but shooting right handed it wasn't "expert". I did get my expert ribbon a couple of months later at my first duty station. And a month or so later the little bronze star denoting qualification with both pistol and rifle as expert. That and 7 bucks will get you a coffee at Starbucks.

I will say this. A few years later I wanted to get a concealed carry permit. I got it from a county up north. The officer I dealt with asked about military service, looked at my DD214 and seeing that ribbon listed said I was good to go. So I guess it was worth something.

 

[jmca]

In the Coast Guard, you could! Because chances are a large number of the recruits will never handle a weapon again. Either way, I got mine in Boot Camp.

 

[Yaworski]

My first shooting a 1911 was with a Norinco 1911A1. My first contact with the 1911A1 was when I was as a Midshipman on the USS Seattle. I had to do a rotation in the armory and the Gunner's Mate taught me to detail strip the 1911A1. After that, I field stripped every 1911A1 in the armory and cleaned it.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

In the late 80's about the only commands bringing 1911's to the range were Navy. Every Air Force command had SW MOD 15 revolvers. I never saw any Air Force with 1911s. Marines had 1911's. Army had a mix of 1911s and the "new" M9s. During the Desert Shield build up we were pushing all kinds of commands through non stop. By then, branches were using mostly the M9....except the Navy. Every Navy command still had the 1911 aside from Aviation that had SW MOD 39 or MOD 36, and NSW commands that had a mix of everything. USCG came through now and then, but I can't recall what they had.
I transitioned through two more commands before my Navy days were ended medically...both of those still issued 1911s. One of the commands was brand new. I was a SAMI/RSO onboard CVN73, and a plank owner. We had no M9s in the Armory. My last command was not an instructor billet. TAD to Base Security. 1911's were still issued.

The Navy is slow to transition. Even with commands that forward deploy. My Son has been in almost 3yrs. Until a few months before he left for Boot Camp the M9 was still being used in weapons week at basic as it was still issued in the fleet. He trained heavily on the M9, only for them to finally switch to the M18 just before leaving for Boot :rolleyes:. He graduates 06FEB26 from his "A" School in Cali and will be attending ECS Expeditionary Combat School in MS. He has several buddy's from Boot Camp and his last command that already attended....and for pistols they trained/qualed on both M18 and M9 since some Battalions are still issuing M9s.

My Son is very proficient with service pistols. I own several 1911s one being as close as you can get to service issue, a M9 (not 92FS/not that it matters) and a M18 (not P320/again not that it matters much).

His favorite is the 1911 and he shoots that pistol much better than the M18 and M9. In fact, he's home for Christmas now. Yesterday he was in the gun room showing his Golf Foxtrot (Girlfriend) the 1911, M9, and M18. I know this because 1. empty soda can was left on my bench and 2. I got a camera motion alert ;). I opened the camera app and heard him tell her "I wish they still gave us this" as he was holding the 1911. Proud Dad moment for sure....

 

[ex13F]

After 50 years shooting 1911's I have way too many stories but I will reference a story of when an old friend of mine's son was real small he couldn't pronounce the word "favorite" so when asked if he liked chocolate ice cream he would answer with "That's my best kind". So as far as the 1911 goes I will simply say "That's my best kind."

 

[Jeepnik]

In the early 70's The USAF had both revolvers (mostly Smith's of several different models) and 1911's.

 

[wproct]

My favorite 1911 story. Back in 1966 I worked as a department mgr at a Montgomery Ward store, paint and sporting goods. There was an older fellow, probably 60 something, who had the plumbing and heating department. We got to talking about guns and he told me that as a young man he was in the Navy, military police, and they were on ship. He said there was a movie on that night that he wanted to see but he was on watch detail that night. So one of his shipmates that wasn't in military police told him he would stand watch in his place, I mean how difficult could it be? So my friend gave the guy his .45 auto pistol and holster and my friend went to the movie on ship. He said everything was fine until he heard a gun shot. He ignored it and then he hears another gun shot. And finally after the third gun shot my friend decided he better check it out so he goes up on deck to see what was going on. There stood his shipmate holding the 45 auto pistol. My friend asked what the heck was going on and the ship mate told him that he cocked the pistol and didn't no how to de-cock it, so he fired a round and guess what, it was cocked again, so he touches off another round and so on. I thought that was funny.

 

[Joe Reilly]

My favorite 1911 story. Back in 1966 I worked as a department mgr at a Montgomery Ward store, paint and sporting goods. There was an older fellow, probably 60 something, who had the plumbing and heating department. We got to talking about guns and he told me that as a young man he was in the Navy, military police, and they were on ship. He said there was a movie on that night that he wanted to see but he was on watch detail that night. So one of his shipmates that wasn't in military police told him he would stand watch in his place, I mean how difficult could it be? So my friend gave the guy his .45 auto pistol and holster and my friend went to the movie on ship. He said everything was fine until he heard a gun shot. He ignored it and then he hears another gun shot. And finally after the third gun shot my friend decided he better check it out so he goes up on deck to see what was going on. There stood his shipmate holding the 45 auto pistol. My friend asked what the heck was going on and the ship mate told him that he cocked the pistol and didn't no how to de-cock it, so he fired a round and guess what, it was cocked again, so he touches off another round and so on. I thought that was funny.

So, what was the movie?

 

[Justice B. Swift]

Over the years I've owned and shot a fair number of 1911's. Most were series 70 Colts or variants there of, and all had been 45ACP. In the 80 I shot a 38 Super, and then spent a bit of cash to "accurize" another of my 45's. None stood out to me as Special. I reloaded for all of them and had fun, but nothing heartwarming about them. Recently I have purchased a Ruger lightweight 45ACP and a Springfield Ronin in 10mm Auto and am enjoying both after having vacated the 1911 for a few years. Then something happened that changed things a bit. Several years ago my father passed away. He owned an Ithica service pistol in standard G.I. issue format. It was a WWII issue gun with Parkerized finish and everything about it was old school and "as issued" to G.I.'s of the day. It was gifted to me by my step mother. When I took it to the range to give it a whirl it was just an awesome experience. The old girl shot far better groups than it had any reason to shoot and my handloads of years gone by where hitting point of aim as if formulated specifically for that gun. I tried some factory 230gr. hardball with the same result. The G.I. spec. pistol just wanted to play well, and play we did. My father always said he loved that 1911 and wouldn't part with it. He never did. It was with him to the end. Now I see why he loved it, and I love it too. Because of this good old war horse I now shoot 1911 platform guns much more often than I had in many years. I think of my father every time I take it to the range. My adult Son also has a 10mm 1911 (Kimber) and he and I share pistols while at the range. I've noticed that he has a fondness for his Grandpa's 1911 also. Seems as if that 'ol pistol just wants to "play well with others." After many years away, I'm back in the 1911 game and couldn't be happier.