More irresponsible reporting on guns.

[Ranb]

A proper fitting 1911 is a fine accurate pistol. I was talking to the armorers at Pearl Harbor years ago and they said would occasionally clean their government model 45's by taking them apart and throwing all the parts together in a ultra sonic sink for a while then reassemble everything with no regard for which parts went to which frame. So while everything was sloppy, I was still readily able to shoot a score that qualified me as expert in the USN. They were not something I'd take to a pistol match though.

Ranb

 

[Lerxst]

I'd love to buy one. Mine is a civilian model by a different mfg.

I believe they are all pre- 1946. Not many purchased since then, they were rebuild and re-issued until the M-9 replaced them, and never were obsoleted. There is a recent new contract with slight upgrades, I think it is the M-45a2?

The design never went obsolete, I'm not sure why the Army wants to sell them off. But I've got my check book handy. But I have a hard time believing that they will ever sell a semi auto pistol to the public.

For those who don't know, the CMP is the Civilian Marksmanship Program. I think of it as the official way to supply the "well regulated (supplied) Militia" . It makes money for the government through the sale of surplus firearms. Most have been WWII era and before- like this instance. Last I heard the M-1 Garands they had were going for up to $1500 each. I suspect these pistols that cost $38 in 1944 will go for at least $500 per.

Wow I have both an M1 Garand and a Colt 1911 .45 that I inherited from my father in law. I guess I should go figure out how much they are worth.

 

[casebro]

Guns are pretty good investments. Especially a NIB never fired collectible. I found the tag for my 1911 clone, a Hardballer Long Slide, $379 in 1988. Saw one go for $1350 on Gunbroker.com last week.

 

[casebro]

re: the OP, 100,000 guns @ $500 per is umm $50 million? Not bad for surplus junk.

 

[The Fool]

WTF....if they are surplus to requirement ex army why are they not scrapped?

 

[Bikewer]

When I was in the army (60s) I was a medic and was thus issued a 1911. During the three years I was in, we had one qualification round with the pistol.
I saw a lot of bad shooting. Many of the guys complained the pistol was woefully inaccurate. The unit armorer took half a dozen from the armory at random and shot them off a rest at the standard 25-yard pistol target.
They would all stay "in the black". It wasn't the guns....

Now I had one that I picked up at a gun show that had been put together of several different weapons, and the frame had obviously been allowed to rust at some point and then cleaned up. It was.....Less than accurate.
However, it was marvelously reliable.....

There was quite a cottage industry back then, before factory-accurized models like the Gold Cup became available... In "acurizing" these pistols. Trigger jobs, new sights, Slides carefully made to eliminate play and then "lapped in" with polishing compounds and sweat.... New barrel bushings produced...
that sort of thing.
The 1911 was the weapon of choice for noted combat handgunner Jeff Cooper, but equally crusty Elmer Kieth didn't care for the things.

 

[Jrrarglblarg]

I've liked shooting various 1911 models and clones when I've had the chance at range rental counters. I've tried beaters and I've tried nearly new from the box upper midrange better ones. I can't afford the one I want so I'll just wait.

 

[Jrrarglblarg]

WTF....if they are surplus to requirement ex army why are they not scrapped?

That whole swords-to-plowshares thing? Communism. Here in the land of the free with any purchase we monetize those bad boys.

 

[The Fool]

That whole swords-to-plowshares thing? Communism. Here in the land of the free with any purchase we monetize those bad boys.

What does the US army do with its old surface to air missiles? I have a problem with flocks of noisy Parrots.

 

[Jrrarglblarg]

Sometimes they sell them to foreign nations but only of doing so does not violate other weapons transfer laws, US or international. And only if the weapon system has sufficient remaining shelf life and repair/maintenance supply chain. The US loves to saddle Developing Nations with ongoing maintenance issue systems like helicopters.

 

[BStrong]

What does the US army do with its old surface to air missiles? I have a problem with flocks of noisy Parrots.

"old" exord rarely works as intended...

 

[Information Analyst]

I imagine that they are rather worn out with a sloppy frame/slide fit. Safe to use but probably inaccurate.

The British Army binned their Browning HPs a few years back, with age/wear being the main reason, although they'd all been acquired since the late-60s.

 

[Information Analyst]

Generically, folks that aren't right with the program will call every 1911 a Colt and likewise with M16's. Every lever action they see is a "Winchester" and every bolt rifle is a "30-06" - there's a few fun internet meme's that show various firearms of different types and each firearm is described as a Glock, AK or AR.

Show most of the above types of folks a Singer 1911, a Rock-Ola M1 carbine, an International Harvester M1 Garand or a General Motors Hydramatic Division 16 and they'll flip their wig.

Amusing instance of confusion: In the 1980s, when the manufacturers of Action Man (the British version of the G.I. Joe doll) introduced their version of the L85A1 to complement the modern British soldier outfit, they accidentally based it on the legendary EM-2.

 

[Jrrarglblarg]

In the US those would be transferred from Active Duty units to Guard/Reserve units. Vietnam era rifles contribute to the AD prejudice that Nasty Girls can't shoot. I've personally shot the difference between an old barrel and a new one. Most training units have rifles that are at the worst condition allowed to chamber live ammo.

 

[casebro]

WTF....if they are surplus to requirement ex army why are they not scrapped?

Did you not read the previous post? $50 million reasons why to not scrap them. Plus, the sale would be handled through the CMP, "Civilian Marksmanship Program", a program put in place to foster gun skills in the public. Not only as a part of "the well regulated militia", but to get training for youths that might go on to become soldiers. The program has been in place for a hundred years, +/-.

 

[Ranb]

What does the US army do with its old surface to air missiles? I have a problem with flocks of noisy Parrots.

It depends on the type of weapon they are trying to get rid of. NFA firearms like machine guns get de-milled just as missiles do; they are made non functional and sold for their parts or scrapped for recycling. Other equipment (includes office equipment like desks and computers) that is not a threat to national security is disposed of by sale to the public at times. Check out http://www.dispositionservices.dla.mil/Pages/default.aspx

While some here will disagree what is a threat to public safety, this thread is about a reporter who values his opinion more than the truth.

Ranb

 

[Ranb]

The British Army binned their Browning HPs a few years back, with age/wear being the main reason, although they'd all been acquired since the late-60s.

I think the much higher pressure 9mm round might be more punishing on the HP than the old 45 ACP is to the heavier 1911. It all depends on how much they were used and what amount of degradation the military feels is acceptable.

Ranb

 

[Cleon]

WTF....if they are surplus to requirement ex army why are they not scrapped?

$$$.

Why scrap when you can sell to the civilian market? It's not just us; I often see surplus police/military firearms from Italy and Poland, among others, listed on online gun stores. (I actually got a Polish P64 that way.)

 

[BStrong]

WTF....if they are surplus to requirement ex army why are they not scrapped?

Because in the general American view of the subject (pre-1960's) it was considered a good idea to sell civilians basic military firearms that weren't restricted by the NFA but were surplus to the needs of the military. Lot's of 1898 Krag rifles, 1903 Springfields, M1 Garands and M1 carbines were sold through the old DCM (Director of Civilian Marksmanship) and the later CMP (Civilian Marksmanship Program)

Under Clinton the military started destroying all sorts of non-NFA surplus weapons and ammunition rather than allowing it to be sold, leading to some heated battles in Congress, including some Dems that objected to destroying items that would not have a potential criminal use but were valuable to collectors that would be happy to pay a premium to acquire.

This nonsense about surplus 1911's is nothing more than partisan politics with the usual suspects P. & Ming that folks have the right to own and possess firearms.

 

[BStrong]

Amusing instance of confusion: In the 1980s, when the manufacturers of Action Man (the British version of the G.I. Joe doll) introduced their version of the L85A1 to complement the modern British soldier outfit, they accidentally based it on the legendary EM-2.

Doesn't surprise me a bit, but I'd be willing to bet that an old EM-2 might work better in the real world than the early L85 - I haven't heard one good thing about the L85 from anyone who's carried it.