Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns which 1911 for a Marine?

I have a Marine buddy who would bet his life on his Colt Commaner......because he already has. He's a Marine sniper & has been in some crazy situations in Iraq & Afganistan.

Dick

Fixed it for you.

Mac--Good post.

If your son has an MOS where a handgun is issued to him at the junior enlisted ranks he will have people around him who know their way around a handgun. Many MOSs will not recieve a pistol until they are SNCO, and that is usually during a second or even third enlistment. As good as a Gunsite visit could be, there is a decent chance that he may go to one of these schools with his unit. Mackay is correct about a lot of Marines being trained with a pistol with unremarkable training, but if he is in a MOS that needs it, I can bet that he will be around some fine shooters. Even a great handgun is a last resort to a just about any rifle, let alone an M4.

colt wiley capp commander

i copied your post verbatim and fired it off to a retired intelligence wonk i know. He agreed with you word for word. Course i knew he would because we have had similar conversations in the past. Thinkers are the key

thank you guys for your input. I believe in trainning too...

In Vietnam, my assigned weapons were the M-79 grenade launcher and a .45 (we all had M14's which were replaced by AR-15's shortly after our arrival in VN). Beyond qualifying, the Army gave us NO training w/ these before facing combat.

Your budget will have a say on which 1911, but a 1911 by Les Bear is never wrong if i they fit in the budget

jwp...I've no budget restraints...so to speak. Reality, may prove different as momma has a vote too.

Having traded enough PM's with Mack I can whole heartedly agree with his assessment of the situation. Most people I know, including past comrades in arms, do not have enough situational awareness to survive their first CQB engagement. Your head's gotta move like it's on a swivel and you had better be ready to be mean enough, fast enough to make it through! A good school plus a good gun would put your son light years ahead of most of his contemporaries....

Good luck!

This!

It ain't the gun it's the nut behind the trigger that matters.

Yes, I used the word "gun", pun intentional.

Biker

if the young man is insistant on a 1911 for purely sentimental reasons, any one of them will work as long as it's a true 1911 design. if it's something that will become a way to famialarize himself with service weapons, stick to things more service related.

i was issued a handgun in the army. i had lots of experience beforehand. i learned more while in. the days of "here's your pistol, go qualify" are over. you are properly trained in your weapons platform these days. as previously noted, training is *always* better than buying a certain model. especially combat oriented training.

personally, i like springfield models. always have. i avoid colt. i can't afford kimber, wilson, or higher end dan wessons. i have shot all of them though, and noticed no real difference. if anything, it's always going to shoot better than the guy pulling the trigger.

also, can we avoid the dumbass snide remarks about the boy fighting for oil? i'm grateful to have another young man interested in standing up for what he believes in, regardless of the branch. i wish him well. you gotta be a proud daddy!

I took this Springfield






And sent it to JRH Advanced Gunsmithing and had a new barrel fitted and a face lift. I am very pleased with the results. SHoots GREAT

Good Morning all,

I sure like the looks of that Wiley Clapp Colt Commander, posted above. Stick a tritium front sight on it, add stock panels to suit individual tastes and it would be G2G for me.

In regards to a .45 for the young Marine, a 5", all steel version may be better suited.

If it can be swung money wise, a Les Baer "ulimate tactical carry model", which looks to me like a Thunder Ranch model without the markings,would be perfect.

Such a .45 would be outstanding for both work and play.

On another note, I did not anticipate such a reaction to my post about suggestions for training to accompany the gift.

Funny how something we feel strongly about strikes home with so many, who may or may not even be in the same line of work.

I like to see new and bright people with potential get set on the right path. Even if they do not realize they are getting a little extra attention.

Cheers!

the wiley has a brass front sight which gives quick fast sight picture

Yep, I like the looks of the gold/brass bead for general daylight hours, but given that I may use it in a low light setting, I would just prefer a tritium post up front.

Fortunately it is an easy swap to whatever the end user wishes, so everyone should be a happy camper. Pretty slicking gun overall.

That's a good post & even better advice.

As for the gun, since a tight budget is not a constraint, I'd buy the best you want to spring for......Baer, Wilson, Ed Brown, Chuck Rodgers, Fusion.

If you go off the shelf, Colt Series 70 or Dan Wesson or one of the Kimbers w/o a FPS. (The Colt S-70 & Dan Wesson also do not have a FPS).

I'd never want a gun for true combat use with a FPS & I disable any I get that has one for my own use.

Anyone planning serious use of a 1911 needs to get minimally capable of completely stripping the gun, knowing what issues to look for & how to correct them; to bet your life on a gun & not be capable of doing that is asking for trouble & is literally taking your life in your own hands.

Not talking about completely being able to 'smith all aspects of it, just a bit more than the very basics.

Whenever I get a 1911, I do exactly as JOG has mentioned before a round is ever fired & the gun is as perfect (functionally) as it can be before it's ever fired.

JMHO

MM

I own both a Dan Wesson Valor (top end) and a Series 70 Mk IV Colt (between both ends). I would go with the Colt for your son. This photo above is a very good representation of the beauty that is a Series 70 Colt.

What about a SIG 1911?

I want to introduce you to my son, The Marine. I'm going to take him this week to mull over his choices...on 1911 and training site...