Over my years as a nationally recognized firearms & tactics instructor I’ve seen the M1911 used in countless variants.I’ve talked to old timers, gunsmiths and those who gone into harm’s way with the war horse at their side. One of my favorite bits of trivia was how a young Second Lt. Hanneken was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the 1919 Hattian Campaign. Legend has it that during this campaign he repelled advancing bandits from a distance of 100 yards with his M1911 auto pistol. His exploits would follow him through the theater of war in the Pacific along with numerous other low intensity conflicts, the whole time sporting his M1911. It is no wonder this beloved pistol continues to serve our nation. The design and engineering have produced some of the most accurate and capable pistols.
The current design we now see has one major feature that was not Browning’s idea, the grip safety. This works to create an additional level of safety by rendering the firearm inoperable if not sufficiently depressed, was Army feedback. During the initial submission the Browning designed M1911 was tortured tested to the extreme even by today’s standards with no malfunctions. Some 6,000 plus rounds fired without incident where at times the pistol was so hot that only by dunking it in a barrel of water could it be handled. When the Cavalry was done, they asked if a grip safety could be added; to which Browning agreed. These new design modifications would turn the model 1909 into the 1910. Many question the necessity for the grip safety, but due to its unique ergonomic fit it is very hard to achieve a good firing grip and not deactivate the safety.
To truly grasp the amazing designs from John Browning you have to visit the museum located in Ogden, UT. There you will find hundreds of designs and models, some that never made it into production. You can even see mock-ups of his workshop. What you might not know is the M1911 is the official firearm for the state of Utah. The Browning family designed many different firearms, but it was John Browning M1911 that was the most popular. As a result, it was adopted as the state firearm in 2011, some 100 years after being adopted by the US Army. It was chosen not only because it captured a portion of Utah’s history, but because it was a historical part of American History.
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There are so many more tidbits of trivia about the M1911. From having been in official combat service on every continent except for Antarctica to the ivory, not pearl, handled models carried by General Patton extending beyond a tool of warfare to a personal artifact. It is hard not collect a long history of stories having been in service for well over 100 years. While Browning didn’t invent the short recoil pistol, he was the first to produce a working model. It has in some way influenced just about all modern pistols currently in production. Regardless of your opinion, it is a landmark in our history as a nation. |