Happy birthday, 1911.

[USMCGrunt]

On this day in 1911, Saint John Moses Browning‘s patent 894,519 was approved by the US patent office and the gold standard in fighting handguns was born. . Who else here is a fan of “Old Slabsides”?

 

[svnmag]

Me.

I know hindsight is 20/20. He should've known to include the "enhanced beaver tail": The rest of the shit is academic.

That is all.

 

[svnmag]

 

[USMCGrunt]

My time in the Corps was during the transition time to the M9. Fired the 1911 in boot camp then went through the Marine Corps security forces school with the M9. Got to Naples, Italy for barracks duty and the first few months it was back to the old .45. It was a sad day when we came off post and handed in our old 1911s for the last time. Yeah, the old .45s were well worn (last government purchase was in 1945 and they were being rebuilt ever since), the sights weren’t fast to use and not being drop-safe, we had to carry them with an empty chamber. But, I always felt more comfortable with that big heavy piece of steel with those big fat .45 cartridges than I ever did with the Eurotrash M9 and it’s 9mm FMJ ammo.

 

[svnmag]

It used to piss off the other services; all the time, we carried our M-9's "hot". It's logically not different than a full cylinder revolver. We transitioned from the SW M15 Combat Masterpiece to the M9. When I say "hot": I mean "hot": Rd in the chamber--off "SAFE" "My" M9 at Minot was 1029799. Armory #74. Took it to Iraq.

That is all.

 

[USMCGrunt]

It used to piss off the other services; all the time, we carried our M-9's "hot". It's logically not different than a full cylinder revolver. We transitioned from the SW M15 Combat Masterpiece to the M9. When I say "hot": I mean "hot": Rd in the chamber--off "SAFE" "My" M9 at Minot was 1029799. Armory #74. Took it to Iraq.

That is all.

Yeah, the army has some strange carry conditions. My last gig was at the CATM shop at Ellsworth and we had some army (might have been guard) NBC troops borrow our range to qualify on the M9 for deployment. As I recall, they were still carrying the M9 with an empty chamber like we carried the 1911. Then again, in the Marines, we carried the M9 different as well. They gave you the “loading mag” at the clearing barrel, send the slide forward to chamber a round, hand that mag back, put in a full 15 round mag for a 15+1 load and the decocking lever was left in the decock position so you had to flip it back up during the draw.

 

[Zogman]

Thank you both for your service.

 

[Jiffy]

Only a Marine that has been through security force battalion during that specific time period would know such intricacies.

Welcome aboard! I now know you’re real or have put some real thought into lying.

Was on the Vinson for a short period and then transferred to the Lincoln since they needed bodies for deployment.

I did a west pac on the Lincoln back in ‘93


View attachment IMG_7054.jpeg

Many, many, many Marines, myself included shot the M9 WAY better. I can admit it.

 

[Jiffy]

Svn I know the Air Force try’s to play, but condition 2 is/was pretty much universally used (PRETTY MUCH…I say again) though out the military.

Why in the HELL would they allow the safety off!! Again, just curious

 

[Jiffy]

Not that it matters but…you got me reminiscing. Damn I feel old.

I’m squad leader, first squad. Far left and in the front, of course.

This was a picture from our “Sunset Review” we did for a bunch of dignitaries in Hong Kong. We didn’t JUST perform VBSS, we cleaned up well too for a bunch of glorified grunts.

View attachment IMG_7055.jpeg

Actually that particular picture may have be
been taken in either Seattle or Alameda now that I’m thinking about it. Anyway….it was our ship’s drill team and I was honored to be part of it

 

[USMCGrunt]

Svn I know the Air Force try’s to play, but condition 2 is/was pretty much universally used (PRETTY MUCH…I say again) though out the military.

Why in the HELL would they allow the safety off!! Again, just curious

Well, with the M9 or other DA/SA handguns, it’s the long, heavy DA trigger pull that functions as the safety, much like a revolver. I know I had to train plenty of OSI agents on the M11 (military designation for the Sig P228) where the decocking lever automatically pops back up with no option to leave the decocking lever down like you could do with the Beretta. Honestly, I preferred the Air Force’s manual of arms as there was no juggling around magazines at the loading barrel for that 1 extra round and leaving the decocking lever down on the M9 just never made sense to me.

 

[Jiffy]

It double action, you can. . IDK

Who know why, so much shit never made “sense”

It’s just hard to believe any military unit SOP being “Safety off”

 

[Slappy]

Love the 1911 and the M9 / 92FS.

Long slide 1911 variants are fun.

 

[Maddog]

Thank you both for your service.

x2

 

[Jiffy]

Love the 1911 and the M9 / 92FS.

Long slide 1911 variants are fun.

Had a Springfield Armory long slide with target sights at one point.

I’d love that one back!