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Old December 16, 2008, 11:14 PM   #1
Don Gwinn
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Join Date: March 9, 2000
Location: Virden, IL
Posts: 5,917
Surplus 1911's for Indiana Deputies--Am I the Only One Who Thought That Was Cool?

I noticed the other day that there's no thread in here on the article about Sheriff Ken Campbell's solution to the expense of issuing quality 1911-style pistols. His Sheriff's Office is getting surplus 1911's (many WWII vintage--many of them would be expensive collectors' pieces if they were transferable) and having them lightly gunsmithed--better sights, a couple of upgrades and some refinishing, and they have excellent fighting handguns for a lot less than even the "inexpensive" new 1911 clones. I thought that was a fantastic idea. I know people have reservations about military equipment going to sheriffs and city police departments, and I have to admit, when the Sheriff speaks proudly of his department's surplus APC, I roll my eyes a little. But when the military has equipment that's clearly necessary for police officers--such as defensive handguns--that they're never going to use for any purpose, common sense should take over.

The Sheriff mentioned feeling conflicted about "ruining" these guns by having them customized when many would have been highly collectible, and I understand. It's not as if Singer or Union are going to be making any more of these pistols. But on the other hand, the U.S. Government wasn't going to sell them to collectors either way (more's the pity.) If the alternative is to leave these old warhorses packed away in some government warehouse next to the Ark of the Covenant until the building crumbles around them in 3008, the idea of giving them new life and letting them continue to serve their purpose looks pretty good.

Cool idea, cool article.
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