Quote:
On another note. A lot of SOCOM ops are carrying an HK USP45, Springfield XD 45 Tactical, or Beretta M9A1. I have NEVER seen a classic Colt 1911 style sidearm in combat. Put a can on the barrrel of a 1911 and you'd be carrying around enough hardware to beat them to death.
I'll give you a little excercise to try ....
Try flicking your wrist from side to side while holding your 1911! You feel that weight and over travel? That's a NO GO.
It's all about high speed ... low drag
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Well, let's do a little comparison shall we.
A standard Beretta 92FS weighs 33.3 oz unloaded while a standard all-steel 1911 (we'll use a S&W 1911 as an example) weighs 39.5 oz unloaded. That's a difference of only 6.2 oz.
http://www.beretta.com/Defence-Pisto...&id=795&foto=1
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/w...layErrorView_Y
However, for the sake of fairness, let's compare the loaded weight of the two guns. The standard M855 9mm cartridge weighs 179grn which is approximately 0.41 oz. If we assume that the Beretta is loaded to full capacity (15+1) then the total weight of the ammunition will be approximately 6.56 oz.
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_firearms_ammo_9mm.php
The standard M1911 .45 ACP cartridge, on the other hand, weighs 331grn which is approximately 0.76 oz. Assuming that the 1911 is using 8 round magazines and is fully loaded (8+1) the ammunition will weigh 6.84oz
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_firearms_ammo_45acp.php
This means that fully loaded, a 1911 will weigh only 6.48oz more than a fully loaded Beretta M9.
Also, when kicking in the doors of "Hajis" or whomever, a heavy pistol that can make a good impact weapon if necessary doesn't seem like such a bad thing. Also, when your heart rate is racing, a lightweight pistol would seem more likely to exacerbate hand shaking than a heavier one. One of the reasons that I prefer a full 5" barrel Government Model over a shorter 4.25" Commander or 3" Officer's Model is that the extra weight up front seems to help the pistol "settle" on target and also makes it balance slightly better.
Also, I am unaware of any U.S. Military Personnel being issued either Springfield Armory XD 45's or HK USP 45's. I do know that the HK Mark 23 SOCOM is used on an extremely limited basis, that all branches have procured the Sig M11 (military version of the P228), and that the U.S. Army did order a fair number of Ruger P95's. Do you happen to have any links detailing the use of the Springfield Armory XD or HK USP by the military? Here are a few regarding the Ruger P95, HK Mark 23, and Sig P228/M11.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_n11851451/
http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg12-e.htm
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_f...pistol_m11.php
Also, the Marines do indeed still use 1911's although in limited numbers. Specifically, the M-45 MEU(SOC) handgun is the standard issue for the USMC Expeditionary Units' Force Recon Elements.
http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/history/meu_1911.htm
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...g=content;col1