Posted: 7/28/2005 6:12:25 AM EDT
| Can anyone tell me what make and model 45 was used in the Marine Corps during Viet Nam. I would like to get one that closely resembles the one I had. |
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I'd imagine that you carried a 1911A1 Depending on when you served, your sidearm was most likely an arsenal rebuild. And the later your service, the more likely the case. I don't believe, at that time, the govt. had purchased any new 1911's since the end of WWII. Much like todays MEUSOC 1911, the one you carried was probably a mutt. Maybe a Colt slide on an Ithaca frame with whoever else's internal parts. |
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The 1911A1 was last purchased by the military in 1945. What was carried in Nam was probably a parkerized 1911A1. While many were rebuilt, possibly several times, or had slides "mixed and matched" either by GIs or arms rooms, a lot were still unrebuilt, original, or just had stuff like BBLs, sears, and the like replaced. Since the WW2 .45 ammo was corrosive many BBLs were in poor shape and replaced, some with chromed bore replacement one's. My Rem Rand in the 80s was not arsenel rebuilt, but it was pretty worn, however it never jammed or failed to fire either. There was NO finish left tho, and it was pretty much patined brown over the vast majority of it. Expect to pay a reasonably stiff price for a decent one that is all correct, you can get a "shooter" for less but it seems as if every one out there it going to be "original" if you listen to the seller. I have 4 originals and I consider myself reasonably lucky to have found those at an affordable price. My mutt is a US&S frame and a RR slide, and is actually reasonably tight, and a pretty decent shooter cept for the crappy GI trigger of about 8 pounds. Expect to pay 5 to 800 depending on area for a mutt, and well over a grand for a respectable matched SN# frame and correct slide. And it goes up steeply from there. The ones you should look for are Remington Rand, Colt, Ithica, Union Switch and Signal [55,000 made and is reasonably hard to find any more] The rarer ones are Singer, [If you find one and can afford it buy it] North American Arms, Springfield Armory, and Remington. Some of these will be 1911s or transitional models. Be very careful if you want a high end one, there are a lot of scammers trying to sell put togethers for lots of dough that are fakes. You HAVE to have a list of SN#s of the makers and the correct things to look for. Colt SN# the frame and slide [under the firing pin stop]and that helps a lot] After SN# 856,000 they stopped. [1942] You need to watch out for the Inspector marks, initials and wear pattern along with the finish as helps. However Rem Rand late war pistols had unmatching frame and slide colors, the frame was a grey and the slide was the grey/green parking. If you need any help if you find one give me a holler and I will try to help you out. [BTW check shows and estate sales, and pawn shops tho here it is illegal for pawn shops to sell pistols. |
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Very good comments and advice here, but I must say that in 1985, I took an instructors class along with several US Coast Guard LEDET guys who I personally saw open and issue out several (5-6) brand new, all matching 1911A1's (all IIRC Remington Rand) and many new magazines along, od=f course, with cases of GI 'ball. That was a once in a lifetime moment! (and no, none would swap me for my Beretta 92!  )
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Ikor, I just bought a 100% 1945 Rem Rand. I mean perfect in every way at a show in a little town. I doubt if it had ever been fired after factory testing. They ARE out there. I also picked up some Military Match ammo a few years ago that was from the late 60s. Looked as if it was made yesterday. Shot some and it shot VERY well indeed. This was comp ammo. [ball] |
I was given a 1911 in 1968 while in the USMC in Vietnam in exchange for an M14 because I flew as a non-crew member on KC130Fs doing flare drops. It appeared to me to be a NIB pistol. As I really wasn't much of a gun person then, I can't tell you much more about it other than I think it was a Remington Rand. If it was a rebuild then it was rebuilt to look as good as new. |