# much ado about nothing



## Clay (Jun 13, 2012)

hello
I purchased a new M and P 9c the other day, cant wait to shoot it, it feels great and I have read good things about it. I have a question that has nothing to do about anything but
I was talking to my dad the other day. He was an MP in the Korea war. I asked him what side arm he carried and he really didnt remember. He remembers it was a 45 caliper but thinks it was a colt but he is not sure. Could he have been carying a M and P hand gun? would all the servicemen carry the same pistol, or does it vary depending on job, or rank, or preference etc
Thanks
Clay


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## chessail77 (Mar 15, 2011)

Most likely it was a 1911 .45 cal made by Colt......JJ


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

Clay said:


> hello
> I purchased a new M and P 9c the other day, cant wait to shoot it, it feels great and I have read good things about it. I have a question that has nothing to do about anything but
> I was talking to my dad the other day. He was an MP in the Korea war. I asked him what side arm he carried and he really didnt remember. He remembers it was a 45 caliper but thinks it was a colt but he is not sure. Could he have been carying a M and P hand gun? would all the servicemen carry the same pistol, or does it vary depending on job, or rank, or preference etc
> Thanks
> Clay


The standard issue sidearm of the US forces from 1911 to 1985 was the M1911, Colt was the primary manufacturer although there were a couple others during war time (WWI and WWIII) if it was a semi-automatic, it was probably a Colt as that fits his recollection, but then again I've heard some old timers refer to any 1911 as a Colt when they weren't.

There were some revolvers scattered about the US Military during that time, there were Colt and S&W revolvers chambered in .45ACP, and some .38 models here and there, but as an MP, I'd wager it was a 1911 of some sort.


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## Clay (Jun 13, 2012)

VAMarine said:


> The standard issue sidearm of the US forces from 1911 to 1985 was the M1911, Colt was the primary manufacturer although there were a couple others during war time (WWI and WWIII) if it was a semi-automatic, it was probably a Colt as that fits his recollection, but then again I've heard some old timers refer to any 1911 as a Colt when they weren't.
> 
> There were some revolvers scattered about the US Military during that time, there were Colt and S&W revolvers chambered in .45ACP, and some .38 models here and there, but as an MP, I'd wager it was a 1911 of some sort.


thanks


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## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

By the time of Korea, it had been awhile since any new .45s had been made. Most of the M1911A1s I saw were a mix of parts. There were many made by Remington Rand, a few by Springfield Armory (The real Springfield Armory in Massachusetts) Union Switch & Signal as well as by Colt. Officers usually glomped on the better guns regardless of manufacture. Having a Colt made pistol was desirable, but not always possible.

I did see a few M1917 Colt revolvers, but these were few and far between.

General officers were given a Colt M1903 Pocket Model pistol in .380 ACP, and CID agents carried Colt Detective Specials in .38 Special. Aircrewmen carried various guns, usually provided at their own expense.


Bob Wright


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