Love to Score One of these Old M1911A1's

L

lamarw

New member
And save the tax payers of our Country some money.

Congressman Rogers is proposing a bill to turn over close to 100,000 M1911A1 pistols to the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). They are setting in storage costing the American Tax Payer approximately $200,00.00 a year.

I also wonder what it will do to the value of already privately owned M1911A1's.

Here is a link to the article: http://www.wvtm13.com/news/Rogers-proposes-CMP-take-control-of-old-Army-pistols/32720294

I can only see it as a Win-Win proposal for all but maybe a few.

Hope this is not considered a Drive-By. I think it is of major interest to many of us especially the ones of us who carried this pistol during our Service years.
 
Sell the guns back to the public that's paid for them once already? There should be a lottery, and the guns given to 100,000 citizens who qualify.
 
This really sucks if it goes through. I just bought a '42 M1911A1. I wonder if I got a deal because they knew about this already.
 
I suspect Boogieman took due vigilance in what he bought. With the Military M1911's and M1911A1's, you have to inspect them carefully for originality.

I suspect if it happens, CMP will handle it the same way they do their current former military firearms sells. I think they recently had M-1's up for sale and have off and on for years. I am thinking they were selling in the twelve hundred range or there about. Others will know more and whether they grade and sell based upon condition and/or originality.

The lottery would be a sad affair for those who can afford one. Besides CMP deserves and needs the funds for their operations and to cover cost they incur with repairs and inspections of the firearms.
 
I like to read the comments posted to news articles. When I read the article there were 24 comments and almost all were positive about the plan.

The CMP is already set up to do this sort of thing. Seems like it would be a no-brainer. But I suspect when the anti-gun folk get wind of it there will be *lots* of organized opposition. I'm surprised there weren't more negative comments to the article already.
 
CMP Garands, the "field grade" or whatever they call the non-collectible "shooters", were priced in the $600 range for many years.
It was very common for people to buy the $600 rifles and immediately resell them at gun shows for $800 or more.
 
By the end of WWII, hadn't the government purchased something like 6 million 1911's? And they only have a 100,000 left in storage? That is a lot of lost, missing or destroyed 1911's. And during the '60's, didn't the NRA (or the DCM) sell some 1911's to members for something like $17.00?
 
I seem to remember that the CMP can no longer sell pistols. I could be wrong.
I doubt under this administration that the guns will be anything but scrapped.
 
By the end of WWII, hadn't the government purchased something like 6 million 1911's? And they only have a 100,000 left in storage? That is a lot of lost, missing or destroyed 1911's. And during the '60's, didn't the NRA (or the DCM) sell some 1911's to members for something like $17.00?
Click to expand...

I think it was more like three million. Colt made about two, and all the other makers combined made another million?
The pistols were given to other countries, chopped-up, stolen, etc., but it's still surprising that there are so few left.
I think the $17.00 pistols were sold between the wars, and the postwar guns were $28.00? I have one, that my dad bought in the '60s, and still have the shipping receipt which might show the price paid.

Found another reference to "$17.50" as the '60s price, so that might be right, and I'm thinking of price plus shipping & handling. Great deal, regardless, when a new Colt cost about $80.
 
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Bill sed:

I seem to remember that the CMP can no longer sell pistols. I could be wrong.
Click to expand...

From the article...

The chief operating officer of the Civilian Marksmanship Program in Anniston tells WVTM 13 in order to buy a pistol, you must meet four requirements. You must be a U.S. citizen, have proof of membership to a CMP club, have marksmanship safety training, and successfully pass a background check.
Click to expand...

So the CMP has requirements by selling a pistol which implies that they can do so if they have them.

On the number still left. Hard to tell how many more in addition to this lot still around somewhere here and overseas still in storage.

Remember that after 1948 the military bought no more new 1911s until recent years. So what they had at that time, 1948, remained in service for the next 38 years and more. A good deal were worn to destruction. The Marines were the last holdouts and they claimed they were using some frames with over 400,000 rounds on them, simply replacing slides and parts.

tipoc
 
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Well, we won the "green tip" 5.56 SS109 ammo battle, with the help of a lot of emails to our Congresspersons and the BATFE...so take heart.
We might win this one too.

It will take the same type of effort, though, and i fear that there are not nearly the number of concerned citizens...

So, clear your mind, find your center, and start composing (or lie down and start decomposing).
 
I guess it's good, better than letting groups of old witches melt them down. I balk at the idea that I'd have to join a club to get one though, other than my church I don't congregate or join groups or clubs.
Anyone who is a citizen, born here and with a clean record should be able to buy one.
 
Points that even the anti-gun crowd would have to admit favor release to the CMP:

  • All steel, not like the x-ray evading polymer pistols
  • five inch barrel and full length grip, unlike the concealable Saturday night specials
  • two safety devices, thumb and grip
  • well below the magical 10 shot magazine limit
  • serious historical and collector interest
  • saves the taxpayers money
Oh, but wait, they're GUNS! :rolleyes: Ya' gotta' know Obama's never going to okay it and I doubt there's enough votes to override a veto.
 
I'll bet the price of 1911's will be unaffected, or higher, due to a new demand for a new supply. 100,000 pistols will disappear into the Great American Gun Market in short order.
 
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