.45 M1A1 Handgun

[aklon]

Today's Travel section in the San Francisco Chronicle has a story about the Caen Memorial Center for History and Peace. Part of the display shows what the GIs carried, and one of the items listed is: "... a semiautomatic Colt .45 M1A1 handgun."

I had to laugh of course, because he obviously means the 1911 (and I'm sure the write Spud Hilton has no idea what he's talking about), but just the same ... if anyone here has such an item, I'd sure like to see it.

[Jimmybacon43]

I was picturing a miniature version of the Abrams tank main cannon.

[Loubot10]

He got confused with placement of letters. Should be M1911A1

"The M1911 is still carried by some U.S. forces. Its formal designation as of 1940 was Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911 for the original Model of 1911 or Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911A1 for the M1911A1, adopted in 1924. The designation changed to Pistol, Caliber .45, Automatic, M1911A1 in the Vietnam era."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_1911

[farmerjoe]

I thought the M1A1 was the military version of the Thompson machine gun.

http://www.nramuseum.org/the-museum/the-galleries/ever-vigilant/case-64-world-war-ii-us/us-auto-ordnance-thompson-m1a1-submachine-gun.aspx

[Chief-7700]

Don't forget many M-1911 were still used durning WW II.

[farmerjoe]

Don't forget many M-1911 were still used durning WW II.

Many of those made in the early 1940's stayed in service until the 1980's

[Mssr. Eleganté]

I guess this is technically a semi auto M1927 handgun and not a semi auto M1A1 handgun.

[Chief-7700]

Many of those made in the early 1940's stayed in service until the 1980's

M-1911 1912 to 1924

M-1911A1 1924 to present

[Magazineman]

Caen? As in Herb Caen the writer for The Chronicle?

He was great. Very funny. He was everyone's favorite.

Also, he wrote a story about me when I was a kid. Pet Rocks & Waterbeds were both fads in the 1970's. So I made & sold small Waterbeds for Pet Rocks.
Herb wrote about how this 11 year-old kid from Palo Alto was making tons of money.