Rare US Army M1911 Colt Pistol /Revolver Manual - PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS - Infantry - Airborne - Ranger - Tunnel Rats - Vietnam War - 1971

Rare U.S.A official army manual related to SPECIFICALLY the infamous M1911 Colt Pistol AND US Army Revolver as used by various units including officers and airborne, even up to the Vietnam War. This edition is from 1971, but all the models described are generally as used in WO2 as well. Beautiful plates, drawings, and information on maintenance and use. In nicely used condition.

Great rare item and highly illustrative for your usa collection, especially if you own a demilitarized M1911 Colt, you dont find this manual easily!


History of the Colt M1911
World War II and the years leading up to it created a great demand. During the war, about 1.9 million units were procured by the U.S. Government for all forces, production being undertaken by several manufacturers, including Remington Rand (900,000 produced), Colt (400,000), Ithaca Gun Company (400,000), Union Switch & Signal (50,000), and Singer (500). New M1911A1 pistols were given a parkerized metal finish instead of bluing, and the wood grip panels were replaced with panels made of brown plastic. The M1911A1 was a favored small arm of both US and allied military personnel during the war, in particular, the pistol was prized by some British commando units and Britain's highly covert Special Operations Executive, as well as South African Commonwealth forces.[27][28][29]

The M1911A1 pistol was produced in very large quantities during the war. At the end of hostilities the government cancelled all contracts for further production and made use of existing stocks of weapons to equip personnel. Many of these weapons had seen service use, and had to be rebuilt and refinished prior to being issued. From the mid-1920s to the mid-1950s thousands of 1911s and 1911A1s were refurbished at U.S. arsenals and service depots. These rebuilds consisted of anything from minor inspections to major overhauls. Pistols that were refurbished at government arsenals will usually be marked on the frame/receiver with the arsenal's initials, such as RIA for Rock Island Armory or SA for Springfield Armory.[citation needed]

After World War II, the M1911 continued to be a mainstay of the U.S. Armed Forces in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, where it was used extensively by tunnel rats.[31]