9 reasons why the 1911 should be America’s national weapon

There’s a reason some U.S. troops still carry a 1911 over 100 years after WWI

Throughout military history, weapons have become symbols of national pride for countries the world over; England has the English longbow, Japan has the katana, Saudi Arabia even has the saif on its national flag. For a country founded after the invention of firearms, it would make sense to have such a weapon become its national symbol.

The United States has produced numerous, iconic firearms that stood the test of time—some for a century (and longer). But if we were forced to choose, America’s national firearm would be, unequivocally, the Colt Model 1911.

1. The Colt 1911 is All-American.

At the turn of the 20th century, when the U.S. Army looked to adopt a semi-automatic handgun to replace its revolvers, the German Luger P08 was seriously considered as a competitive option. Army officials liked the Luger’s controls and ergonomics (which ended up on the eventual Colt design) but instead, they made the right choice with the 1911.

Invented by John Moses Browning of Utah and manufactured by Colt in Connecticut, the 1911 is an American gun to satisfy American needs. But, what were those needs?

2. Bigger is better.

The Spanish were unable to conquer the Moros in the Southern Philippines. (U.S. Army Center of Military History)

Bigger is better, and don’t let anyone try to tell you otherwise. Quite simply, U.S. troops needed to stop enemy combatants. Following the American acquisition of the Philippines after the Spanish-American War, American troops, Philippine Scouts, and the Philippine Constabulary were faced with the Moro Rebellion and juramentados, Muslim fighters in the Southern Philippines who conducted crazed suicide attacks as a form of jihad. Juramentados went so far as to bind their torsos to prevent blood loss during their attacks.

The Americans found their issued .38 Colt revolvers incapable of neutralizing the juramentado threat and called for a sidearm with more stopping power (the origin of the term). Colonel John T. Thompson of the infantry and Maj. Louis A. LaGarde of the Army Medical Corps conducted a series of tests to determine the appropriate caliber for this new sidearm.

After shooting cadavers and even live cattle, the Thompson-LaGarde Tests called for the handgun to have “…a caliber of not less than .45.” This became the .45 Automatic Colt Pistol cartridge which officially served the U.S. military from 1911 to 1985. There are plenty of arguments against .45 ACP and the Thompson-LaGarde Tests, but we’ll get to those later.

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