It’s 1944 and your platoon is about to jump into Normandy ahead of the largest amphibious landing in U.S. history. This is the longest 15 seconds of your life, as your parachute descends into a hail of German gunfire. You land and notice your gun bag is gone, but on your hip is your M1911A1, your most reliable weapon system, always there for you when you need her.
Sixty years later, it’s 2004, Iraq, and your team is about to conduct a snatch-and-grab on a high value individual (HVI). This is a low-vis operation. You and your team are wearing dishdashas (“man dresses”) over your body armor. You can only bring one concealed weapon with you, and you chose your trusted Kimber ICQB because you know she’ll never fail you.
The 1911 platform, reincarnated as the Colt M45, is still fielded today by different units in the United States Marine Corps. Outside of the Marine Corps, 1911-style pistols of all kinds are still popular among law enforcement officers and armed citizens alike. But in recent years, newer, cheaper, simpler pistols have flooded the market. These guns sport self-lubricating finishes, fewer moving parts, and longer service life. Many of
