The Colt in World War II —
The Colt appeared in recruiting posters during World War II. Your grandpa might have carried an M1911, which was issued to officers during the war.
Gen. Washington's saddle pistols —
The newly-created U.S. Army did not have standard-issue pistols during the American Revolutionary War. Officers, including General George Washington, had to supply their own. Washington carried a pair of flintlock saddle pistols that were given to him by his French friend and ally, Marquis de Lafayette. Flintlocks are hard to reload, and when you only have one shot, two guns are better than one. Washington carried the pistols throughout the Revolution and kept them through his presidency until his death. The guns were later given to Andrew Jackson, who eventually bequeathed them back to the Lafayette family. They have changed many hands since.
Colt Model 1860 —
Historians consider the Civil War to be the first modern war, with cutting-edge technologies like the telegraph, the train, dirigibles and repeater rifles, which were a serious step up from single-shot flintlock muskets. Most of the U.S. gun factories were in the North, including the Colt factory in Connecticut. That's how the Union got the Colt Model 1860. It was a muzzle-loaded cap and ball, so it wasn't as easy to load as modern cartridges. But the cylinder allowed for six shots, providing Union soldiers with a competitive edge over single-shot flintlocks.
Colt M1911 —
The Colt M1911, a semiautomatic .45-caliber pistol, served as the standard-issue U.S. Army sidearm for nearly 90 years, starting at the end of the 19th century through the 1980s. It first saw service in the Philippines, immediately following the Spanish-American War. The Army needed a gun with knock-down power, and it picked the .45. In World War I, Sgt. Alvin York won the Medal of Honor for killing 28 German soldiers and capturing 132, primarily with his M1911. The Army continued to use it in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
Walker Colt —
The U.S. Army also had their Colt guns to thank in the victorious war against Mexico. That's how the United States picked up Texas, California, New Mexico and Arizona. The Walker Colt first raised eyebrows in 1847, when 15 Texas Rangers used the newly-invented revolvers to outgun 70 Comanches. The Army realized the revolver was the gun it wanted for the war with Mexico. "The Walker Colt was the most powerful handgun ever built, before the advent of the .357 Magnum in the 1930s," wrote the Gerry and Janet Souter in "Guns of Outlaws." "At one battle during the war, 500 Mexican troops were routed by 70 American soldiers wielding the Walkers."
Beretta M9 —
The Beretta M9, a semiautomatic 9 mm pistol, has served as the standard-issue U.S. Army sidearm since 1985. Beretta is made by an Italian gunmaker that goes back 15 generations to 1526. That's when the founder made cannon barrels for the arsenal of Venice. The company has a factory in Maryland, where it makes the M9 for the Army. It plans to move that factory to Tennessee, which has looser gun laws. Now, the Army is ready for a new gun, and Beretta plans to submit a new design to compete with other gun makers such as Smith & Wesson.
Army pistols of the future —
Smith & Wesson is hoping to become the next gun supplier of the U.S. Army. It plans to submit its M&P, a lightweight pistol with a primarily plastic frame. These polymer or plastic pistols have become increasingly popular among civilians and cops. The Army didn't specify whether it wanted a plastic or a metal frame, but it did say the pistol had to be strong enough to pack a punch.
