W


over, and the legend had begun. On March 29, 1911 the Colt 1911 handgun was adopted as the standard service pistol of US Army. It would remain our mili- tary’s handgun until 1985 when the Beretta 92 was adopted. This transition to a NATO caliber — the 9mm — met uproar from the boots on the ground and even civilians. Regardless, the 1911 had already become an iconic handgun and is still considered by many as the greatest fighting pistol ever and even forever.


ith apologies to Willie Nelson and the Red Headed Stranger; it was the time of the hand- gun, in the year of one, one. The selection was


48


AMERICAN HANDGUNNER • 2011 SPECIAL EDITION


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