9mm or 45cal

[Buggnkat]

I dont know about that, given that the gangster flicks (which have some AWESOME hats and clothes) were pretty popular then. Possible but not probable

 

[Landman]

I heard that the 1911 wasn't able to function or made to function with blanks, and the P08 was. I don't know how true this is , but it's possible.

I did some hunting on the Internet and that is what I found too. I also found that Alvin York was still alive and was very specific about who should play him and his wife. You would think he would have been opposed to having the actor playing him use a German pistol!

 

[cw3pa]

I copied this from the IMDb web site. Could be an urban legend or maybe the prop dept. didn't want to spend the money to develope a blank firing 1911.

 

[Stearmen]

93rd

The 93rd Infantry Division (comprising the 369th, 370th, & 372nd Regeiments of the National Guard and the 371st Army Regiment) were placed under French command and for reasons of logistics in the field were issued the 1907/15 Lebel rifle, along with French "tin hats" and leather gear to replace the canvas items issued by the US Government.

As you know, the 93rd Infantry Division was forced to fight under the French command because the regular Army would not fight along side them, they were African Americans. A very shameful act on Pershing's part, since he earned his nick name Black Jack, while commanding the 10th Cavalry during the famous charge in Cuba alongside Roosevelt up Kettle and San Juan hills. They were also issued the Chauchat light machine gun, pronounced by us Yanks as Show Show. A terrible weapon prone to jams, though a friend of mine has a fully functional one and loves it, of course he doesn't shoot it in the mud and rain!

 

[Renault]

Biggest drawback to the M1917 (and pattern 14) rifles were there extrememly weak and prone to breakage ejector springs. I was using mine yesterday(Winchester mfg) in the show battle (Op Dragoon) at Texas military forces muster day as it was the rifle issued to the members of the 13eme Demi-Brigade de la Legion Etrangere after the Anfa accord of '43.

The 1911/P08 controversy of the flick Sgt.York, does makes perfect sense to me. There's a lot of work goes into a 1911 to get it to run with blanks. Not hard, just kinda time consuming. I remember seeing other 30's flicks where the "bad guys' are using Model 1900 or 1902 Colts and only getting one shot off before they change frame to the good guy or foley a second shot. One that comes to mind is an old Gene Autry flick "THe Big Show".

As for the 93re Division in France, WWI, there was a French officer who wrote a manual on how French officers should "act" while in the presence of white American officers when in the company of their Black American troops. Extremely sad......

Same as in WWII when LeClerc's 2e Division was the Free French division chosen to go into the liberation of Paris. Accordingly, from SHAEF (chiefly Bedle-Smith), there were the "whitest" Free French division available. The First Division (actually the entire 1er and 2e Corps) were full of coloniale units, Algerian, Moroccan, Senegalese, and French Equatorial African to name a few.......

Renault

 

[Rathdown]

As you know, the 93rd Infantry Division was forced to fight under the French command because the regular Army would not fight along side them, they were African Americans.

In reality the 93rd fell under French control as part of a political deal struck with the French who demanded US Troops (to replace French losses early in the war) in exchange for their supplying the American Army with 75mm cannons and Chauchat machine guns, much as the British had demanded -- and received-- American troops in exchange for providing transport for the US Army from the USA to Britain and France. Both Generals Pershing and Hoffman (commanding the 93rd) objected, but President Wilson, bowing to political pressure at home as well as in France, forced the issue.

 

[Story]

I did some hunting on the Internet and that is what I found too. I also found that Alvin York was still alive and was very specific about who should play him and his wife. You would think he would have been opposed to having the actor playing him use a German pistol!

But, to bring this thread back around to the topic of "9mm or .45 cal": Why did Gary Cooper carry a Luger in the movie "Sgt. York"?

From the IMFDB -

Cooper having met York initially refused to shoot the scene with the Luger, but was told because of timing they needed to shoot the scene with the weapon, and was promised they'd re-shoot the scene with the M1911, but this never happened.

Meanwhile, a 1911 used in the movie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/popculturegeek/5851593875/

 

[Story]

I did some hunting on the Internet and that is what I found too. I also found that Alvin York was still alive and was very specific about who should play him and his wife. You would think he would have been opposed to having the actor playing him use a German pistol!

But, to bring this thread back around to the topic of "9mm or .45 cal": Why did Gary Cooper carry a Luger in the movie "Sgt. York"?

From the IMFDB -

Cooper having met York initially refused to shoot the scene with the Luger, but was told because of timing they needed to shoot the scene with the weapon, and was promised they'd re-shoot the scene with the M1911, but this never happened.

Meanwhile, a 1911 used in the movie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/popculturegeek/5851593875/

 

[Story]

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2009/11/23/wts-50-bmg-pistol/

 

[Kirk H.]

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2009/11/23/wts-50-bmg-pistol/

Now that is funny......

 

[DeaconKC]

I will gladly let someone else shoot that thing............

 

[Stearmen]

For sale by owner, only shot once, contact One Arm Pete!

 

[Eric P]

I wonder if it comes with the ammo in this movie........... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_XX2lIT1tQ

For sale by owner, only shot once, contact One Arm Pete!

 

[Stearmen]

Nuclear Rifle

I wonder if it comes with the ammo in this movie...........

Here you go, the real deal! [video=youtube;khyZI3RK2lE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khyZI3RK2lE&feature=related[/video]

 

[Story]

Here you go, the real deal!

I've actually got a TM around somewhere for that contraption.

 

[Eric P]

Those were tested about thirty miles up the road from where I used to work. They did some fascinating and weird stuff at the Nevada test site.

Here you go, the real deal!

 

[jkingrph]

I was a pharmacy officer at Eglin AFB, FLa. back in the late 70's when the USAF was conducting trials for a new handgun. At that time the AF was using a 38 revolver as the service sidearm, a S&W 38 Combat Masterpiece.

I had some contact with some of the AP types (air police as we called them) who were in the training of dogs for drug detection, I had to verify a heroin inventory maintained for training purposes, and we talked about the trials. Most of the guys then would have prefered to keep their 38's or go to a 1911 rather than the 9mm.

 

[Renault]

Well I broke down today and asked the Boss-man to order me up one of Cimarron's new 1911's with a lanyard loop mag. It's about the closest thing I can find to a bone-fide 1911 short of ordering one of Turnbull's nice $3900 models!

http://cimarron-firearms.com/Tactical/1911.htm

They are an Armscor gun. I attended an event last weekend where the 1916 Punitive Expedition was our theme and had a whacking good time. This is probably as close as I'll get to Great War reenacting, as this was here in our backyard. Personally, I think the true and pure 1911 is about a good as it gets for a combat automatic handgun. In it's stock form, without all the 21st century bells and whistles. Love them walnut stocks too!!!!!

Renault

 

[Baggers]

I bought one of those about a month ago. Prettiest mirror polished bluing I've ever seen. I'm almost scared to shoot it for fear of getting it scratched. And the Cimarron rollmark on the slide mimicing the original Colt's is a treat. Something about having Fredericksburg, TX U.S.A. stamped (or more likely laser engraved) on the side makes me smile. Unfortunately the grip panels on mine aren't as nice as the ones in the photos. The finish is applied so heavily they almost look plastic. In fact, I wondered at first if they were plastic instead of wood. Any advice about thinning it out will be greatly appreciated.

As you stated, it's not a perfect replica but for the price it'll do.

 

[Renault]

Baggers,

Lemme see what the grips are like on the one I get in. There are some methods for thinning that finish. I bet it's polyurethene on the wood. More later!

Renault