Surplus 1911's for Indiana Deputies--Am I the Only One Who Thought That Was Cool?

[Don Gwinn]

I noticed the other day that there's no thread in here on the article about Sheriff Ken Campbell's solution to the expense of issuing quality 1911-style pistols. His Sheriff's Office is getting surplus 1911's (many WWII vintage--many of them would be expensive collectors' pieces if they were transferable) and having them lightly gunsmithed--better sights, a couple of upgrades and some refinishing, and they have excellent fighting handguns for a lot less than even the "inexpensive" new 1911 clones. I thought that was a fantastic idea. I know people have reservations about military equipment going to sheriffs and city police departments, and I have to admit, when the Sheriff speaks proudly of his department's surplus APC, I roll my eyes a little. But when the military has equipment that's clearly necessary for police officers--such as defensive handguns--that they're never going to use for any purpose, common sense should take over.

The Sheriff mentioned feeling conflicted about "ruining" these guns by having them customized when many would have been highly collectible, and I understand. It's not as if Singer or Union are going to be making any more of these pistols. But on the other hand, the U.S. Government wasn't going to sell them to collectors either way (more's the pity.) If the alternative is to leave these old warhorses packed away in some government warehouse next to the Ark of the Covenant until the building crumbles around them in 3008, the idea of giving them new life and letting them continue to serve their purpose looks pretty good.

Cool idea, cool article.

 

[IZinterrogator]

I'm usually a big opponent of sporterizing milsurp rifles, but I was okay with the upgrading of these pistols. Probably because I worked with a guy at my last unit who was an MP assigned to an M1911 destruction detail courtesy of the last administration, and he had to catalog thousands of pistols being destroyed. He told me that despite spending the better part of an hour begging to spare it, he had to throw a Singer in a giant shredder.

 

[Denny Hansen]

It is very cool. I wish more departments would take advantage of the DRMO program and put surplus equipment back on the street instead of writing grants and costing taxpayers more money for gear that, in some cases, in not as good as what they could have had for "free."

he had to throw a Singer in a giant shredder

That's just plain sad.

Denny

 

[Walther22lr]

On one hand I think its a good idea to use them rather than have them shredded.

On the other hand, if the same ones had been sold on the open market to collectors, I think they could have made enough money to buy several more pistols than what they needed. Brand new ones too.

 

[buzz_knox]

A few years back, my agency was disposing of a large number of weapons, including 16s that had been converted to semi (including some that might have been transferable). As the gun guy in my group, I was asked how we could sell them. An exec got twitchy about selling "high powered" weapons and ordered them destroyed instead. I was asked to be the witness and I flat refused.

I read this article and had a moment like Ken's. The idea of altering something that valuable was hard, until you realized that these weapons were being put to their ultimate use: defending the lives of the good guys. If the pistols had souls, I bet they were singing at the chance to get a new change of "clothes" and get back into the fight.

I took an Awerbuck course that included some of Ken's guys. One of these pistols had nothing but problems. The others were flawless (once kept oiled).

 

[Tamara]

Ken's on our side.

He makes me happy to be a newly-minted Hoosier.

(...and what is it about lawyer gun skul addicts with the same surname? Is there one in every state? Hope to see you next time you're up Boone County way, buzz_. Bring that Delta Elite so I can say "hi!" )

 

[InferriCanis]

All equipment is cool...........

Middletown P.D. recieved a half dozen of these a few years back, after new barrel bushings and some tweeking, they make great off duty carry guns. Glock 21 is the standard duty carry for now.

 

[gordo b.]

Ken is a genius prince of a public servant. The surplus 1911a1s save the tax payer $$ and they are MUCH more likely to go bang when you need it than anything that can be commercial bought IMHO. I've told 2 dept's that I reserve with about the program and showed them the article. They will probably keep on Glockin however.

 

[guntotin_fool]

At some point, someone in the Gov't is going to realize that there is cold hard cash to be made by selling certain things to legal people.

 

[freakintoguns]

if there good enough to be used by soldiers to protect america, then by god they are more then good enough for the police to use to protect us good folk

 

[buzz_knox]

The surplus 1911a1s save the tax payer $$ and they are MUCH more likely to go bang when you need it than anything that can be commercial bought IMHO.

From what I saw, they functioned about as well as any good 1911. That means that most did quite well (once properly lubed for the hot/dry conditions) and one went down hard (i.e. it had to go back to the smith).

Tam, I don't know why the surname is so popular with lawyer types. Perhaps because it has a certain irony to it.

 

[Eghad]

Good idea for law enfrocement agencies. If I had to choose between shredding these fine monuments to our freedom or a law enforcment agency getting them and modifying them the agencies wins hands down.