MEU SOC .45 pistol
[LINK] Marines, 08AUG2006
Whenever caught in the heat of a close-quarters
battle, as a last resort, service members may draw for their side arm.
For most U.S. military personnel, it will be the M-9 9 mm pistol – but
that’s not the case for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Deep
Reconnaissance Platoon; they are still true to the renowned .45-caliber
pistol.
Like other Marine Expeditionary Units the 31st MEU’s DRP carries the
MEU SOC (Special Operations Capable) .45-caliber pistol, which is a
specialized version of the classic Colt M-1911A1 frame, tailored
particularly to offer the recon Marines with the stopping power
required to help accomplish specific missions.
You can buy a look-alike (thanks to Roger for the link and Daniel Watters for the advisement)
See what's said about single vs. double action in the continuation.
Close-quarters battle drill
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Gunnery Sgt. Carl Holden, a close-quarters battle instructor with the
III Marine Expeditionary Force’s Special Operations Training Group,
said the large-caliber pistol is crucial for the recon Marines’ and
sailors’ direct-action operations as an additional weapon.
“This is their secondary weapon. If they have to use their side arm, it
is most likely because something went wrong and they are already put to
a disadvantage, so they will need something quick and reliable that
will also provide immediate stopping power,” added Sgt. Jesse Kekiwi,
another CQB instructor with SOTG.
“Even if you’re wearing body armor, it’s still going to feel like a
three-hundred pound man sat on your chest when you’re shot by one,”
said Holden.
“The main reasons we prefer the .45 pistol is because it’s more
accurate, powerful, rugged and not to mention that it allows shots to
be fired more quickly straight out of the holster with the
single-action system as to the M-9, which is a double action pistol,”
explained Kekiwi.
Single-action, semi-automatic pistols require the hammer to be cocked
before firing the first round. This allows recon personnel to have
greater reduced trigger-pull weight. After the first round is fired the
slide automatically moves back to cock the hammer again for the
following rounds.
Although the MEU SOC .45 is a great weapon, it does not necessarily
mean that the M-9 is not, explained Holden. The M-9 is a quality weapon
with many good features. With the safety of the double-action trigger,
15-round magazine capacity, moderately low recoil and the fact that it
fires the same ammunition used by other allies makes it is well-suited
for self-defense and typical military use.
In DRP’s case, they are likely to find themselves in a stand-off,
within steps away from their enemy. The time needed to fire off a
second round to incapacitate the enemy can mean life or death, said
Cpl. Michael Ferschke, Jr., a DRP radio operator.
“Every shot counts in close-quarters combat and we feel more comfortable using it because it delivers more ‘bang for the buck’.”
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