Did you remember the celebrate the M1911 .45′s birthday on saturday? If not by some time at the range, then at least by some dry-fire or maintenance? I hope so.
The fact that I carry a Springfield Armory M1911-A1 brings me to today’s gun post. I’ve spoken of it before, I think, and it’s a great piece of gear. For value and reliability, that gun is the sore dick of the pistol world– YOU CAN’T BEAT IT. But I digress.
It’s not Springfield Armory, the commercial gunmaker of today, that I’d like to highlight. It’s the original Springfield Armory, a government arms manufacturer from 1794 to 1968. Now an historical site run by the National Park Service, it preserves a key piece of American history. (SA picked up the name and crest and the traditions a few years after the Federal operations ceased.) This is where not only substantial production of American military small arms took place, but significant innovation as well. The great John C. Garand developed the mighty M1 there.
The NPS site doesn’t appear to have a simple historical overview, but you can find some basic facts here.
It is on my list of places to see. If you’ve been there, feel free to leave a comment on your visit.
I really need to get my better half to agree to a historic sites trip out east. I would love to visit here, and being a WWII armor junkie, the fact I haven’t seen the Ordnance Museum at APG is pretty much bordering on blasphemy.
1911 content: I’ve been test driving Wilson’s “elite tactical” magazines in my 1911s and if you’re a fan of the 47Ds like I am, you’ll love these things.