By Harold Hutichinson
The legendary M1911 pistol has been around a long time. In fact, millions were produced since the gun was adopted by the US military in 1911.
The gun remains in service today with the Marines as the M45 MEU(SOC) pistol. Well, guess what else got produced in prodigious quantities? If you said the ammo, you’re right.
The M1911s have proven reliable over the years. In fact, many of the original MEU(SOC) pistols were rebuilt on frames dating from 1945! But how does the ammo stack up to the pistol in terms of longevity?
Between the M1911, the Tommy gun, and the M3 grease gun in World War II, lots of ammo was needed. But even in World War I — when you not only had the M1911, but the M1917 revolver — they needed millions upon millions of rounds of ammo. And that didn’t even include the civilian market in the United States.The standard round fired for the M1911 is a 230-grain full-metal jacket round — also known as “ball” ammo. It usually has a muzzle velocity in the range of 830 feet per second, according to MilitaryFactory.com.The thing is, while the gun can last a long time, so can the ammo. In 2016, explosive ordnance disposal technicians had to handle cannonballs from the Civil War that were unearthed by Hurricane Matthew.
The previous year, Army EOD had to detonate a Civil War artillery round in Washington State. Souvenirs from battlefields have also caused EOD to respond, as did some folks who thought they were being helpful.
http://www.wearethemighty.com/gear-tech/this-stunning-video-shows-how-well-100-year-old-ammo-works-today
