I was an M-60 gunner as an 11 Bravo infantryman in the Army starting in 1986 at Ft. Benning GA Infantry OSUT. I was trained in the basic M16A1 service rifle, M72 LAW, and M-60,. Those were the ones we got to fire from Basic Training and Infantry School AIT. During AIT I never got trained on the M1911A1 which was the sidearm of machine gunners. I was selected to be an M-47 Dragon Gunner an anti-armor specialist before going to Airborne School after. After graduating Airborne and sent to Germany in a mechanized infantry company my Platoon Sergeant seen I have a good PT score and qualified expert on my rifle. Even though I was a Dragon Gunner I became a machine gunner in my squad and double as a Dragon Gunner. My first qualification in the company was first the rifle, then the M-60, no problems. Then the M1911A1, I got an old Remington Rand from WWII vintage which was loose and rattling. We got an hours worth of training and practice firing which I did well from 25 meters using first one handed then 2 handed taught by a Staff Sergeant who is a qualified expert pistol competition shooter in the Army. Never forgot his instruction, I had some time with my Dad's Colt Government Model so I wasn't lost. We never did this type of training other than dry fire. He just watched our trigger squeeze the whole time and tell us the correct sight picture. I did qualify the first time around but the Battalion Command Sergeant Major saw that I qualified expert. I then got into trouble, I had to re-qualify again shooting next to the BN CSM just to make sure I wasn't just lucky qualifying. I did qualify expert again and beating the CSM by one point and I earned 50 push ups in front of him. I then got re-assigned to the BN Scout Platoon from my rifle company so the CSM can keep an eye on me. The CSM was looking for the best soldiers in the battalion to be in the Scout Platoon in HHC. I spent 9 months in the platoon until the CSM left and my Company Commander wanted me back to become a team leader. Never got to shoot the M1911A1 very much but only during company and battalion weapons qualifications.

Thank you for this interesting presentation on a unique way to practice with a 1911! The 1911 will spit lead no matter how you practice.