Soldiers from the Philippines engagements reportedly said the .38s were more effective as clubs... I think I read this in one of Col Jeff Cooper's articles, long ago.

They didn't need to take the Cylinder out to load the saa .but still slow to load . Beautiful revolvers and 1911

OMG That 1911 looks like it just came out of the factory! How it's beautiful pardon me while I gather my eyeballs and tongue! But really there all magnificent pistols thank you for bringing them out to play.

The United States Marine Corp? Outstanding!

Tom, great video. Thanks for bring attention to these under-appreciated revolvers. Some additional information: The first US military double-action revolver with a swing-out cylinder was the Colt M1889 Navy. This pistol was modified and later adopted by the Army as the Colt M1892 Army (replaced the famed Colt SAA). There was an issue with this first model, namely the action could operate if the cylinder wasn't locked (out of battery) and as a result, all but an estimated 333 were upgraded to the Colt M1894 Army. The Navy subsequently ordered improved revolvers soon after, hence the Colt M1895 Navy (Teddy Roosevelt carried one of these recovered from the USS Maine during the famed charge of the Rough Riders up San Juan Hill). Some additional internal improvements were again made at Colt's and the bulk of the Spanish American War issues were the new Colt M1896 Revolver. These also saw use in the Philippine Insurrection. After the dismal performance there against the Moro Warriors (while they reportedly used hallucinogens, their bamboo armor and the weak ballistics the .38 Long Colt round were more to blame than these pistols). At the turn of the century, a lanyard ring was added to existing pistols and all new production, hence the Colt M1901 Army Revolver (this one and the M1894 are the most commonly encountered). Some of these were repurposed for WWI usage by the Navy. The bore was reduced slightly on the subsequent Colt M1903 Army and on the Colt M1905 USMC. Lots of history in these little-known revolvers that eventually lead to the development & adoption of the Colt M1911 Pistol in .45 ACP.

Gorgeous revolvers…..

The Model 1911 and Model 1911A1 Military and Commercial Pistols (For Collectors Only) Paperback - December 11, 2017. Another book to look at.

Semper Fi & thank you for the historical video !

@Legacy Collectibles, it's the Marines Hymn. Semper Fi, thank you for the great content.

There are various types of .38 rounds. The revolver fighting in the Philippines was done with .38 Long Colt. The .38 S&W Special cartridge was the more powerful replacement for .38 Long Colt, designed and produced in 1898.

The Navy did get a small order of Colt 1911's marked US Navy in 1915 as part of a lot of 500 pistols they are very rare. They were the last Navy contract Colt Model 1911 pistols with the distinctive marking. "MODEL OF 1911 U.S. NAVY" on the right side of the slide. The left side of the slide is roll-stamped with the Colt 1897-1913 patent dates in a two-line block followed by the Colt legend and Hartford address in two lines. The Rampant Colt trademark is roll-stamped behind the left slide serration.

Thanks Ken for sharing!

Great video, as always. Thanks again.

thanks for another interesting video. i had a uncle who was a marine all his life.

Good stuff

Tom, I have learned so much from your channel. Thank you and a blessed Christmas to you and your family!

This video took me back. Although I wasn't totally unfamiliar with firearms as I hunted rabbits and squirrels in my early teens with my dad's Long Tom 12 gauge (I have it now), I can't recall ever handling a handgun before Elliot's Beach in 1970. There I learned to disassemble, clean, and reassemble a 1911 under the loving supervision of my DI. My introduction to a revolver was at Camp Geiger and to the best of my recollection it was a .38 special. That was half a century ago and my memory is failing (like my eyesight too, Tom), but I don't really remember using a handgun (like many others) before the Corps.

Awesome video. Could you do a Navy version next perhaps? I'm trying to get into the Navy guns but struggling to find much information on them or locate them anymore. I'm a recent Navy Veteran and Navy guns have a special place in my collection now ⚓

All military personnel are elite AMERICAN ENGLIISH ,GOD BLESS THEM ALL 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧

Nice

I was privileged to carry the Colt 1911A1 as a radio operator in the Marines after graduating radio school. On enlistment and prior to school, I was privileged to carry the M1 Garand. Since I joined at the very end, +7 years after the Korean War, we were issued all WWII and Korean War (782) gear and weapons. So, I got to fire the M1, .45, .30 cal. air cooled machine gun, bazooka, and were issued the pineapple hand grenades. These weapons reminded me of all the war movies I watched, growing up.

Elite? I don't know but definitely outstanding!

Thank you, you’re very informative on interesting subject matter. Signed, a happy customer…

Great video!

9:14 Tom you are close to correct on that, there is a very rare navy contract where the slide was marked "Model of 1911 U.S. Navy" I've seen one made in 1912 personally that had serial number 28XX but you are Generally speaking correct in your statement that other branch pistols would say US Army on them. A navy marked 1911 seems like just the thing to come through legacy collectibles one day

you didn't have to remove the cylinder to load a SAA.It loaded through the loading gate.There was no Air Force before 1947.

I have a 1903 Springfield I checked the serial numbers it was made in 1909 but it has 1942 Barrel Mark MC so I think it might be a Marine Corps 1903

You are an amazing source of knowledge, sir; I really enjoy your presentations.We have 3 "family history" pistols in our combined families. Two 1903 Colt Pocket Pistols in .32 ACP, carried by my Grandfather and Dad in Chicago in the '20's and '30's, and a 1914 mfg Colt Army Special in .38S carried by my late wife's FIL when he worked for the NY State Conservation Department. While not particularly valuable monetarily, they hold significant historical value for the families.

Loved the video.

Thank you!!!!

I can shoot a playing card in half at 7 yards.... with birdshot.

Love the new 1911.

Semper Fi

The one I was most interested in you never pickup. The 45LC with the lanyard ring and plain grips.

Great Video Tom, don’t forget about the small batch of Colt Woodsman pistols the USMC ordered in 1950 or 1951. They are in .22 long rifle marked USMC Property.

I have a rearsenled 1909 colt revolver with Augusta arsenal stamps on it. I mistakenly bought it believing that it was a M1917. I was just curious if they reworked 1909 revolvers to serve the same role as the 1917 revolvers as back up pistols during WW2 and later conflicts. Also I watched your Astra video and enjoyed it, if you ever get the chance in the future could you do one on German issued Star model B pistols?

Special thanks to all who protect countries that support RIGHTS AND FREEDOM.

Good video👌

As a Marine who collects Colts I approve this message. 🤠👍🏼🇺🇸

Be careful of S&W Victory Models marked USMC. You can also get a factory letter saying they were marked USMC but unfortunately in this case it stands for United States Maritime Commission.

I’m all about the Axis Pistols but a ww1 or ww2 1911 is definitely on my want list.

Sorry Tom, but the only large quick reactionary force in the US military is the 82ND Airborne. We were the first in Grenada, first in Panama, first to deploy to Operation Desert Shield/Storm, and first to Afghanistan for the war on terror. We are the only division size force in the world that can be on the ground ready to fight anywhere on the planet within 36 hours of notification. Don't sell us paratroopers short in a feeble attempt to make the jarheads feel better about themselves! just kidding (kinda)! Semper Fi jarheads!! We love you guys like little brothers!

The Colt 1911 was standard issue to Naval Police in 85 thru 93 I know of. I'd always rather have had that 1911 to the Air Forces and other branches Beretta 9mm. Didn't like it, still don't. Only 9mm I ever Liked was a 1938 SS Officers Crome & Walnet Lugar like new, as it was. The owner had never fired it, but when a homicide investigator says "I NEED A COMPARISON TEST", he really didn't have a choice. Lest he was the actual killer in which case the gun & HE would accompany me to the Sheriff's Office to discuss it.

Outstanding👍 🇺🇸"MERICA" !!!

Semper Fi!

IT IS THE “M A R I N E S H Y M N”.

Was the holster for the 1909 shown in this video designed to carry the revolver butt forward, or is it a left handed holster?

You said they had to take the cylinder out of the Colt Single Action Army? I thought you opened the loading gate and put in single cartridge at a time.

God bless the USMC. Semper Fi 💜 Never forget Tarawa 😔

The Moro Jihadi's wore body armor made of thin plates sewed in cotton, wrapped multiple times around for multiple layers. They chewed betel nut, a sort of amphetamine. The Islamic suicide swordsmen commonly lurked in the deep jungle and attacked patrols at close quarters often killing multiple men before they could get off a shot with long and bulky rifles. The .38 Long Colt pistol round wouldn't penetrate due to its low muzzle velocity.

1851/1861 Colt 36 caliber Navy, Colt 45 caliber 1873 Army, Colt 1905 and Colt 1909 as well as The Harper's Ferry pistols were all revolvers used by the USMC. The 21st century USMC 1911A1s are red hot garbage, IMHO. I hope Colt improves under the ownership of CZ. I have Dan Wesson CZ 1911s and just like them more than I do the modern Colt 1911A1s. I like my Union Switch and Signal 1911A1 better than contemporary 1911A1s from WWII, including Colts.

You don't want to point a gun at us when you showed the muzzles,.. I do hope you were kidding?

No usaf until 1948, until then usaaf and us navy had air arms

👍🙂

In addition to being whacked out on drugs the Moro Tribesman tightly wrapped their abdomen in heavy cloth to help sustain the warriors after injury and continue the fight.

No cocaine in the Philippines at the time.

Marine corps hymn

I noticed the holster you showed at the end of the video was for a "lefty" - am I correct? or was the video tricked?

Uhm, there was no Air Force in WWI or WWII. It was the army air corps so why wouldn't they have army marked pistols ?

Phillipines were invaded by usa and taken from spain, likewise cuba, phiĺipinos wanted independance, usa suppressed them brutally.freedom fightets not rebels.