History Channels - Mail Call

[Johnny C. Kitchens]

I watched the History Channels "Mail Call", and the host who is always testing various weapons, had a rather simple shootout between a German Luger and the Colt 1911. He shot some weighted objects hanging from ropes. They both moved the weights, the .45 just moved it more...

[Big Norm]

Johnny,
I saw that program too. Right after 'Band of Brothers'. I am tempted to agree with the host if he agreed to sell me the less appealing and ineffective Luger that he was using. Maybe all of us ought to flood his mail box with offers to buy that obsolete, old rust bucket just to take it off of his hands. Maybe a thousand or more offers from forum members to buy it might change his mind about the desirability of the Luger.
Big Norm

[Lugerdoc]

Johnny, Appearantly NATO has accepted the WW2 German pistol ammo philosophy of using a lighter, higher penetration round (9mm vs 45acp) that will penetrate the old GI steel helmets and cause more wounds than kills. If you wound a soldier in the field, it ties up more men, than if he's dead. TH

[Johnny C. Kitchens]

I also believe he shot the Luger more accurately and hit the weight dead center. The 1911 was off to the side which made it move more and twist to the left...

[redbird dave]

Two months or so ago I sent an email to the old gunny Sergeant and suggested he have a shoot off using a luger and a Colt 1911. It was nice to see the one shot match, although I wish he would have shot an entire clip through each gun and used a paper target as opposed to a block of wood hanging from a rope. Maybe he knew what the results would have been and did'nt want the luger to show up the Colt. Oh well, Semper Fi Carry on!

[Johnny C. Kitchens]

Send him another message suggesting an accuracy match!!!

[redbird dave]

Good idea. I'll send gunny another email and suggest he conduct an "accuracy" shooting match between the P08 and the Colt 911.

[Thor]

Remember the History Channel sequence where the guy fired the Luger with his eyes closed? How about a shoot from the hip match? The Luger is very pointable. I think the Colt might fair better than some other pistols as it has a rather steep rake angle to the grip, but I think the Luger would win.

[MikeP]

A wounded soldier can kill you stone dead-I have seen this personally-the only reason to shoot a human being is to kill him as quickly as possible.

I know this is an old story but it was obviously made up by somebody with a big imagination.

I also know of an NVA that took eight rounds center of mass from a Swedish "K" who merely looked annoyed until he got about ten more.

[Doubs]

"I also know of an NVA that took eight rounds center of mass from a Swedish "K" who merely looked annoyed until he got about ten more."

That was one tough hombre by any standard! I've read stories about British troops during the Falklands War shooting Argentine troops multiple times with the 5.56mm round, seeing the dust jump from the uniform with each hit, and the Argie still coming on. One shot from the 7.62 NATO round was a different story altogether.

[G.W. Gill]

Real quote " Just leave them there. "
Thomas A. Gill. U.S.M.C. Rifle Team. Chosen Few. "Make sure ..." They did not have "snipers" at that time. Just the best shots. And they used them plenty. This was extra. They had regular assignments. To add to this; Dad told me he emptied an M1 carbine into a big Chinese guy and the guy fell on him. He then chose a .45 Thomson, but could not get enough ammo. Back to the M1 (BAR if he could get it loaded) and strapping his buddies to the engine cowling and over the tires to get out. Siphoning gas, running over landmines. His broken bones and bullit holes froze @ 30 below 0. After fighting their way out in the best "reverse attack to the rear" ever the Marines were then locked up in barbed wire enclosures," frostbitten and bandaged". This is because they wanted to get to MacArther and some Army Units. This is the truth. If you wan't a treat ask a Chosen Reservior Marine. The real ones won't want to talk about it. Watch out for the frauds. Sorry about digressing. Finish them off, move on...

[G.W. Gill]

On the subject of the original post. Tom Gill liked the .45. But he always took one of my Lugers when we went shooting. However, When he asked for somthing to use for protection he chose a civil war colt 1860 army. This is the guy who took turns sweeping away bodies because they could not shoot the others coming at them. I would have given him a .45 , I just did'nt have one at the time. And you know, this top sgt. made me clean his revolver after he shot armidillos on his lawn. I was 35... He is gone... Now I'm 48 and I bet he's laughing... I know my Mom is, she left Paris Island as a Marine also. Try having a little old lady Marine Mother. She is 80 and watch out.

[Ron Smith]

I have a friend (Ex-SOG), who signed on as a Merc, right after he came back from Vietnam. He spent some time in Angola. He carried a 1911A1 belt gun, and a Hi-Power in a shoulder holster. He said the effective stops were about 50-50. He runs security for a local timber co. Still carries the 1911A1. Has a Yugo AK, full-auto, clamped to his dash. The company does'nt have too much trouble with timber piracy.