[CmdrSlander]

WWII era GI M1911s are seeing use by the Free Syrian Army. How did they get there? Have they been there since WWII? Any theories?

[Skylerbone]

Been there all this time, abandoned in 1945 right next to the rocket propelled grenades. Nothing to see here, move along. Move along.

[CmdrSlander]

Been there all this time, abandoned in 1945 right next to the rocket propelled grenades. Nothing to see here, move along. Move along.
Are you actually dismissing this or are you implying something...?

[Skylerbone]

What's the phrase...absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. With nothing provable and an absolute lack of investigative journalism the only conclusion can be that the truth will never be shared. I would be curious to know how many ex-SEALS are recruited by the State Department to be security guards...

[1911Tuner]

Nor surprising at all. With the millions of 1911 pistols, copies, clones, and variants built in the last century...you're subject to encounter one just about anywhere. Go to Syria and look hard enough, and you'll probably find a BAR or an '03 Springfield or two.

[elrowe]

What's your source? What quantities? How did you date it to WWII?

If you saw it in a picture it might have been Hi-Powers - they look a lot like 1911s and were one of the standard pistols for the Syrian army. 1911Tuner's spot on about the proliferation of WWII vintage US military arms worldwide, just think of the millions of US-designed firearms that ended up being assimilated into the Vietnamese military in 1975 and the PLA in 1949. Any of these could easily have ended up in Syria.

[CmdrSlander]

What's your source? What quantities? How did you date it to WWII?

If you saw it in a picture it might have been Hi-Powers - they look a lot like 1911s and were one of the standard pistols for the Syrian army. 1911Tuner's spot on about the proliferation of WWII vintage US military arms worldwide, just think of the millions of US-designed firearms that ended up being assimilated into the Vietnamese military in 1975 and the PLA in 1949. Any of these could easily have ended up in Syria.
My source is a photo on NPR's picture show blog showing a Free Syrian Fighter posing with his M1911. I know it is not a High Power because it has checkering on the recoil spring cap (he is pointing the gun toward the camera). A High Power would not have a recoil spring cap at all, as I understand it.

[dom1104]

I wonder if its a Ed Brown.

[Hapworth]

Arms trade. Business. International. Is.

[Devonai]

Obviously these freedom fighters had access to THR's archives, and after dozens of hours of reading old threads, made the only logical choice and ordered some 1911 clones from Gander Mountain.

[627PCFan]

probably find a BAR or an '03 Springfield or two. Sure wish I could just find a BAR laying around :D

[AethelstanAegen]

They'er using an awful lot of WW2 vintage firearms in general. One of the more notable examples being a large quantity of MP-43/STG-44s. There's all kinds of stuff laying about that neck of the woods and I can guarantee you they're happy to get there hands on anything else they can get back into Syria. I guess honestly, I'd have been genuinely shocked if there wasn't a 1911.

[rdhood]

They'er using an awful lot of WW2 vintage firearms in general.

Interesting. The implication (to me) is that folks sat on a lot of guns for a long time... like someone might do when a "trustworthy" government decides to start confiscating firearms.

Trustworthy today does not equal trustworthy tomorrow... or 30 years from now.

Kind of off topic, but is anyone watching "Revolution"? Nice quote from this week's show. To paraphrase: "We stocked up on food and medicine, but no gun. That was a mistake."

[627PCFan]

The firearms themselves do not really surprise me, however the ammo supply is what I would think would be the weak point. 30-06 is not a standard military round these days by any modern army, so I wonder where the opposing party is getting their supplies from. Same with the german guns from WW2. Can you imagine trying to supply the fighters with bullk rounds of 7.92×33mm. In any kind of campaign its all about logistics.

[1911Tuner]

PCFan...The same places that the Afghans got their .303 British ammo when the Soviets crossed their borders. There are literally millions of rounds of WW2-era ammunition in the pipes, if not billions. In some areas, it's bartered and traded like a commodity.

[AethelstanAegen]

Can you imagine trying to supply the fighters with bullk rounds of 7.92×33mm

There are also a handful of places the still make some of the more obscure types of ammo (ie things like 7.92x33). Prvi Partizan springs to mind. They're not only selling that stuff to the handful of collectors in Europe.

As 1911Tuner also pointed out there's still an awful lot of surplus floating around out there.

In case anyone was curious here (http://www.armoryblog.com/firearms/rifles/free-syrian-army-captures-5000-stg44s/) is a little bit about the 5000 STG-44s the FSA found in a shipping container. And here (http://www.armoryblog.com/firearms/rifles/stg-44-used-by-syrian-rebels/) they are in use.

[k_dawg]

And just imagine how much those would be worth to the US gov't, if they would simply sell them to US citizens.

[dogtown tom]

CmdrSlander ....My source is a photo on NPR's picture show blog showing a Free Syrian Fighter posing with his M1911.
From that photo, how can you tell its a "WWII era GI M1911"?

It could be a Spanish Star clone.

[JM Browning]

They are Wilson Combat and they paid MSRP.

[AethelstanAegen]

They are Wilson Combat and they paid MSRP.

What's your source on this or is it a joke I don't get?

[JM Browning]

dom1104 few replies above "Wonder if it's an Ed Brown"
Ed Brown is a custom 1911 house, as is Wilson Combat
Maybe in the UAE one would expect that kind of ostentatiousness,
not in Syria. MSRP: Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price