DMK
Member
I know he carried a single action .45 Colt and a Double Action S&W .357. What model was the .357?
I'd imagine that it was probably due to his cavalry roots, which was also probably why the SA Colt was up at bat first over the DA S&W.Very unforunate that Patton wasn't fond of the 1911.
I understand that it was a long uphill battle for some of the old school soldiers to take to the 1911 instead of a revolver, even after it was proven reliable in WW1.
There is a story that says Patton was soured on the 1911 after he performed an "action job" on one. The story says that, while his 1911 was holstered "cocked and locked", he stamped his foot and it discharged. Rather than blame the poor action work, he blamed the pistol. I am not sure if the story is true, but it sounds plausible.Very unforunate that Patton wasn't fond of the 1911.
It is true up to the point they could not get out the door because it was stuck. He never jumped out the window or fired at the German aircraft.Unless the story of his firing at a strafing plane is true.
I recall reading that before WWII, a young George Patton competed in Modern Pentathlon, and lost because he put two pistol bullets through the same hole . . . and it was scored as a miss.But that said, he was a competent marksman, and if occasion demanded he could hit what he shot at.
He used his Colt SAA while with Pershing's Expeditionary Force chasing Poncho Villa. He ran it dry and was not to happy with the slow reload while still taking fire. The Pershing thing was the last calvary charge and the first use of the 1911 in battle. The airplane shooting was apparently with his general officer's gun, a 1903 Colt Pocket Pistol he often carried under his jacket.While there is little doubt that Patton was an excellent shot, he was a flamboyant leader who carried those guns mainly for show. AFAIK, he never fired either one at an enemy. (Unless the story of his firing at a strafing plane is true. If it is, he apparently did not bring the plane down.).