What pistol would you carry in WW II
As I am a newbie here, I don't know if this will go through or not, so here goes.
One of the posters hit it on the head whith the reply of available ammo.
During WW2 Europe, the mid east and England, 9mm was probably more plentiful/available than the .45 ACP. However, if you were depending on the military for your source of ammo, the .45 ACP would probably be the arm of choice. Many pilots carried .38 Specials, with the S & W Victory or the 1917 models issued. Those who were with the Ferry Service came in contact with the Browning Hi Powers and the Webley's short barrel .455 caliber.
Pilots usually wore these in sholder/chest rigs for comfort.
Grunts always looked for pistols and the Germans had the .32 cal., the various 9 mm's (P-38's and Lugers) and Brownings 9mm to pick up on.
Some GI's were issued the Smith and Colt .45 ACP revolvers also, but the .38 Specials were more common. Truckers, Artillery, revolvers being carried by members of the Airborne Test Platoon at Fort Benning in 1940 and by AA gunners. The Army issued the .38s to the Service of Supply troops, provost troops, predecessors of the MPs, who guarded the ports and kept order among the garrisons.
So, What would I carry? Whatever I could get that insured me a plentiful supply of ammo.
Old Dogg