What were the US and Canadaian issue pistols in WW2?
- Thread starter CanuckShooter
- Start date
Missing Something
Regular
Canada carried a few things.... S&W Victory model in .38 S&W, Webley MKIV in 38 S&W, Browning Hi-power in 9mm, Webley MKVI in .455 (home guard & non-combat personell mainly).
US used the S&W Victory as well in both 38 S&W and 38 SPL. Colt type 1911's in .45 ACP, Colt 1908 in .32 ACP, .380 ACP.
These are just a few of the top of my head. There were others as well. Some WW1 guns came out of storage and were used as well by both countries in various roles. Not to mention private purchase pistols used by soldiers.
just my 2 cents....
US used the S&W Victory as well in both 38 S&W and 38 SPL. Colt type 1911's in .45 ACP, Colt 1908 in .32 ACP, .380 ACP.
These are just a few of the top of my head. There were others as well. Some WW1 guns came out of storage and were used as well by both countries in various roles. Not to mention private purchase pistols used by soldiers.
just my 2 cents....
The Wizard
CGN Regular
- Location
- Colorado Springs, Colorado USA
The "standard" issue sidearm for United States of America Armed Forces during the period 1941 to 1945 was the U.S. Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911A1. Which was standardized in 1927(?). Now due to limited inventories of M1911/M1911A1 pistols subsititute standard handguns were also issued. The three most widely issued subsititute standard pistols were the Colt and S&W M1917 revolvers (in .45ACP) and the S&W Model 10 (in .38 Special). The .32 and .380 Colt pocket pistols were issue to general officers and for special ops. A number of other handguns were purchased by the U. S. government but the vast majority of handguns carried by U.S. military personnel were the first four handguns mentioned.
The Wizard said:
The makers of the WWII USGI 1911A-1 pistols for the USA were Colt, Ithaca, Remington-Rand and Union Switch & Signal. A small smattering of 1911A-1's were also made by Singer [quite rare].
A division of General Motors also produced a stamped single shot .45ACP pistol called the Liberator that was dropped to resistance forces in Europe & China:
Canada's primary handgun during WWII was the Smith & Wesson "Military & Police" revolver chambered in .38S&W (of which the .380 British service revolver cartridge was a military version.) The "Victory" revolver referred to in some of the replies posted so far was, in effect, a "war expedient" variant of the M&P model - not all Canadian service revolvers were that configuration, however - for example, the example pictured in the article linked to below is a very nice commercial-grade revolver, with polished blue finish and checkered grips.
In 1944, we adopted the home-built Inglis High Power (9mm) which remains our standard-issue military handgun right up to the present day. (For WWII service, Canada acquired over 118,000 S&W .38 revolvers, and about 54,000 Inglis pistols, versus about 3,500 .380 Enfield revolvers - mostly used by the RCAF, as I recall - and 4000 1911A1 Colts - issued to Airborne troops, mainly.)
Canada has had very few Webleys at any time (WWI, WWII or ever) - and only the relatively small number of Enfield revolvers mentioned above - most of our service pistols have been American, as detailed in the article (link below.) Our primary handguns during WWI were the Model 1911 Colt in .45ACP (5000 acquired) and the S&W "Hand Ejector" revolver - also called the "New Century" model - in .455 cal (14,500 of those).
For more detail, here is an online article about Canada's military service handguns of the 20th Century ...
http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/mediawiki-1.5.5/index.php?title=Service_Pistols
In 1944, we adopted the home-built Inglis High Power (9mm) which remains our standard-issue military handgun right up to the present day. (For WWII service, Canada acquired over 118,000 S&W .38 revolvers, and about 54,000 Inglis pistols, versus about 3,500 .380 Enfield revolvers - mostly used by the RCAF, as I recall - and 4000 1911A1 Colts - issued to Airborne troops, mainly.)
Canada has had very few Webleys at any time (WWI, WWII or ever) - and only the relatively small number of Enfield revolvers mentioned above - most of our service pistols have been American, as detailed in the article (link below.) Our primary handguns during WWI were the Model 1911 Colt in .45ACP (5000 acquired) and the S&W "Hand Ejector" revolver - also called the "New Century" model - in .455 cal (14,500 of those).
For more detail, here is an online article about Canada's military service handguns of the 20th Century ...
http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/mediawiki-1.5.5/index.php?title=Service_Pistols
Lee Enfield
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Republic of Alberta
Missing Something said:
Everyone seems to be forgetting the Colt Official Police which was used by all of the allied countries in .38 Special & .38 S&W/.380/Colt New Police.
One reason they are not as common as the Smiths is that Colt didn't blow several million dollars on a "light rifle" which didn't work
The Wizard
CGN Regular
- Location
- Colorado Springs, Colorado USA
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