1911 (courtesy americanrifleman.org)

A reader sent us a tip that Senator John McCain has added a provision to S.2943 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, which just passed the Senate, that may require the destruction of 1911 pistols. Specifically, government surplus 1911 pistols [still] awaiting transfer to the Civilian Marksmanship Program. A section of the bill states:

SEC. 331. REPURPOSING AND REUSE OF SURPLUS MILITARY FIREARMS.

(a) Army Transfers.—
(1) REQUIRED TRANSFER.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), the Secretary of the Army shall transfer to Rock Island Arsenal all excess firearms, related spare parts and components, small arms ammunition, and ammunition components currently stored at Defense Distribution Depot, Anniston, Alabama, that are no longer actively issued for military service.
(2) REPURPOSING AND REUSE.—The items specified for transfer under paragraph (1) shall be melted and repurposed for military use as determined by the Secretary of the Army, including—
(A) the re-forging of new firearms or their components; and
(B) force protection barriers and security bollards.

I’ve called several sources to confirm details of the legislation, including Senator McCain’s office. A source within the CMP says that the legislation will affect the program. More details as we know them.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

54 COMMENTS

    • Perhaps so. Despite having a MA LTC since 2014 (and a TTAG reader since before that), I still have yet to make a first purchase (funny how life gets in the way of the simplest things). All things considered, today would seem to be the perfect day to start a collection.

      • If you buy a gun right now, people are going to think you’re a homo. But joking aside, you’re supposed to buy a winter coat during summertime.

        • So, an entirely new segment of the population suddenly sees the need to join our side in the fight, and all you’ve got are slurs?

        • LOL!

          Seriously, this site is crawling with anti-semites and the regulars say nothing. But bring up a gay slur and all hell breaks loose. You people are mental cases.

        • Better to hide an MCX, they’re so much more lethal with that scary shoulder thing that goes sideways.

      • MrFahrenheit:

        Boy I mean “Girl”, you’re so “sensitive”. Maybe you’re a self-hating closeted one, a secretly registered Democrat in addition to being a Moslem like the Orlando shooter

  2. Can John McCain be repurposed? I mean, again? 6 terms is too much, and door-greeter at NO AR Walmart could be a good job until replaced by a more human robot.

      • What guilt? I’ve hated the man for years. That made no difference. 3 million people in Phoenix vs ? Elsewhere. Wish he’d just leave.

    • Speaking of lame (a _ _) ducks, how come no one’s saying that about the Prez? Is he NOT leaving in T- a few months?

      US media can stuff it, GW Bush was called a “lame duck” literally two days into his second term.

    • The people of his home state need to re-purpose this antique. He was always a bit iffy and has gotten worse over time.

    • Sure McStain can be “repurposed” but NOT by us, he’d do best working with ISIS after all look at how easy it was for him to kill 143 of his shipmates on the USS Forrestal.

  3. Why would this only impact 1911s? This would seem to impact Garands as well (and other CMP offerings). Or are they not included because ownership has already been transferred to the CMP? So no new Garands?

    • Here is the full text of that section. It will not affect M1 Garands and .22’s that are already required by law to be transferred to the CMP (1996 law that created the CMP). It also authorizes (but does not mandate) up to 2k each of 1911’s and M14’s to be rescued for museums and authorizes (but not mandate) the Navy to transfer their M1’s and .22’s to the CMP for use as trophies in Navy and USMC competitions (as was done in the past).

      Existing law:
      https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/36/40728

      Language in this bill:

      (a) Army Transfers.—

      (1) REQUIRED TRANSFER.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), the Secretary of the Army shall transfer to Rock Island Arsenal all excess firearms, related spare parts and components, small arms ammunition, and ammunition components currently stored at Defense Distribution Depot, Anniston, Alabama, that are no longer actively issued for military service.

      (2) REPURPOSING AND REUSE.—The items specified for transfer under paragraph (1) shall be melted and repurposed for military use as determined by the Secretary of the Army, including—

      (A) the re-forging of new firearms or their components; and

      (B) force protection barriers and security bollards.

      (3) TRANSFER FOR HISTORICAL PURPOSES.—Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary may transfer up to 2,000 surplus caliber .45 M1911/M1911A1 pistols and 2,000 M–14 Rifles to a military museum for display and preservation.

      (4) ITEMS EXEMPT FROM TRANSFER.—M–1 Garand and caliber .22 rimfire rifles are not subject to the transfer requirement under paragraph (1).

      (b) Navy Transfers.—Section 40728 of title 36, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

      “(i) Authorized Navy Transfers.—

      “(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), the Secretary of the Navy may transfer to the corporation, in accordance with the procedures prescribed in this subchapter, M–1 Garand and caliber .22 rimfire rifles held within the inventories of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps and stored at Defense Distribution Depot, Anniston, Alabama, or Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Indiana, as of the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017.

      “(2) USE AS MARKSMANSHIP TROPHIES.—The items specified for transfer under paragraph (1) shall be used as awards for competitors in marksmanship competitions held by the United States Marine Corps or the United States Navy and may not be resold.”.

  4. Did any of you really think you were going to get CMP 1911s? The misinformation on the Nov. NDAA was deep and stinky. Nothing was mandated and the conditions placed on the CMP coupled with the one year authorization meant that there would never be CMP 1911s until there was a change in the white house.

    • Yeah…I really thought I was going to have a chance to buy an 80 year old 1911 that maybe said “Singer” or “Ithaca” on the side…or maybe even the Remington Rand run that had “New York” spelled out on the side of the slide….. to keep and bear and reflect on the history of the 20th century…I see I was tricked…again…..still….

  5. It’s a shame, but I have an uneasy feeling that in light of the upcoming sell-out, er vote I mean, in the Senate that the CMP will be the least of our worries.

    Tom

  7. As if the citizens of Arizona needed another reason to shitcan this dinosaur in Nov…

    • As with Cornyn, the issue is there is never a same-party or 3rd party alternative offered to vote for. They only get re-elected because the alternative is worse, though not by much it seems.

      I wish Senators were still appointed by State legislatures.

      • This is a big issue, largely responsible for our national government’s slide into both authoritarian statism and pandering to morons for votes.

        Under the original constitutional plan, states had *direct* representation in the federal government. Without it, governors have been reduced to mere petitioners.

    • I’ve already contacted Dr. Ward’s communication’s manager about this and asked if Ward will use this against McCain. Let’s see what happens (I’m willing to forward any response I get on this, and his earlier statement Ward supports repealing the NFA, to anyone who wants it).

  8. Given the price they were planning to ask for them…

    I would hate to see all that history destroyed, but their pricing put the 1911’s out of the reach of most civilian marksmen/women, given that less storied but equally effective 1911’s can be had for significantly less money. And those wouldn’t be shot out rattle traps, either.

    • The value per gun is huge, and the intrinsic value of the smelted steel is about ten cents, which makes destruction instead of sale a tremendous waste.
      I had come to regret voting for GWB in the 2000 primary, but that POS McLame just convinced me I did the right thing.

  9. McCain is a disgrace. Thank you for your more than honorable military service, Senator; your legislative service has been less than honorable. Go home, write a book, putter around the house, and leave us alone.

  10. If it’s any consolation, the whole “buy a 1911 from the CMP” was probably never going to happen, anyway. And if by some miracle the CMP did get a few 1911s, they would certainly have sold them via auction, which would have meant absurdly high prices for shot-out, beat-to-hell guns.

    It might have been cool for collectors who wanted a real USGI pistol, but everyone who thought this was going to be a way to get a good 1911 for cheap was mistaken from the start.

  12. WTF??? I thought John McCain was a Republican? I seem to remember him running for some important office or the other as a Republican. Could have sworn that happened.

  13. I’ve been warning friends for years: Republicans are not really our friends. Reluctant friends at best and this latest example shows us that Republican are not reliable friends.

    Events (the Orlando shooting) have caught us unprepared again -even though most of us know that Democrats will always exploit such tragedies with the aim to further attack gun owners and the 2nd Amendment.

    I am only suggesting: Donald Trump isn’t a Republican but he is changing the Republican Party from within – in a good direction. This is what the RINOs are really up in arms about and why they suddenly became anti-Trump once the primaries were over. Trump needs to be sure to gather supporters with the aim to change the RNC membership at the convention (which is weeks away). Is he that savvy? I sure as hell hope so.

    • Agreed, and I have been saying the same thing about Republicans for a while also.

      We don’t have any representation at all. Remind me about something about ‘no taxation…’ but I can’t remember the rest of that one.

  15. Reminding all that I have an under computer bunker to dash too. Who cares? They eliminate a bunch of rattle traps and folks need to buy new made guns instead. These 1911’s were bought and paid for before most of us were born. Now money that the .gov would have got will go to private industry to crank out more pistols.

    It’s not like they were threatening real historic pieces like Mosin Nagants…….

  16. Trump was right, John McStain isn’t and never was a “hero” for being captured. It has been speculated that he was a collaborator during his time in North Vietnam.

  17. Orlando caught us unprepared? Not me. Been saying it for months. Better stock up on ammo, and buy “assault type weapons”, and hi cap mags, because they will be 1st to go under( God forbid, hellary), or if used in another massacre, which was only a matter of time.

  19. Even if a piece of American history was ever going to be put up for sale. The 1911s in questions. Their condition and the prices I thought I had seen for them.
    They might as well be made into manhole covers.
    I wanted one. I am on the waiting list.
    Prices I had heard and not many in usable condition,………..I dunno. You wouldn’t get to have your choice. It would be take what you get in the condition its in.
    A lot of them are like McCain. Well past their usefulness. They as he should be retired. The 1911s honorably though. McCain?? Not so much just kicked to the curb.
    Besides Ive bought 2 new 1911s since all this waiting all began.

  20. Sorry folks..doesn’t ring true.

    Would include all M1’s, everything, all spares, the way it’s written. Specifying the use of the melted metal? Please. And they don’t melt, they Cap’n Crunch. The text just doesn’t fit other NDAA items I’ve seen. I think it may be a McCain hit piece (not that I like him…), or just, ‘let’s watch the gun rubes burst a blood vessel…’. Mccain is in a hard fight for his Senate seat…this would be political suicide in AZ.

    If not, I’ll eat the requisite crow through grinding molars.

    • The full language of the section (that was not published in the article) includes an exemption for garands and .22’s under subsection (4).

      (a) Army Transfers.—

      (1) REQUIRED TRANSFER.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), the Secretary of the Army shall transfer to Rock Island Arsenal all excess firearms, related spare parts and components, small arms ammunition, and ammunition components currently stored at Defense Distribution Depot, Anniston, Alabama, that are no longer actively issued for military service.

      (2) REPURPOSING AND REUSE.—The items specified for transfer under paragraph (1) shall be melted and repurposed for military use as determined by the Secretary of the Army, including—

      (A) the re-forging of new firearms or their components; and

      (B) force protection barriers and security bollards.

      (3) TRANSFER FOR HISTORICAL PURPOSES.—Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary may transfer up to 2,000 surplus caliber .45 M1911/M1911A1 pistols and 2,000 M–14 Rifles to a military museum for display and preservation.

      (4) ITEMS EXEMPT FROM TRANSFER.—M–1 Garand and caliber .22 rimfire rifles are not subject to the transfer requirement under paragraph (1).

  21. I finally found CMP, but did not see the 1911s on their website. I would like to get a “real” 1911, even just for having.

  23. And the Republicans will continue to stand there with a stupid look on their faces and their d***s in their hands wondering how Donald Trump happened. This after multiple election cycles where it was clear Republican voters were getting sick of their BS. I vote Republican because I think stupidity and corruption is less dangerous than leftist attacks on the foundations of our country. After this year, I’m not so certain. If they don’t come correct soon, I’m gonna give up on these idiots.

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