.....well, it's that time of year again...the 4th of July weekend...fireworks tents have popped up all over my ao again....dozens of them....the sound of fireworks goes on well into the night here....and of course, there has already been a couple of accidents...mostly because there are idiots out there...no fatalities as yet but it wouldn't surprise me....there really should be IQ tests given before anyone can purchase any fireworks...of course, that wouldn't work because sales would plummet here in Tennessee....but it might save a finger or two....
....and speaking of Tennessee...I caught a news article the other day mentioning that the state is considering a bill that would exempt veterans from taking a handgun safety course before they can get a carry permit...and of course, the sponsors of the bill were proud to be making such a gesture for vets...and also of course, making the most of the publicity.........but I got to thinking...as far as I can remember...not all...or even most...of the army basic or mos training involved the use of...or instructions for...a handgun of any kind....anyone out there remember?......so anyway....it really is not such a great idea at all...just political show.....
...so on that note...I am signing off...but be advised....I ain't done yet....lefty

I cant speak for all branches of service, but USMC in the 60's taught us the use care and safety with a M=14 and a colt Model 1911 .45 cal semiauto. But being a southern boy raised around guns, i had a basic knowledge already. Dont pull it unless you have to, and dont fire unless you intend to kill.

Hey lefty how ya doing....

Our personal weapon in The Tanks was the Model 1911 Cal 45 pistol, my personal favorite Weapon was the Ithica or the Springfield, in fact I own a Springfield now. I also have a Berretta Model 8045 Cougar cal.45. We also had 3 45 cal. Grease Guns on board that we had to Qualify with.

I was very proficient with the pistol and qualified expert, I also was a member of the Battalion pistol team, so I got much more time on the range.

Keep in mind this was while I was Stationed in Germany.

In RVN we could have just about any weapon we wanted on the tank.



Remember......."Real Happiness is a Belt Fed Weapon"..

Hey there Lefty!
About your question concerning hand guns. When I enlisted in 1958 and went thru basic the main weapon was the M-1. I don't remember the caliber, I'm not a gun person. We got to shoot the BAR(Browning Automatic Rifle) but only for familirization purposes only.
When I re-enlisted in 1964 I was assigned a M-14. Went to the firing range and got to shoot a .45. I qualified as a Marksman. Not to bad for a city dude, or so I thought. It was a nice hand gun. But we don't own any guns. The wife's sister and husband own several. I'm for gun ownership but not a member of NRA.
What I know about guns would fill the shell casing of a .22 LR.

Durning my short stint as a MP at Fort Gordon I carried a 45 but cannot remember firing that pistol.