Dan,

I guess it's a matter of preference. I knew a lot of Old-Corps Marines, especially the Recon crazies, who never went anywhere without their .45 pistols. For up-close bush work, they were very helpful. But, as you say, don't try to hit anything any further than throwing distance.

Knew a corporal in Bravo 1/5 who was seriously injured when the slide blew off his .45.

Jim E.

>I was a tank crewman in the Army from '84 to '87, and we had .45's as our sidearms too. All of them were WW2 vintage and flat wore out. The one I was first issued was so bad it put the rounds in the bottom right corner of a half-sillouette, even though I was aiming off the top left shoulder, at about 8 yards. I'da done better throwing it.