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During World War II, the Office Of Strategic Service used M1911 pistols in .38 Super.[16][17][18] The Norwegian resistance used .38 Super M1911 pistols, purchased 1,429 examples in mid-1940 by the British Purchasing Commission. King Haakon VII of Norway used one of the .38 Super M1911s as his personal defence weapon in WW2.[citation needed]
Colonel Thompson’s Tests
The Thompson-LeGarde tests of 1904, led by the inventor of the Tommy Gun, Colonel John T. Thompson, became a cornerstone in the search for the next service pistol. These tests rigorously evaluated various calibers, including the 7.65×21mm Parabellum and the 9×19mm Parabellum. Thompson’s conclusion was unequivocal: the new service pistol must be no less than .45 caliber.
This led to the historic trials that pitted renowned firearms manufacturers against each other. The tests each firearm underwent were grueling, with one in particular seeing each individual firearm expel 6,000 rounds of ammunition over the course of two days. The Colt M1911, which would eventually be declared the winner, famously continued firing after being dunked in water because it became too hot. Its creator, John Moses Browning, was reportedly in attendance for this feat.
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