Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:29:56-4:36:12

Why a better pistol would change little in the naval war

Pistol choices rest largely on personal preference because sidearm selection would have little effect on the naval war.

Browning Hi PowerRoyal NavyShipboard Small Arms
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

What would be the best pistol for Royal Navy use in the Second World War?

Short answer

There is no agreed winner. The Browning receives personal support, but the panel gives pistol choice little strategic importance.

Notes

A redesigned pistol is judged unlikely to change the naval war appreciably. Alex Clarke's preference for the Browning design comes from learning to shoot and work on an experimental 10 mm version with his grandfather. Other suggestions draw on personal firing experience and sometimes leave the Second World War availability constraint behind. A later contribution treats a conspicuous sidearm as a means of display, while the sailors' rifles provide the more substantial armed force. The exchange does not settle on a single agreed wartime design.