The Army pistol used to kill Emmitt Till
By Pat Elder
August 30, 2025
U.S. Army M1911A1 Automatic Colt Pistol
The U.S. Army pistol used in the lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till is now on public display, seven decades after his killing. On August 28, 2025—the 70th anniversary of Till’s murder—the Mississippi Department of Archives and History unveiled the .45-caliber handgun and its holster at a news conference.
The weapon once belonged to John William “JW” Milam, who, along with Roy Bryant, abducted Till from his great-uncle’s home on August 28, 1955. The two white men brutally tortured and murdered Till after he was accused of whistling at a white woman in a Mississippi grocery store.
Till’s body was later recovered from the Tallahatchie River. Though Milam and Bryant were charged with his murder, they were acquitted by an all-white, all-male jury.
During WWII, the M1911A1 .45 ACP pistol was the standard-issue sidearm for American forces. Milam’s weapon of choice in the lynching of Emmett Till was likely the Army pistol that he carried home from World War II.
Officially, soldiers were supposed to turn in their sidearms when they left the service, but thousands of veterans of the era simply slipped them back into civilian life without consequence. Enforcement of regulations was notoriously lax, and the military looked the other way as these handguns, stamped “U.S. Property,” quietly disappeared into dresser drawers and glove compartments across the country.
In the United States, surplus military firearms like the M1911A1 have been released to the public primarily through the Director of Civilian Marksmanship (DCM) and its successor, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP).
When the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) succeeded the DCM in 1996 while Clinton was president, Congress greatly expanded the program. (In that year CDC data shows about 34,000 total gun deaths, far exceeding any nation on earth.)
The U.S. government has released thousands of surplus M1911 pistols to the public. The FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorized up to 10,000 pistol transfers annually. According to the GAO, from 1996 to 2018 the CMP had transferred 700,000 rifles & handguns to the public.
What could go wrong?
By contrast, in Europe and almost all other nations, surplus military sidearms are destroyed once they are withdrawn from service. This is done for security, liability, and political reasons. Civilized governments have policies to reduce the pool of firearms in circulation, avoid fueling black markets, and comply with international agreements on small-arms controls. For instance, the U.S. never ratified the U.N. Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition. It is legally binding on nations that ratify.
The gun used to kill Emmitt Till - United States Property No. 2102279 M 1911 AI U.S. Army
United States Property is standard marking on military-issued M1911 A1 pistols, indicating it was government property, not a commercial sale.
M 1911 A1 U.S. Army is the improved version of the original 1911 pistol adopted in 1926, widely issued through WWII, Korea, and into Vietnam.
The gun was made by the Ithaca Gun Company in 1945.
History of the CMP
After the Spanish–American War of 1898, U.S. Army officers were alarmed to discover that many new recruits — especially those from cities — had never handled a firearm and were poor shots. This raised concerns about the nation’s military readiness.
In response, Congress passed the War Department Appropriations Act of 1903, which established the Office of the Director of Civilian Marksmanship (DCM). The purpose was to promote gun use among civilians who could later be called to military service. The DCM organized marksmanship training, provided surplus rifles and ammunition to gun clubs and individuals, and even sponsored shooting matches.
Civilians can purchase surplus military rifles, ammunition, and other gear at low cost through the U.S. government. The program is best known for selling used U.S. military rifles like the M1903 Springfield, M1 Garand, and our M1911AI pistol to the public. They’re still at it.
In 1996, Congress shifted the program out of the Army’s control and turned it into today’s Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), which is a federally chartered nonprofit. The CMP continues the mission — training in marksmanship and selling surplus military firearms and new ammunition to the public.
The program has been very popular among Democrats and Republicans in Congress. The CMP files its federal tax return 990 under the name of its 501(c)(3) Corporation For The Promotion Of Rifle Practice And Firearms Safety.
Corporation For The Promotion Of Rifle Practice And Firearms Safety - Civilian Marksmanship Program, Anniston, AL
Tax-exempt since May 2006 EIN: 34-1839195
Net Assets of $320 million for the company that continues to peddle the Army’s used pistols, the same kind that killed Emmitt Till.
The mission of the CMP is to put guns into the hands of American youth: “Promote excellence in marksmanship and firearms safety through nationwide youth programs, competitions, and partnerships with proceeds from the restoration and sale of historic American firearms in a secure and accountable process.”
The Creedmoor .45 ACP Match HP 185 grain ammunition is available to the public by the congressionally mandated CMP without club membership. It fully compatible with the M1911A1 pistol and many other pistols.
TO PURCHASE A PISTOL FROM THE CMP, A PURCHASER MUST PROVIDE PROOF OF THESE 4 ITEMS:
1. U.S. Citizenship and Age
2. Membership in CMP Affiliated Organization: Purchaser must provide a copy of current membership card or other proof of membership. The CMP currently has over 2,000 affiliated organizations located in many parts of the country. Membership in many of these organizations costs $25.00 or less and can be accomplished online.
3. Marksmanship or other Firearms Related Activity: You must provide proof of participation in a marksmanship related activity. Most states offer inexpensive or even free hunter education courses, typically online. Passing one provides a certificate accepted by CMP. This is the easiest way to qualify.
4. Legal Eligibility to Purchase a Firearm.