I never served in the Military, never been a LEO. I did have Mentors that were, and I know folks in these Professions and Similar.
Personally, here is the way I view this. Bureaucrats have always been and always be a misunderstood bunch. Decisons based on emotions, promised deals, paybacks for assistance ...does not always equate to getting the best tool for the job.
Sometimes after all the posturing, and testing, the reason something is chosen, is simply because of lowest bidder. I always find this funny, as many attach something being the "best" based on the reasoning "XYZ" uses it. Oh while some purchases are in fact well thought out, tested , reviewed and chosen based on "the best tool for the task" many are simply reduced to "we can get these for less monies".
Marketing - we cannot forget Marketing in TV, Movies, and Magazines.
Silly little tribes - Tamara
Be honest, how many bought a Beretta 92 based on the movie Lethal Weapon , and not because the Military chose that platform to replace the 1911?
The Browning Highpower in 9mm is a proven Combat Pistol , still in use today.
Who knows how many folks have fallen to 9mm ammo? Including the enemies of the US and our Allies falling to 9mm fired by other platforms, such as the Luger.
Gov't Model of 1911 is another proven Combat Pistol. As designed by John Moses Browning, it works, always has, always will. It is a tool unto itself, if needing to be taken all the way down for deep cleaning. Still do an Internet Search of Larry Vickers, he did a sand test, he acually poured fine North Carolina sand into various platforms. 1911s worked, many other platforms did not.
1911s have worked, and continue to work in freezing temps, blistering heat, rain, mud, snow, and you name it.
I am speaking of a 1911 style pistol made to specifications as designed, with the correct metallury and configurations as intended and designed by JMB.
Even the folks that wanted this 1911 pistol "enhanced" for other uses understood this. I know one person that shot competition for the Military, his 1911s were accurized and messed with just a little - and he would NOT carry those guns in combat, he knows the difference in a Combat gun, and a Range gun.
Bulls-Eye shooters enhanced guns, as did other disciplines, and these folks, Even Jim Clark Sr. knew the difference in a Combat pistol and the Bulls-Eye guns he was building.
Yes I am in the camp, give me a bone stock Gov't Model of 1911 with USGI 7 rd mags, and I fine.
Yes, I am in the camp , give me a bone stock BHP in 9mm and I am good to go.
Bureaucrats do not always have the best interest of the user of a tool at heart. Sorry, cold hard fact.
Now I have buddy of mine that builds race guns using the 1911 platform, his guns run, be they 45ACP, 9x23 or .38Super. His home gun, carry gun is the bone stock Gov't model of 1911, using USGI/ Colt 7 rds mags, with sealed baseplats. He never served in Military or was in LEO either.
Two other gunsmiths, now passed, did serve in Military and /or LEO and they too built Bulls-Eye and Race Guns . Again they used Bone Stock Gov't Models of 1911 with USGI/ Colt 7 rd mags. They also carried the Lightweight Commander too, with the same mags.
Yes I am in a Tribe as well, just mine happens to be a OLD tribe I suppose.
Just my personal experiences and observations, the 1911 and BHP , between these two platforms will fit 100% of the hands that will be using them.