Honoring a native son, the state legislature of Utah designated the M1911 pistol as the official state handgun. John M. Browning’s legendary design joins 24 other official Utah state symbols ranging from the blue spruce to the honeybee.

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert signed the M1911 designation into law last week.

State Rep. Carl Wimmer, a former police officer and SWAT team commander, said he suggested the idea of an official state handgun last year after hearing that Pennsylvania lawmakers toyed with the idea of designating the Pennsylvania long rifle as its official state firearm.

"There was more controversy than I anticipated, but it really passed with bipartisan support," Wimmer told CNN. "One of the biggest comments from the critics was that we should not honor an implement of death. And my response to that has always been is that this firearm does not represent an implement of death. It represents an implement of freedom—just the mere fact that our soldiers have used this firearm to defend liberty and freedom around the world for the last 100 years."

The Insider has a feeling that Utah may well lead the way for more such designations. Texas Gov. Rick Perry employed a Ruger LCP to shoot a coyote that threatened him while jogging last year, but surely the Colt Walker should be the Texas official handgun, designed by Texas Ranger Capt. Sam Walker.

New Hampshire should get first dibs on making Ruger its state firearm, after all.