Читать книгу Gun Digest 2011 - Dan Shideler - Страница 23

THE COLT 1911 The First Century

BY JOHN MALLOY

New names keep coming up for companies offering new 1911s. Legacy Sports now offers their Citadel 45 in full-size and compact versions.

Students of firearms are aware of the significance of the year 1911. In that year, a century ago, the Browning-designed Colt Model 1911 was adopted as the sidearm of the United States military forces. Perhaps no single semiautomatic handgun is better known, has had more influence on pistol design, or has had more influence on pistol design, than the 1911. Now, 100 years later, the Colt/Browning 1911 design lives on, little changed, and it remains amazingly popular.

Since its introduction, the 1911 proven itself as the United States military pistol in two World Wars and a number of other conflicts. Other countries produced the Colt/Browning design, made under license. Still other countries made unauthorized close copies of the pistol.

Civilian use of the big Colt pistol reinforced its value. By the midpoint of the 1900s, the 1911 was on its way to becoming one of the winningest target pistols use. In the latter part of the century, enforcement agencies were won over law enforcement agencies were won over to the semiautomatic pistol, and many went with the time-tested 1911.

For almost half its history, the 1911 reigned supreme as the premier semiautomatic pistol in America. During that time, no other big-bore pistol was even produced in quantity in this country. In latter part of the 20th century, other companies made competing semiautomatic pistols of more modern design, but the 1911 retained its popularity. With patent protection long gone, other firms began to make nearly exact copies-part-for-part-interchangeable 1911-type pistols-under their own names. New names, some now almost forgotten, entered the firearms lexicon. By the closing decade of the 1900s, other producers such as Springfield, Para-Ordnance and Kimber achieved major positions as 1911 manufacturers.

By the beginning of the 21st century, even companies that were making pistols with more modern features decided to get on the gravy train and began making their own 1911 pistols. Companies such as Smith & Wesson, SIG-Sauer and Taurus introduced 1911s.

The 1911 design, now a century old, seems to be at a peak of popularity.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

In the 1890s, the semiautomatic pistol was successfully introduced to the firearms world in Europe. In 1893, the Borchardt became the first commercially-successful autoloader, followed by designs of Mauser, Bergmann, Mannlicher and Luger. To these European developments was added one with an American name — Browning. John M. Browning’s 32-caliber pocket pistol was introduced in 1899 by Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Belgium. Early developments were relatively small in bore size, ranging from less than 30-caliber to an upper limit of 9mm. Around the turn of the 20th century, the concept of a larger-caliber semiautomatic pistol had been experimented with in several countries, including Great Britain. However, it took a design of American inventor John M. Browning to bring a truly successful big-bore pistol into being. Browning, along with his handgun work for FN, had provided designs to Colt. Colt saw promise in military sales and introduced a Browning-designed 38-caliber automatic in 1900. This caliber appeared to be a favorable one, as the US military was by then using 38-caliber revolvers.

However, the need for a largercaliber handgun became evident during the Spanish-American war of 1898 and the subsequent Philippine Insurrection. When the United States acquired the Philippine Islands from Spain as a result of the war, it was an unpleasant surprise to find that many Filipinos did not like American control any more than they had enjoyed Spanish rule.

The resulting insurrection was officially over in 1901, but deadly conflict, especially in the southern islands, continued well into the next decade. These southern islands were inhabited by fierce Moro tribes that had been converted to a form of Islam. The service sidearm of the time, the double-action .38 Long Colt revolver (marginal even in “civilized” warfare), proved to be inadequate to stop a charging Moro. Old Single Action Army 45-caliber revolvers were withdrawn from storage, had the barrels shortened to 5-1/2 inches, and were sent back into service. A quantity of 1878 double-action Colts, modified with a strange long trigger and enlarged guard, were also issued.

The stopping power of the old bigbore .45s proved to be far superior. However, they were stopgap measures. An effective standard modern handgun was needed.

What was needed? The famous Thompson-LaGarde tests, which involved shooting live stockyard cattle and human cadavers, provided one part of the answer: the new handgun would be a 45-caliber. Thus, the search for a new sidearm began in the early 1900s. Although semiautomatic pistols were coming into use, the cavalry still firmly favored the dependable revolver. The stage was set that any “automatic” considered must have reliability equal to that of the revolver and be a .45. A series of tests, to begin in 1906, was contemplated by the Army.

PRIOR TO THE TEST TRIALS

Two 45-caliber cartridges would be used: revolver use, and a rimless one for the automatic The rimless version was essentially similar

The rimless version was essentially similar to a commercial round produced by Winchester for Colt since the spring of 1905. The Winchester ammunition was made for Colt’s new 45-caliber autoloading pistol, which had been introduced in the fall of 1905.

The 1905 Colt .45, developed by John M. Browning, was a logical development of the locked-breech 38-caliber Colt/Browning pistol. The new .45 had a five-inch barrel, which gave it an overall length of about eight inches. It weighed about 33 ounces. Capacity of the magazine was seven rounds. The cartridge, in its original loading, pushed a 200-grain bullet at about 900 feet per second. It was a potent load for a semiautomatic pistol of the time.

To today’s shooters, the 1905 pistol might seem strange. It had no grip safety and no thumb safety. The shooter just cocked the hammer when he was ready to shoot. The hammer itself was of a rounded burr shape. The recessed magazine release was at the bottom of the grip frame. The only visible control was the slide stop on the left. It worked well, and a contemporary writer called it “a good fighting pistol.” It was the only .45 automatic in commercial production, a fact that gave it a decided advantage when the tests began.

It is worth commenting on the slide of the early Colt automatics. We are so used to semiautomatic pistols having slides that it is difficult to realize now what an innovation Browning had introduced. The earliest high-power auto pistols — the Borchardt, the Bergmann, the Mauser, the Mannlicher and the Luger — had exposed barrels with the locking mechanism completely behind the barrel. Browning designed the slide as a totally new concept, a moving breechblock that extended forward over the barrel. Not only did this make a much more compact pistol for any barrel length, but the slide and barrel could have mating lugs to form the short-recoil locking mechanism.

The Colt .38 automatics had been linked to the frame at both the front and rear of the barrel. Lugs on the barrel mated with recesses in the slide. Thus, the barrel and slide were locked together during firing. Then, as the barrel moved down after firing, the slide was free to move rearward, ejecting the empty case and feeding in a new cartridge on its return cycle. This same system was used with the 45-caliber Model 1905.

THE 1907-1911 TEST TRIALS

The initial tests were scheduled for 1906, then rescheduled for early 1907.

When the board convened on January 15, 1907, eight applicants had submitted nine designs. Three were revolvers, and six were automatic pistols. The revolvers, Colt, Smith & Wesson and Webley-Fosbery, were soon dropped from consideration.

The autoloaders, at that early stage of history, represented a variety of concepts in competition for the first time. Having the 1905 already in production made Colt the front-runner. However, besides the Colt, the Army also tested pistols from Bergmann, Knoble, White-Merrill, Luger, and Savage. Three of the entries - the Bergmann, Knoble and White-Merrill pistols - were rejected early in the tests as being unsuitable. The Colt was considered the best and the Savage worthy of additional testing. The Board authorized the purchase of 200 each of the Colt and Savage pistols for field tests. Colt, of course, readily accepted, but the fledgling Savage company, then just 12 years old, was unwilling to tool up for such a relatively small production run, so the contract was offered to the third-place Luger. The German DWM company (Deutsche Waffenund Munitionsfabriken), the maker of the Luger/Parabellum pistols, accepted the contract but then backed out. Apparently, the larger Luger .45 could not have been made on existing production machinery, and the German firm may have also been reluctant to redesign production tooling for a small contract. Also, DWM may have wanted to put more resources into the final development of its 9mm pistol. This pistol was indeed shortly thereafter adopted by the German Army as the Pistole ’08 (P08).

In the early post-WWII decades, the only 45-caliber semiautomatic pistols available to give the Colt Government Model any competition were the Spanish Llama (upper) and Star (lower) pistols. Neither design was a part-for-part copy of the 1911, but the guns were look-alikes of comparable size and weight.

The 1905 Colt was the first successful 45-caliber semiautomatic pistol. Having a gun already in production gave the Colt company a head start when the U. S. military tests began in 1907.

In 1971, Colt brought out the Combat Commander, the same size as the original lightweight Commander, but with a steel frame.

Revolvers had been made of stainless steel for some years, but in 1977, AMT brought out the first 1911-style 45 automatic made of stainless steel. The AMT Hardballer was essentially a stainless copy of the Colt Gold Cup National Match.

The failure of DWM to supply 45-caliber Lugers for the field tests gave Savage a chance to reconsider. A semiautomatic pistol would give the company a chance to expand its product line, which then consisted only of the hammerless leveraction rifle designed by Arthur Savage. Savage accepted the contract.

The competition of the Savage was a good thing. During the field tests, which ran from 1907 into 1911, the Savage was good enough to show that the original 1905 Colt design could use substantial improvement. Browning, 52 years old at the beginning of the tests, worked with Colt, making changes to the design as the continuing testing indicated they were needed. The result of the changes was an increasingly superior Colt pistol.

The final test was a 6000-round endurance test, held during March 1911. Pistols would cool after every 100 shots, and would be inspected, cleaned and oiled every 1000 shots. Both pistols fired over 1000 rounds without problems, but as the shooting continued, the Savage developed problems with malfunctions, and parts defects appeared. The refined Colt fired shot after shot, 100 after 100, 1000 after 1000, until the full 6000 rounds were completed without a stoppage or parts problem.

The tests were a milestone in the development of the semiautomatic pistol. The end result of four years of extensive testing was the most reliable large-caliber pistol in the world. The final report on the Colt stressed “its marked superiority…to any other known pistol.”

ADOPTION OF THE 1911

The Colt design was adopted, on March 29, 1911, by the US Army as the Model 1911 pistol. Colt would be the supplier. The Navy and Marine Corps also adopted the 1911 within a short time.

As adopted, the 1911 pistol had a 5-inch barrel and weighed about 38 ounces. The unlocking was still accomplished by downward movement of the barrel, but the barrel had only one link at the rear, with the muzzle supported by a barrel bushing. It had both thumb and grip safeties. A pushbutton magazine release had been added. For better pointing characteristics, the grip-to-bore angle had been changed from a straight 84 degrees to a slantier 74 degrees.

Colt immediately discontinued the 1905, and as its replacement, put the Model 1911 into commercial production also. With what was then probably the most thoroughly tested pistol in the world, Colt not only offered the 1911 as a commercial model, but additionally looked for other markets beyond the United States.

FOREIGN VARIATIONS

Norway was the second country to adopt the 45-caliber Colt 1911. Because guns based on Browning’s patents could not be handled in Europe by Colt FN in Belgium made the arrangements. In 1912, the Norwegians standardized the Colt design to their liking and adopted it. The modifications apparently consisted primarily of changing the checkering pattern on the hammer and applying Norwegian markings. Only about 500 Model 1912 pistols were made. Minor changes were suggested in 1914, and in 1919, after World War I had ended (Norway was neutral during World War I), these were incorporated into the Model 1914 Norwegian pistol. The most noticeable change involved a redesigned slide stop, with the thumbpiece lower and slightly rearward. Having a small army, Norway produced about 22,000 1914 pistols, felt this to be adequate, and stopped production.

While Norway sat out World War I as a neutral nation, Great Britain had been one of the principal participants. The British were poorly prepared for war, and had shortages of most small arms. In 1912, the British had adopted a large-bore autoloading pistol, the Mark I Webley self-loader. The pistol was chambered for the .455 Webley Self Loading cartridge (also called .455 Eley). Independently designed, the round was similar in dimensions and power to the .45 ACP cartridge.

The precisely-fitted Webley autoloader proved unreliable in conditions of sand or grit. The 1912 Webleys were restricted to sea duty, and the British looked for another type of .455 pistol. The one they acquired was the 1911 Colt. The first of the 455-caliber Colts was reportedly shipped in mid-1915. It is believed that about 13,500 were shipped to Great Britain for military use.

The next country to adopt the Colt 1911 was Argentina, in 1916. The Colt was adopted as the Pistola Automatica Sistema Colt, Calibre 11,25mm Modelo 1916. Essentially, the Argentine 1916 was identical to the commercially-made US Colt except for markings.

UNITED STATES USE THROUGH WWI

As they became available to the American military, 1911 pistols were sent to the Philippines, where fighting with native tribes continued. The new .45s were also used in the1916 Punitive Expedition, led by General John J. Pershing, that went into Mexico after Pancho Villa.

Colt made all the early 1911 pistols. However, the U. S. Government, previously content to manufacture only long guns (and to purchase handguns from commercial manufacturers), reconsidered. The Ordnance Department wanted an arrangement by which it could manufacture the 1911 at Springfield Armory if it so desired. After some negotiation, Colt conferred the right to manufacture the pistol to the government for a royalty of $2.00 each. After a contract for 50,000 Colt-made pistols, the government could manufacture pistols at the rate of one pistol for every two ordered from Colt.

The Springfield pistols were essentially identical to the Colt-made pistols except for markings. Visually, they could be recognized by the sharper (less-gradual) termination of the scallop at the front of the slide.

World War I had broken out in Europe in 1914. In hindsight, it was only a matter of time until the United States was drawn into the war. America entered on the side of the Allies on April 6, 1917. At that time, apparently without any actual analysis, Ordnance believed that Colt “…would be able to take care of the entire pistol program….” However, the new conditions of trench warfare caused military planners to increase the distribution of sidearms. At first, 10% were to be armed with the 1911, then, up to 60%. Eventually, up to 72% of front-line troops were authorized to carry pistols as well as rifles.

The United States was not prepared to achieve this kind of pistol production. Because of the need for more rifles, Springfield Armory stopped pistol production during 1916 and 1917. (It did resume Model 1911 production in 1918, after the use of the 1917 Enfield had eased the need for 1903 Springfield rifles.)

In 1917, Colt delivered pistols at a monthly rate of about 9000 guns. In 1918, production increased from about 11,000 to a monthly peak of over 45,000 by the end of the war. This was not enough.

Even by the winter of 1917, it had become obvious that Colt production alone could not supply enough pistols. A new source was found in Remington-UMC. Remington had been manufacturing 3-line Mosin-Nagant rifles for Russia, but the contract ended when Russia withdrew from the war in 1917. By mid-1918, with full cooperation from Colt, Remington-UMC began production of the 1911. By September, completed pistols were being shipped. By the end of 1918, Remington-UMC was up to 4500 pistols a month. The total made was 21,676. Except for markings, they were the same as the Colt pistols.

Even with the Remington pistols (and with .45 ACP-caliber 1917 Colt and S&W revolvers), there were still just not enough handguns. Orders were placed with a number of other firms. However, the end of the war came in November 1918 before any additional production was established. One instance of actual pistols being made took place in Canada. The North American Arms Co. (in the Ross rifle plant) made some finished 1911 pistols, although probably fewer than 100 were made.

The 1911 pistol proved itself in combat during World War I. Many instances of excellent performance of the 45 were reported. The exploits of Corporal Alvin York are probably the most memorable use of both rifle and pistol. York almost single-handedly captured 132 German soldiers. His actions stopped a German counterattack in France’s Argonne Forest. (And, yes, I know - the Gary Cooper movie depicted York as using a captured German Luger. However, that was only because the moviemakers could not get the 1911 to work with blanks! York used a 1911.)

Taurus, a 1911 manufacturer since 2005, makes a variety of 1911 pistols, including this rail-equipped variant.

Kimber, one of the major forces in the 1911 world, recently introduced the SIS variant, in several different sizes.

BETWEEN THE WARS

After any war, military development generally slows down. Pistol development during the decades of the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression was relatively minor.

Use in the World War had pointed out a few minor complaints concerning the 1911. Soldiers with small hands had experienced some trouble gripping the pistol and controlling the trigger properly. The hammer spur sometimes pinched the fleshy web of a shooter’s hand against the tang of the grip safety. The fine sights were difficult to see under conditions of low light. It tended to point low during instinct shooting.

Accordingly, subtle changes were made to the pistol to answer these situations. The trigger was shortened, and the frame was recessed on the sides near the trigger to provide better access. The tang of the grip safety was lengthened. The sights, although still small by today’s standards, were made with a larger square notch at the rear and a wider square front sight. The flat mainspring housing was replaced by an arched housing. Subtle changes were also made to the rifling.

These changes were approved in 1923, and by 1925, Colt had put them into production. In June 1926, the nomenclature was changed to Model 1911A1.

With the adoption of the 1911A1, much of the 1911 tooling at Springfield became obsolete. No more 45-caliber pistols were made at Springfield. Only that tooling able to produce spare parts common to 1911 and 1911A1 pistols was retained.

Colt, of course, changed its commercial offering as soon as the military specifications were implemented. The military pistols were marked Model 1911A1, but the commercial pistols were, for the first time, marked “Government Model.”

Mexico had adopted the 1911 after WWI and had purchased pistols directly from Colt. After about 1926, pistols with the 1911A1 modifications were supplied.

Argentina, as noted previously, had adopted the 1911 as their Modelo 1916. After 1927, Colt supplied 1911A1 pistols. Markings on the Argentine Colts remained the same, except that the modified pistol became known as the Modelo 1927. In the early 1930s, Colt agreed to license manufacture by the Argentine government. The Argentine-made Colts were made at Fabrica Militar de Armas Portatiles (FMAP) in Rosario, Argentina. Unlicensed modified pistols, the Ballester-Rigaud and Ballester-Molina, were also made in Argentina.

During the 1920s, the automobile had become common, and had become widely used by criminals. Law Enforcement found that bullets from the traditional .38 Special revolver, and even the big .45 automatic, would not reliably penetrate car bodies. In 1929, Colt introduced its Super 38 pistol. The Super 38 was a Government Model modified to use a high-powered version of the old .38 ACP cartridge introduced in 1900. With a velocity of almost 1300 feet per second (fps), the new Super 38’s 130-grain jacketed bullet earned a good reputation for penetration.

A 22-caliber pistol based on the 1911 design would be a good training and target pistol. In 1931, Colt introduced a .22 Long rifle blowback pistol, the Ace. Later, about 1937, Colt incorporated the floating chamber designed by David Marshall Williams (“Carbine Williams”), and the new pistol became the Service Model Ace. The Ace was discontinued in 1941, but the Service Model Ace was used for training during World War II.

Target shooting with handguns, previously a sport for single-shot pistols and revolvers, saw the use of semiautomatic pistols becoming more common. At the 1930 National Matches, Colt introduced its National Match 45-caliber pistol. Based on the Government Model, it had a match-grade barrel, honed action, and could be supplied with fixed sights or with Stevens adjustable sights. Barrels and slides were fitted and numbered to each other. The National Match pistol was well-received, and Colt put it into their catalog as a regular production item in 1932. About 3000 were made before production stopped in 1941. A similar pistol was subsequently available in .38 Super, as the Super Match.

World War II Model 1911A1 pistols, like this Ithaca-made specimen, were standardized with parkerized finish, plastic grips and flat hammers. (This pistol, bought through the DCM, was the author’s first 45 automatic.) Ithaca, now located in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, is once again making 1911s.

WORLD WAR II

World War II began officially on September 1, 1939, with the German invasion of Poland. The success of the German blitzkrieg surprised even the Nazis. The Germans needed additional arms to supply their occupation troops, and began a program of producing and utilizing the suitable firearms of captured countries

Norway had been neutral during WWI, and reaffirmed neutrality during WWII. However, Nazi Germany viewed Norway as a base of operations against the Allied blockade, and as a possible staging area for an attack on Great Britain. German forces attacked Norway on April 9, 1940, and the country fell within two months. When production of the 1914 Norwegian Colt resumed, it was under German, not Norwegian, control. Apparently issued only in Norway to occupation troops or subservient Norwegian troops, about 10,000 additional Norwegian 45s were produced before the German surrender in May of 1945.

When the United States was forced into World War II by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, we were again poorly prepared for war. However, many of the production problems experienced during WWI were avoided. It had been realized that manufacturers other than those making firearms could be utilized for pistol production. About two million 1911A1 pistols were made during the war. Colt, involved with other war production, was not the largest producer of the WWII .45. That honor went to Remington-Rand, the typewriter and business-machine manufacturer.

About 1,032,000 pistols were made by Remington-Rand. This amounted to almost 55% of production. In the year of 1944 alone, the company produced over one-half million pistols. Historian Donald Bady called this “the largest annual production by a single manufacturer in the history of firearms.”

Colt produced about 480,000 pistols, over 22% of the total production. Ithaca Gun Company, a shotgun maker, manufactured about 369,000, amounting to almost 20%. Union Switch & Signal Co. made 55,000 guns. The Singer (sewing machine) Manufacturing Co. was given an “educational order” of 500 pistols.

Production was aided by the early determination of a “standard” pistol to be made by all companies. Essentially all WWII 1911A1 pistols were “Parkerized” (a rust-resistant phosphate finish), had brown plastic grip panels, and had flat-sided hammers. The trigger/stirrup unit was made from stamped components, and grooving replaced checkering on some parts. Colt worked with the other manufacturers, and this cooperation assisted production.

In addition to production of new 45s, a number of old Model 1911 pistols that had been placed in storage were refurbished for WWII use. They were parker-ized, and if parts were needed, 1911A1 parts were installed. Work was done at Augusta Arsenal, and such pistols were stamped with the letters “AA.”

Again, the Colt/Browning 45 pistol proved itself as a reliable, powerful sidearm. It stood apart from other handguns used during the Second World War.

POST-WAR, THROUGH THE 1950S

The basic 1911 handgun had gone through its second world war with an exemplary record. Essentially every American serviceman held the pistol in high regard. This feeling was well-represented in the 1959 novel, The Pistol, by James Jones. The novel follows the movement of a 45-caliber pistol among U. S. servicemen after Pearl Harbor, in which every man who has any contact with the pistol wants it for his own personal protection.

Still, after 1946, for the first time in almost four decades, U. S. military planners considered the possibility of a lighter pistol, and also began to consider a change to the 9mm Parabellum (9mm Luger) ammunition used by both wartime adversaries and allies.

Colt investigated the possibilities of a lighter Government Model, and developed an association with ALCOA Aluminum. A number of frames were made of aluminum alloy, and test pistols were made. To further reduce weight, the barrel length was shortened to 4-1/4 inches, and the slide shortened accordingly. A rounded “burr” hammer was used, which also allowed use of a shorter-tang grip safety. The test pistols were made in the by-then traditional .45 ACP and .38 Super, and — with an eye to possible military tests — also in 9mm Luger chambering.

Eventually the military reconsidered, realizing that plenty of 45-caliber 1911A1 pistols were on hand. In June 1950, the United States became involved in a “police action” in Korea (it was not called the Korean War until later). The 45-caliber pistols, along with the rest of America’s WWII armament, went back into service. Consideration of a 9mm pistol was dropped, at least for the time being.

Colt had already made a decision to market the shorter, lighter version of the Government Model. In early 1950, it was introduced as the Commander Model. Calibers were .45, .38 Super and 9mm. The Colt Commander was a landmark pistol. At 26-1/2 ounces, it was our first big-bore aluminum frame pistol. Often overlooked is the fact that the Commander was the first pistol ever commercially produced in America in the 9mm chambering.

By the end of the 1950s, the position of the 1911 had evolved. Now, almost half a century old, from being a splendid military pistol, it was becoming everyman’s pistol.

After the end of WWII, all shooting sports increased in popularity. A joke of the time was that returning servicemen were only interested in two things — and the second one was shooting.

Bullseye pistol shooting benefited from this renewed interest and became very popular. The National Match Course had sections for 22-caliber, Centerfire and 45-caliber pistols. Everyone wanted a .45.

The National Matches, closed during WWII and Korea, resumed in 1953. Military “National Match” pistols were made from .45s on hand beginning in 1955. Most were made at Springfield Armory (thus getting the facility back into providing pistols, if not actually manufacturing them), and were stamped NM. Originally fitted with high fixed sights, they were made with adjustable sights in 1961. Colt furnished parts for such work.

However, the maker of the first, the original pre-war National Match pistol, could hardly have been satisfied without a match pistol of its own. Colt, in 1957, brought out an improved version of its early National Match 45, called the Gold Cup National Match. It was a highly-developed pistol for competition shooting. It became the standard by which .45 target pistols were judged.

Surprisingly, it was not the only newly-made target-oriented .45 autoloader available. The Spanish Llama pistols (copies of the 1911, but not part-for-part copies), were imported by A. F. Stoeger since 1951. In 1957, the Llama line also introduced a target version in .45 caliber. Before that time, a number of gunsmith shops had begun specializing in “accurizing” .45s for target competition.

As the 1950s went on, then began what has been called “the Golden Age of Surplus.” As countries around the world updated their military equipment, they cleaned out their armories. Military equipment, including firearms, was sold on the world market. A large portion of the guns came to the country with the greatest degree of personal freedom — the United States. Some of the pistols that came in as surplus were 1916 and 1927 Argentine .45s. Many were “accurized” and used for target shooting. Norwegian 1914 .45s also made their appearance. Also coming in were a smaller number of the British 455-caliber Colt 1911s. To make the .455s more salable, they were advertised, “Will shoot .45 ACP.” (Yes, they would, but not very accurately.)

Traditional Bullseye shooting was not the only pistol sport to gain popularity. A new handgun sport was developing in California. Popularized by the writing of Col. Jeff Cooper, the two-handed action-style pistol shooting was called “practical” shooting. Shooters found it to be fun as well as practical, and the new sport grew. These informal matches grew into the alphabet soup of IPSC, USPSA, PPC and NRA Action shooting of today. Based on the concepts of Accuracy, Power and Speed, the pistol that fit Cooper’s ideas best? The 45-caliber Government Model.

THE 1960S

The 1960s started as a continuation of the 1950s, but by the end of that decade, things had changed dramatically in the United States firearms scene.

Military National Match pistols used at Camp Perry had the trigger weighed and a tape placed on the trigger guard to show it met specifications. This gun was fired at Camp Perry in 1967 by the author, and still has the 1967 tape on the trigger guard.

In the early years of the ‘60s, the popularity of the 1911 got a boost when the Ordnance Department, through the Director of Civilian Marksmanship (DCM) made surplus 1911 and 1911A1 pistols available to members of the National Rifle Association (NRA). The August 1960 issue of American Rifleman gave the details. Price was $17, including packing and shipping. Pistols were classed “unserviceable,” which meant they may have had minor defects, but were safe to fire. (The Ithaca 1911A1 I got had a cracked slide stop, which cost me a dollar to replace.) The influx of inexpensive .45s was a shot in the arm to the pistol-shooting sports.

Spare parts for the 1911-type pistols were also available. Enterprising small manufacturers made new frames, and gunsmiths assembled new 1911s from the parts.

Those military-surplus 45-caliber pistols sold during the 1960s were the last pistols sold by the U. S. government to civilians. Soon, national tragedy, politics, and the growth of the anti-gun movement would adversely affect the firearms scene.

For those who wanted to buy a .45 and were willing to wade through the onerous restrictions of the Gun Control Act of 1968, Colt had something new. The loose fit of the average military 1911 had given rise to the idea that the 45 was “not accurate.” Colt investigated possibilities, and determined that a new barrel bushing, a collet-type with spring-steel “fingers” to position the barrel, would increase accuracy. Without publicity, Colt began fitting pistols with this experimental new system in 1969. About 750 were reportedly made. They can be identified by the letters, “BB,” stamped near the correct serial numbers.

THE 1970S

The new “accurizer” barrel bushing system worked well, and in 1970, Colt brought it out as a standard item for its 1911 line. New nomenclature then became Colt’s Mk. IV / Series ’70. The collet-type bushings were used in the Government Model and Gold Cup National Match pistols. The Commander continued to use its original shortened solid bushing.

The next year, 1971, a Combat Commander was added to the Colt line. The same size as the original lightweight Commander, the pistol had a steel frame and weighed 33 ounces. 1971, the Centennial of the National Rifle Association, also saw a special Centennial Gold Cup made to commemorate the anniversary.

In 1973, things took a bad turn for Colt. A strike lasting from April through August took place. With Colt production curtailed for almost half a year, the “lookalike” Llama and Star pistols from Spain (modified copies of the 1911) got more attention. The Spanish pistols listed at ten to twenty dollars less than a Colt Government Model, which sold for $135.

The Colt Commander had provided a more compact 45-caliber handgun, but there was interest in a .45 in an even smaller package.

In 1975, the Spanish firm producing the big Star pistols brought out the Star PD. The new small Star was a shortened and lightened .45 with an aluminum frame. With its 4-inch barrel and weight of 25 ounces, the Star was, for a short time, the smallest .45 available.

In 1976, the year of America’s Bicentennial, the 1911 was miniaturized in America by the new firm calling itself Detonics. Originally using Colt parts modified by them, and then manufacturing their own, Detonics brought out a compact steel .45, weighing 31 ounces. It was of innovative design, and had a 3-1/2-inch barrel. The Detonics pistol introduced the cone-barrel positioning system, orienting the short barrel in the slide without a bushing.

Until the 1970s, Colt had been the sole source of newly-made traditional U. S. 1911-style pistols, but during that decade, the market for similar .45s made by other firms grew.

About 1977, the AMT (Arcadia Machine & Tool) Hardballer was introduced. The pistol was essentially of Gold Cup configuaration, a target-grade pistol with adjustable sights. However, the AMT Hardballer was manufactured of stainless steel. It was apparently the first stainless-steel 1911 ever offered. The AMT line grew, with fixed sight pistols and Commander-size pistols soon offered. Within a short time, they were joined by the striking Long Slide Hardballer, a similar adjustable-sighted pistol, but with a 7-inch barrel and correspondingly longer slide.

As the decade went on, Practical shooting (sometimes called “West Coast Shooting”) spread across the country. Practical shooting was joined by other pistol sports, such as Bowling Pin shooting. Reliable quick-shooting pistols using powerful cartridges were in demand.

New companies sprang up across the country. In the closing years of the 1970s, 1911s were made, often in now-trendy stainless steel, by small companies such as Crown City (New York) and Vega (California).

In 1978, M-S Safari Arms began making striking 1911s with some of their own features. Most noticeable was a projection on the front strap of the grip to position the finger below the trigger guard. (M-S Safari was acquired, in 1987, by Olympic Arms, which made 1911s under the Safari and Schuetzen names, and still makes Olympic 1911-style pistols.)

Custom pistolmakers began to thrive. Wilson Combat had opened by 1978 and continues in business.

THE 1980S

The growth of new interest in the 1911 that had begun in the ‘70s had a tremendous increase in the 1980s. In fact, there was a growth of interest in handguns of all types. A category called the “wondernines” gained popularity. They were full-size double-action 9mm pistols with magazine capacities up to 19 rounds,

In 1983, Colt added a firing-pin safety to the 1911 design. This prevented the firing pin from moving until the trigger was pressed. The new variant became the Mark IV / Series ’80. In 1985, Colt also added stainless-steel versions of the Series ‘80 pistols.

During the 1980s, it became very clear that Colt was no longer the only maker of 1911 pistols. By 1981, the ODI (Omega Defensive Industries) Viking pistol, a 1911 fitted with the Seecamp double-action trigger system, was introduced. That same year, Auto-Ordnance, owned then by Numrich Arms, brought out the GI-style Thompson 1911A1 pistol. A number of guns from different companies appeared, based on modified 1911 designs. Representatives of this category were the Coonan, Arminex and Grizzly pistols.

Randall, a company first involved in making replacement stainless magazines for 1911s, in 1983 introduced a line of stainless-steel 1911 pistols. Early stainless autoloaders had developed problems with galling, developed as the stainless slide rubbed across the stainless frame. Randall believed they had solved those problems, and advertised the Randall as “the only stainless steel fit for duty.” The most striking Randalls were the left-hand versions, which were completely left-handed—even the rifling turned the opposite way! About 7% of Randall’s pistols were left-handed. The Randall Curtis E. LeMay pistol, honoring Air Force General LeMay, was a 4-1/4-inch barrel and a 6-shot finger-rest magazine. After making about 10,000 guns, Randall became overextended and the company failed in 1985.

Faring better was Springfield Armory, a new commercial company that had acquired the name of the former government facility. Springfield began in 1985 with pistols that were essentially recreations of the WWII 1911A1. It continues as one of the major 1911 manufacturers. A few other 1911 pistols, such as the MP Express from Meister Products, were made for a short time and then went out of production. Interarms, the large importer, built over a thousand 45-caliber 1911 pistols on new frames using surplus GI parts. With a sly reference to Colt’s Gold Cup, the new pistols were marked and sold as the Interarms Silver Cup.

In 1985, a stir was created by the U. S. military selection of a 9mm service pistol. A version of the Beretta 92, with a 16-round magazine, was chosen. Even in the period of the wondernines, some old-timers were less than enthusiastic about the choice of cartridge. Thinking of the performance of the .45 during WWII, one remarked, “Now we have the pistol cartridge used by the countries defeated during the war.”

1986 arrived, Colt’s 150th anniversary. However, the sesquicentennial was not a good period for the company. In 1986, a bitter strike against Colt began and dragged on for four years. The company economized during its time of limited production. Although it was not officially dropped until 1988, no mention of the collet-type “accurizer” bushing apparently was made after 1986.

Although 1986 meant hard times for Colt, other things happened.

The futility of gun-control laws was becoming obvious. In 1986, the Firearms Owners Protection Act was passed. One of the provisions was to allow importation of surplus firearms again, thus reversing one of GCA ‘68’s many restrictions.

In 1986, the Falcon Portsider was introduced, a left-handed pistol made to enter the niche abandoned when Randall went out of business. Falcon made only a small number of pistols, and was gone by 1990.

About 1988, Para-Ordnance, a Canadian company making “non-gun” dye-marking guns, introduced a sideline of large-capacity frames and magazines for the 1911. Standard 1911 parts could be fitted to the frames to create the first large-capacity 1911-type 45s. Soon, in 1990, the company began making complete pistols. Para-Ordnance, today simply called Para, grew to become a major supplier of 1911 pistols.

Other companies made 1911s before the decade ended. Federal Ordnance made the Ranger, a basic GI-style 1911A1. Michigan Armament (distributed from, of all places, California) made somewhat fancier variants. Custom maker Ed Brown started business in 1988.

The Randall 45 was introduced in 1983 as “the only stainless steel fit for duty.” Gaining great publicity for its left-hand pistols, most of Randall production consisted of traditional right-hand 1911s. The company had financial problems and went out of business in 1985.

In spite of its labor problems, Colt was still active during this time. The 45-caliber Officers ACP was introduced in 1985. The new Colt compact pistol had a 3-1/2-inch barrel, weighed 34 ounces, and had a 6-shot magazine in a shortened frame. The 10mm Delta Elite variant of the full-size Government Model came out in 1987. By the end of the decade, the double-action stainless-steel Colt Double Eagle had become a production item, at least for a few years.

In 1988, Florida enacted a “shall issue” license-to-carry law that became a model for similar laws in other states. The growth of legal concealed carry across the country increased the demand for handguns of various types. The 1911 became even more popular among ordinary citizens for personal protection.

THE 1990S

If interest in the 1911 had increased in the 1980s, it can be said to have exploded in the 1990s.

At the beginning of the decade, Colt carried out a plan to get back into the basic 1911 market. Its enhanced offerings had become fancier, and the market for basic “wartime” pistols had grown. By 1991, the Colt 1991 A1 was introduced, actually continuing the serial number range of the company’s 1911 A1 pistols of World War II. With a matte finish and simple features, the new Colt was competitive in its niche. Commander (4-1/2-inch) and Compact (3-1/2-inch) variants were offered in 1993.

By 1998, Colt introduced an even smaller pistol with a 3-inch barrel, the Defender. The 23-ounce .45 used a cone-barrel system to orient the barrel in the slide.

Early in the decade, in 1991, a new name, Norinco, was added to the list of 1911 companies. The Chinese entity made a surprisingly good copy of a 1911. The Norinco got good reviews until president William J. Clinton prohibited importation of firearms from China in 1995.

The popularity of the 1911 design grew. Other names were added to the list of companies offering 1911 pistols: McMillan (1992), STI (1993), Rocky Mountain Arms (1993 – trying a third time for the left-hand market), and Mitchell (1994). Because Para-Ordnance high-capacity pistols were gaining popularity, Mitchell’s new 45s were offered in double-column configuration — 13+1 — as well as the traditional single-column style. Springfield and Llama also offered large-capacity 13+1 pistols that same year.

1994 was a poor time to offer large-capacity pistols. In that year, the so-called “Assault Weapons Ban” was passed into law.

Among other absurd restrictions, the ban limited magazine capacity of all detachable magazines to 10 rounds or less. High-capacity staggered-column .45 magazines could no longer be made. Obviously, no other pistols of other calibers could have magazines of greater than 10 rounds, either. The high-capacity “wondernine” magazines, holding up to 19 rounds, were no longer legal to make. Compared to a 10-round 9mm, a traditional 1911 .45 holding seven or eight rounds began to look a much better choice. 45-caliber pistols became more popular. As firearms authority J. B. Wood wryly noted, “If you can’t make as many holes, make bigger ones.” Interest in the .45, and in particular, the 1911, boomed.

From the midpoint of the 1990s, the demand for, and production of, 1911 pistols grew. In 1995, Ithaca brought out a 50th Anniversary edition of its WWII .45. Even more new names appeared: Brolin (1995), Kimber (1995), BUL and GAL (both imported from Israel in 1996), Armscor (imported from the Philippines by KBI in 1996), Griffon (1997, South Africa), Entreprise Arms (1997), Rock River’s first 1911 (1998), Valtro (1998, from Italy), and Shooters Arms Manufacturers, “S.A.M” (1999, from the Philippines). The Charles Daly name, formerly associated with shotguns, was introduced on a pistol for the first time in 1998, when KBI used the name on its 45-caliber 1911.

In 1999, Auto-Ordnance was acquired by Kahr Arms. Kahr rejuvenated the Auto-Ordnance/Thompson 1911 pistol line. Galena industries acquired the right to produce the AMT 1911 line and some other AMT pistols (but sadly went out of production by 2002).

For decades, gunsmiths had been making custom-built pistols based on the 1911. Such guns started as oneof-a-kind handguns. With time, it was realized that many customers wanted similar features. A relatively small number of different customized pistols would satisfy the majority of customers. By the end of the 1990s, this making of “production custom” 1911s was a booming business. Companies such as (alphabetically) Briley, Ed Brown, Les Baer, Nowlin, STI, Strayer-Voigt, Wilson and others had offered such special 1911s.

Smith & Wesson entered the 1911 field in 2003 and markets an extensive line, including variants of the full-size SW1911.

THE NEW CENTURY

With the flurry of interest in the 1911 that had exploded in the closing decades at the end of the 20th century, the production of 1911-style pistols had been spread among a large and growing number of different companies Colt was no longer the primary producer. Three relatively new companies — Kimber, Springfield and Para-Ordnance — vied for that position. Kimber advertised their company as “first in the number of 1911 pistols made and sold.” Not to be outdone, Springfield claimed “the greatest selection of 1911 pistols.” Para-Ordnance introduced features that set its offerings apart.

As the new century began, Colt again fell on hard times. In the year 2000, the company discontinued most of its handgun line. Only the Single Action Army and the 1911 were left. The 1911 was offered in 45 caliber only. Within a few years, however, Colt’s fortunes improved.

Not everyone had liked the Series ’80 firing pin safety. Colt decided to go back to its roots with new 1911 offerings. The Series ’80 continued in the line, but by 2002, Colt had reintroduced its Series ’70 pistol, without the firing pin safety. Actually, it could have been considered a “pre ’70” Government Model, as it also did not have the fingered barrel bushing. The “new” Series ’70 has modern higher sights, and improved barrel ramping.

Reception was good, and in 2003, the original WWI-era Model 1911 was reintroduced. The pistol was a faithful recreation of the .45 as made around the year 1918.

Colt remained a 1911 manufacturer in an increasingly large group of 1911 manufacturers.

New names continued to enter the world of the 1911. New companies appeared to offer their versions of the 1911. In the first few years of the 21st century, one could see new 1911 pistols bearing the names of Dan Wesson (a revolver company making its first autoloaders), High Standard (the resurrected company expanding its product line), Peters Stahl, Rock River, Century, Firestorm, Casull, Pacific Armament, DPMS (prototype only), Bond Arms, Lone Star, Ed Brown, Guncrafter, Uselton and Detonics USA (the latest incarnation of the original Detonics).

In 2003, the familiar old name of Smith & Wesson was also added. Apparently figuring “if you can’t beat them, join them,” S&W introduced the SW1911, and plunged into an extensive line of 1911-design pistols within a few years. A year later, in 2004, SIGARMS (now SIG-Sauer) also decided to get into the 1911 business. SIG brought out its GSR (Granite State Revolution) line of 1911 pistols, which soon became known by “Revolution.”

In 2004, a bright spot appeared for firearms owners: the absurd “Assault Weapons Ban” was allowed to sunset. High-capacity pistols and magazines in all calibers could again be made. Of course, smaller calibers could be made with larger magazine capacities. New high-capacity 9mm pistols were offered. However, the popularity of the 1911 had grown to the point that it was not threatened by new designs.

After the AWB sunset, in the last half of the new century’s first decade, firearms developments continued. The pace of 1911 development was breathtaking.

The largest additional entry into the 1911 field was Taurus, in 2005. Billing itself as the “World’s Foremost Pistol Maker,” Taurus quickly marketed a full line of 1911 pistols. The Brazilian maker joined Smith & Wesson and SIG, all of which had just joined frontrunners Kimber, Springfield and Para as new major players in the 1911 world.

In 2006, the U. S. military called for tests of 45-caliber pistols due to questions of the 9mm’s efficacy during the Desert Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Exactly 100 years after calling for tests to consider a .45 in 1906, the military wanted to again consider a .45 in 2006. The traditional 1911 was not invited, however; .45s to be considered would be double-action, polymer-frame pistols. As before, the tests were postponed and at the time of this writing have not been resumed. The companies that had been preparing pistols instead offered them to the commercial market, in competition with the 1911.

The 1911 seemed not to notice the new competition. The 2005 introduction of the Taurus 1911 showed that major companies still saw potential in the design.

The Taurus was not the only new entry of this recent period. Just within the last few years, new 1911 pistols with new names were introduced by Double Star, Iver Johnson, Rock Island (RIA), U. S. Fire Arms (1911s with the wide grips of the 1905), Nighthawk, American Classic, Tisas (the first Turkish 1911), EMF (the Cowboy arms company, branching into 1911s), and Legacy Sports (offering their Citadel 1911). Dan Wesson was acquired by CZ-USA, giving the Czech company access to 1911 sales.

Colt remains a major player in the 1911 field, offering new variants as well as traditional models. In 2007, Colt introduced the Concealed Carry model, followed by the New Agent in 2008. Colt decided to cash in on the trend of accessory rails on the front of a 1911 frame, and came out with a gun for that niche in 2009. What to call it? Colt kept it simple: the Colt Rail Gun.

Colt, the original manufacturer, has made the 1911 continuously since its introduction in 1911. The amazing growing interest in the century-old pistol now has, quite literally, dozens of other companies simultaneously making their versions of the same design. These guns are being made in the United States and in a growing number of foreign countries. This situation is unprecedented in the world of firearms.

CONCLUSION

A complete description of every 1911 made by every maker would be a huge volume of information, beyond the scope of this presentation. What is here presented is the basic history of the development of the 1911 design, and the amazing growth in the popularity of the design with the passing of time.

Now, one hundred years from its beginning, we have no idea where we really are in the story of the 1911. Has the 1911 reached its peak, and will it start a decline? Or, is it about to begin a new phase of popularity?

What words can summarize the amazing story of the 1911 at the event of its centennial, its 100th year? We can try a few:

The Colt/Browning 1911 design has completed its first century. It has stood the test of time. It has proved itself in military combat, law-enforcement use, target competition of many types, personal protection and recreational shooting.

It has been scaled down, both in size (3-inch barrels) and in caliber (22-caliber). It has been scaled up, both in size (7-inch barrels) and in caliber (50-caliber). Millions upon millions have been made, many of them close to the original specifications, others gussied up with a number of modifications and accessories.

In its early days, the 1911 was so good that it discouraged competition. It was then considered the best pistol ever designed. One hundred years later, there are many who say that it still is.