Colt M1911A1 Semiautomatic Pistol. The U.S. Military's Mainstay Sidearm for the 20th Century, and Still Going Strong.
Anyone who served in the United States
Armed Forces from 1911 to 1985
is
most likely familiar with the Colt Government M1911 .45 automatic.
During both World Wars, Korea and Vietnam, whether in combat or just
pulling guard
duty, the M1911 was the standard military issue sidearm for all
branches of the US military. While in the US Navy, I carried
one
myself while on guard duty aboard the Guided Missile Cruiser, USS Texas
(CGN-39) in the summer of 1988, patrolling the decks while we
anchored just offshore
at Ras Al Hadd, Oman in the Straight of Hormuz. Though the
Colt
was oficially replaced in 1985 with the newer Beretta M9, (US Military
designation for the Beretta 92F) it
continues to see service in police forces around the world, and still
has limited uses in the US military. The replacement of the
M1911A1 was supposed to officially take place in 1985, but due to the
usual quality and parts compatibility issues that always arise during
field trials, the M1911A1 continued to be used by the United States
military well into the 1990s. This further adds to the track
record of the legendary Colt pistol as a strong and reliable sidearm.
After extensive field tests of many
pistols in the late 1890's--including tryouts of
the
German Mauser C96 and Luger P08--the M1911 was chosen as the standard
US military issue sidearm. The Colt .45 Government M1911-A1
proved to be a reliable, durable and highly effective
firearm. It
was the first pistol to utilize the recoil energy from firing a
bullet to reload. This "short-recoil" firing system
became the prototype for all modern centerfire
pistols. There have been modifications too
numerous to
explore here, but the original, innovative design has remained
mostly unchanged for decades. Today there are many different
variations
of the original firearm, from many different
sources. But they all use the same
tried and
trusted frame and short-recoil firing mechanism as
the first
M1911 that has stood the test of time by remaining in service
for more than 74 years--a sure sign of a great
design. The
M1911 has earned a place in history as one of the best gun designs of
all time.
Legendary for its accuracy and straightforward ease of use, the .45 is still very popular for its rugged design. Because of its long association with U.S. military forces, it has attained the status of a true American patriots' firearm. Recently, an all-new version, the M1911A2, was introduced by Rock Island Armory, and is already in use by some police officers. Based on its track record to date, it's a safe bet that the M1911 is here to stay.
Firearm Type:
Blowback-Operated Single-Action Semi-Automatic Pistol
Nation Of Manufacture: USA, Norway (still
in production in US)
Military Service Dates : 1911-1985 (Still
in use worldwide)
Variations: M1911, M1911A1, Kongsberg,
many other variations
Ammunition: .45 ACP Cartridge
Wars: WW1,WW2, Korean War, Vietnam War,
others
Recent Prices at Auction for Originals: US
$200-$3,000+ (depending on age etc.)
Interested in an authentic replica Colt M1911A1 Semiautomatic ?
We also have Licensed Colt Blank-Firing M1911A1, as well as Licensed Smith and Wesson Blank-Firing SW1911 semiautomatics.
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