Posted on 08/27/2008 4:05:36 AM PDT by sig226
It was adopted in 1911 and is probably the longest serving military weapon ever devised. Although the English Webley revolver lasted a few more years of continous service, the Colt 1911A1 was shelved, then returned to service.
Some folks just like the caliber, others love the pistol. It was adopted because.38 caliber revolvers failed to stop the Mauro Tribesmen in the Phillippine Insurrection. .30 caliber Krag - Jorgenson rifles also failed to stop the Mauros, most likely because they ate opium, but the United States decided to standardize a larger caliber.
They first took up the Colt Model 1911 designed by John Browning. They changed it to the 1911A1 in 1924, after reviewing complaints from soldiers in World War I. This photo shows the differences.
The trigger was one of the best found on a military sidearm due to the single action fire control. It was used in Bullseye matches and a small industry evolved to modify the pistol to make it more accurate. Over the years, plenty of gunsmiths earned a comfortable living doing just this.
Of course, it evolved into the highly modified 'race guns' used in IPSC matches; pistols that have almost no practical utility at all, but are a hoot to fire on a timed course.
After the United States switched to the Beretta M9 9mm pistol, plenty of gun people thought the 1911 was destined to die an ignominious death at the hands of the 'wonder nine.' But along came Bill Clinton, who took away the high capacity magazine and thus eliminated the advantage of the 16 shot 9mm over the 8 shot .45. If you have to carry a thin gun anyway, it might as well make a big hole . . .
You can get a new 1911 for around $500.00 for a Springfield 1911 GI (the plain Jane model) all the way up to $4,000.00 if you want the top of the line from makers like Nighthawk. Or you can get your Brownell's Catalog and make your own.
Let's see 'em!
ping
Ain't she a beaut?
Bkmrk for gun porn to come. This model is the cream of the crop. In all its variation and all its builds. Its the t*ts!
What were the complaints from the soldiers. It doesn’t look like too much changed cosmetically.
My Dad still carries his from his Army days.
IMO,The best damn pistol period.
My 45s are of the Ruger Bisley Vaquero persuasion (got bit by the SASS bug....)
I also have a Smith & Wesson model 25-7 in 45LC, with unfluted cylinder, bull barrel and Hogue grips, that has the best trigger I have ever felt on any firearm.
Who made the grips?
Some of my 1911’s are on my profile page. My daugter in law is shooting her Kimber in one of the pictures.
All the bells and whistles are exactly where they’re needed with one of the greatest trigger pulls made.
It also will shoot lead bullets without a problem so you can practice more.
The best.
The family financial manager has temporarily suspended my discretionary gun purchasing rights and I'm limited to buying ammo and targets until I pay down my credit card.
Originally, the 1911 was tested in service by the cavalry. They found a few things that really needed help.
The hammer was wide and had a sharp edge on the rear, this couppled with the shorter tang on the grip safety caused 'hammer-bite'. Bad thing to happen on horseback.
Next, the trigger was too long to accomodate the hands of most troopers.(Cavalrymen averaged 5ft 5 in in height.)
Sights, the round 'U' rear sight, coupled with the half moon front sight were just about impossible. to see.
The magazines had a weak weld on the back, the floorplate, and thin lips at the feed area. These failed more often than not.
The recoil spring was an open-ended spring and lost tension after a few thousand rounds.
To correct some of these issues, the trigger was shortened.
Lightening cuts were made to the frame just to the rear of the triggerguard.
The hammer has narrowed and the length of the tang on the grip safety lengthened.
The magazines went from a pinned anf tac welded floorplate to a completely welded floorplate.
The follower was beefed up, and the steel around the feed area hardened.
The recoil spring was beefed up by double turning one end and going to a larger diameter.
The 1911 and it's subsequent children have been a mainstay of defensive handguns for nearly a century. There have been improvements in technology for firearms, but the yardstick they are measured against is essentially the same gun as John Browning first designed in 1903 and perfected for the military in 1911.
Here's one of mine. It's a custom Commander that started as a Colt frame from the 80's. It is extrememly reliable, fitted barrel, bushing, trigger breaks at 4 lbs and it can drive nails at 25 yards. It's the one I carry more often than any of the other 1911's I have. On the outside it appears like any other Commander, but on the inside, it's a jewel.
JOIN THE FR GUN CLUB PING LIST HERE!!!
I’d like to show you mine, but it’s still in pieces, because I broke it down too far when cleaning it and can’t get it back together right.
I should never of removed the mainspring housing. But it seems like there’s something disconnected up by the hammer.
The connecting rod from the hammer down to the mainspring still does what it’s supposed to, there must be some other ‘safety’ interlock that came undone.
It’s a SA 1911 with ILS. Any suggestions?
Back in the day this was the gun of my dreams.
AMT Hardballer Longslide
The way I heard it the Philippine Tribesmen tied a string around their penis which caused their bladder to back up and poison their systems....making them totally immune to pain. They did this in preparation for suicide charges. The .45 was developed so that a hit anywhere (even in the palm of an outstretched hand) would knock them down. The smaller stuff just poked small holes in them and they kept coming.
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