Colt 1911 Overview

The Colt 1911, or widely refer as the Colt M1911 Semi-Automatic Pistol, is a single action short recoil-operated semi-automatic pistol, chambered in the big bore .45 ACP. It has a standard 7 round clip (though larger aftermarket clips are available) and is reliable out to a range of somewhere around fifty meters. This semi-automatic pistol takes its name from the year it was first produced, 1911. You’d think that in over 100 years, someone would have bested this round with something vastly superior…....but they just have not.



The M1911, manufactured by Colt, was the standard issue sidearm of the U.S. army from 1911 to 1985, making it one of the longest runs in military history, that of nearly 74 years. The modified design was adopted by the US Army as the M1911A1 pistol. Approximately 2.7 million M1911 and M1911A1s were issued for army use during World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The M1911 continued to perform with great distinction until 1985 when it was formally replaced with the Beretta M9 pistol (US-made Beretta 92FS). The M1911 is still popular among many U.S. special operations units because of its design and reliability, and the fact that the .45 ACP FMJ is a lot more potent than the lesser 9mm NATO FMJ. Some groups claim that the M1911 is rather maintenance intensive, but that is all a matter of opinion. Personally, I think that I would rather have a weapon in my hand that is capable of stopping an aggressor with 1 round, rather than having to use 2 or 3. I’ve talked with many people who have been shot, but the ones shot with a .45, and that survived, are rare.



In 1929, Colt introduced a Government model in its newest chambering, the.38 Super Automatic, a high power model of the earlier .38 Automatic cartridge. The.38 Super has a higher velocity which creates a flatter trajectory to the target and therefore superior longer-range accuracy and reliability. The smaller cartridge allowed a larger magazine ability (nine rounds) and sold effectively on the law enforcement market. The evolution of the .357 magnum cut the life of the .38 Super short, when it came to law enforcement personnel. The.38 Super version is still available today, and is a preferred caliber by speed shooters, competition gunners, and especially in IPSC sanctioned events.



There are plenty of variations to the Colt 1911 model (Gold Cup, Officer’s Model, Carry, Ultra Carry) and calibers like the 9mm have been tried for short periods, but besides the .45ACP, the .22LR version is the only one that gets many orders for purchase.



If you’ve tried the rest, own the best……..buy Colt.