Government for all forces, production being undertaken by several manufacturers, including Remington Rand (900,000 produced), Colt (400,000), Ithaca Gun Company (400,000), Union Switch & Signal (50,000), and Singer (500).Īn extended history of this handgun can be found at To order the U.S. Many persons unfamiliar with the design are often unable to tell the difference between the two versions at a glance.ĭuring World War II about 1.9 million units were procured by the U.S. These changes were subtle and largely intended to make the pistol easier to shoot for those with smaller hands. The M1911A1 changes to the original design consisted of a shorter trigger, cutouts in the frame behind the trigger, an arched mainspring housing, a longer grip safety spur (to prevent hammer bite), a wider front sight, a shortened hammer spur and simplified grip checkering (eliminating the “Double Diamond” reliefs). The new version received a modified type classification, M1911A1, in 1926. Battlefield experience in the First World War lead to some more small external changes, completed in 1924. The pistol was widely copied and this operating system rose to become the preeminent type of the 20th century and of nearly all modern center fire pistols. Designed by John Browning, the M1911 is the best known of his designs to use the short recoil principle in its basic design. The United States procured around 2.7 million M1911 and M1911A1 pistols in military contracts during its service life. It was first used in later stages of the Philippine-American War and was widely used in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. It served as the standard issue sidearm for the United States Armed Forces from 1911 to 1986. The M1911 is a single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, recoil-operated pistol chambered for the. Although the Military no longer uses the M1911, it is used by the FBI and Law Enforcement Agencies all over the country.A Brief History of the M1911/1911A1 Pistol It was the sidearm of choice for the United States Military and stayed in service for 74 years. After these simple upgrades, the M1911 was renamed the M1911A1. No significant modifications have been made to the design since the ergonomic changes in 1924. These modifications increased comfort and ease of use for the shooter.įor over 100 years, the Colt M1911 has been a popular choice for different types of shooting situations ranging from competitive shooting to backyard target practice. The changes included improved sights, an arched mainspring housing, shorter grip safety spur, and shorter trigger.
In 1924, a few simple modifications were made for efficiency and ergonomics. Between the two world wars, 1,900,000 M1911 pistols were produced for use by all branches of the United States military. High demand for this revolutionary design led to new production contracts with other manufacturers. In 1913, the United States Navy and Marine Corps adopted this new firearm, as well. The Colt M1911 was formally adopted by the United States Army on March 29, 1911, with 68,000 placed in service.
COLT 1911 A1 ORIGINAL MANUAL
It also meant that the manual safety had to be released, and the gun properly gripped before it would be ready to fire. These additions helped soldiers on horseback ensure that they didn't accidentally shoot their horses while riding. To appease requests from the Cavalry, Browning added a manual and grip safety to the design. This test made the M1911 emerge as General Crozier's favorite. After it cooled, testing resumed, and there were no documented malfunctions. When the gun heated up, it was dunked in a bucket of water to cool down. In 1910, over two days, 6,000 rounds were fired from the Colt M1911. Several different models were tested, and John Browning's design stood out like no other. Under the direction of General William Crozier, the United States Military started testing several self-loading pistols designed to use the new. He designed the automatic rifles and machine guns used by United States soldiers during the First World War.ĭuring the American-Philippine War, military officials found the revolvers they used were not suitable for jungle warfare. At the time, Browning was employed by Colt. It captured the gases from the muzzle and used them to power the mechanism that automatically loaded the next round.
COLT 1911 A1 ORIGINAL FULL SIZE
These grips are made to original 1911 military specs and fit most popular 1911 full size models such as Colt, Kimber, Remington, Rock Island, Ruger, Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson and Springfield Armory. Our Genuine Ebony Grips are really spectacular. Browning patented the first fully automatic firearm design in 1892. Fits : 1911 Colt 1911 Ebony Smooth Finish Grips Rarest of all Hardwoods. Born in Ogden, Utah, he was the son of a talented gunsmith. John Moses Browning designed the infamous Colt M1911.