Gun Digest Shooter's Guide to the 1911

INTRODUCTION

There is a great deal of revisionist history in the media, often tainted with rose-colored glasses and a personal agenda. Young people seem to demand more continuity from comic book epics than history volumes. When criticism and fallacies are leveled toward a firearm that has served Americans well for over 100 years it is more than irritating, but when that same firearm has saved your life more than once, perhaps it is time for a reply.

As a peace officer I made reports that had to stand up in court. I could not interject opinion, and I was not looking for an argument of the facts, only presenting accurate information. We should apply the same standard to writing about firearms, and you may count upon that integrity from this book. It is true that having this author write a book about the 1911 is akin to letting a child romp through the sweet shop, but this is my field of expertise.

In this book reality takes precedence over public relations. An example of the opinions causing some of us to bristle are those stating the 1911 may be finicky, or that it requires considerable skill at maintenance and repair if it is to be considered reliable. Anyone can take a good thing and ruin it by going too cheap. Using inferior aftermarket parts or inconsistent ammunition may cause any firearm to give trouble, and any such general statements about the 1911 show a lack of experience and historical ignorance. Which handgun are you speaking of —parts guns made from poor or worn parts and assembled on the dining room table? Or perhaps something from the Pacific Rim? You are certainly not talking about my Colt, Kimber, or SIG! I am not being uncharitable; everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.

Let’s look back to the original Army test of the 1911. This was a handgun with softer steel and perhaps less consistency than modern CNC machined pistols. It was a great handgun, the best of its day. We should look at the technology of that time with respect and admiration, but they don’t make them like they used to for a reason. Simply put, modern is better. The original Colt fired some 6,000 rounds during the test program. It was fired until it was too hot to touch, dunked in a bucket of water, then cleaned and oiled every 1,000 rounds. Throughout the test, the pistol performed without a single malfunction. Chosen for its ability to perform reliably, the 1911 will stop a determined adversary. Its speedy second shot and ability to replenish the ammunition supply quickly, its hand fit and overall ergonomics were rated excellent in its day.

Today, the pistol is even better. Intelligent engineering concerns determined that cocked-and-locked carry was the superior system- and it still is - although some seem to fear this mechanically sound design feature. The pistol had to be to be safe to carry and safe if dropped, yet instantly ready for action. Cocked-and-locked carry with the hammer fully to the rear, the slide lock safety locking the hammer, and the grip safety locking the trigger made the pistol both fast into action and safe.

Originally designed for use from horseback, the 1911 was so successful during the last cavalry charge in 1916 Mexico that it will probably work for you (I know that in a historical sense there were other cavalry charges at a later date, such as the Australian charge at Beersheba, but I am confining myself to American cavalry history).

Knowledgeable men who could obtain any firearm adopted the Colt. T. E. Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia, and his brother purchased Colt 1911s as soon as possible. Lawrence’s brother reported the pistol was leagues ahead of anything else. He is still correct nearly 100 years after the Great War that took his life.

The pistol design allows you to easily field strip it without tools. All you need is a case rim or a coin to address the grip screws, and you are on your way when taking the pistol down. Modern variants feature full-length guide rods, tightly-fitted barrel bushings, and Allen head grip screws that complicate matters. Others have been on the bench of the gun butcher. Some have fallen prey to the man with a bad case of tinkitis. These firearms have become sporting guns. Like a finicky sports car, they are not as reliable as the forefather of the type.

There are proven and reliable modern 1911 handguns that possess accuracy potential greater than that of the original 1911 and, per my testing, are just as reliable, if not more so. These include the Kimber Custom II as used by LAPD SWAT and the Colt service pistol recently obtained by the United States Marine Corps. Other firearms such as the Les Baer Monolith and Kimber Gold Match are wonderfully accurate, but they are specialized target pistols.

A field strip requires special tools, and, in most cases, special target-grade ammunition is needed to coax the best performance from these handguns. But the bottom line is that a quality 1911 with service-grade magazines and ammunition is as reliable as any handgun, more reliable than most, and more rugged than any other handgun I am aware of.

Other advantages include the speed into action of a cocked and locked handgun. No other type equals the speed to an accurate first shot as that demonstrated by the 1911. The wound potential of the .45 ACP cartridge is unequaled in a compact yet controllable package. Revisionist history attempts to downplay the effectiveness of the .45, but real-world experience and historical research indicate that with military FMJ ammunition the .45 is approximately twice as effective as the 9mm. With expanding ammunition, the .45 has a considerable advantage over lesser calibers. You cannot change the laws of physics, and the sheer frontal diameter of the .45 does a lot of damage, letting blood out and air in. With 230-grain bullets versus 115-grain bullets, the .45 has twice the mass of the 9mm.

Today’s 1911s are made with steels superior to anything available in World War One or World War Two. Nonetheless, these were great pistols. The government accuracy standard for the 1911 was a five-inch dispersion at 25 yards and a 10-inch dispersion at 50 yards, with the pistol sighted to fire a bit high at the shorter distance, and more or less dead on at 50 yards. Some GI pistols were more accurate, some less so, but even those that rattled when shaken were accurate enough for government work because the barrel lugs and barrel bushings were tight enough. New pistols manufactured to tighter tolerances mean less eccentric wear, greater accuracy, and in many cases, greater reliability.

I will continue to sing the praises of the 1911 while also presenting hard facts that will help you make your choice. But make no mistake: you have purchased a book about the greatest fighting pistol in the world.

However, the book isn’t all about the gun itself. There is also a cast of characters that reads like an honor roll of history; Browning, Thompson, LaGarde, Cooper, and Colt are all part of the story. The mark of a genius is the impact his inventions and thinking have on future generations, and in looking further for information in this book, I have stood on the shoulders of giants. It is difficult to disassociate men from their arms, and it is interesting to see how many of the great achievements of man have occurred against a backdrop of war and conflict. Some inventors found themselves literally in the line of fire. The characters in this book were in the right place at the right time, as in the case of Browning and Thompson, while others, such as T. E. Lawrence, were often in the wrong place at the wrong time, and suffered. John Browning’s honesty, perseverance, and industry are unsurpassed in firearms development. His lean, clean calculations bore fruit. As for the backdrop of war, well, a surplus of problems insures vitality in the industry. Athleticism of the intellect is often found under pressure. Browning is one who excelled at everything to which he turned. General John T. Thompson is another, and his work on the .45 ACP cartridge is of critical interest. All of these men had mental agility and the ability to grapple with ideas and create enduring implements.

Robert K. Campbell

CHAPTER 1

THE GENESIS OF THE 1911

Back in 1899 everyone sang Aud Lang Syne- and so the song goes. At the same time, the Mauser broomhandle pistol was gaining acceptance as a reliable and effective self-loading pistol. John Moses Browning developed the Colt 1900 .38 ACP pistol, and adventurers such as the up-and-coming T. E. Lawrence and western lawmen relied upon the single-action revolver. The United States Army was disappointed with the Colt .38 revolver and was actively looking to replace the Colt 1892 with a self-loading pistol. The Colt 1900 pistol was studied, and the German Luger was tested as well. John Browning and Colt were gaining much experience, as Browning designed small-caliber pistols and Colt manufactured them. The inertial firing pin, grip safety, enclosed slide, and tilting-link barrel were developed in these handguns. Browning also experimented with both internal and external extractors. Various hammerless designs were marketed, and while they were actually concealed-hammer pistols, the smooth slide design was popular.

Browning pioneered the locked-breech action as other makers struggled with adapting self-loading handguns to powerful cartridges. The Mauser 1896 used an oscillating wedge that worked well enough. This system was later used in the Walther P38 and today is in use with the Beretta 92 pistol. The Luger borrowed the Henry rifle’s toggle lock, or perhaps Hugo Borchardt was impressed by Maxim’s adaptation of the toggle for machine guns. Browning used the locked-breech operating principle. This design features a barrel and slide that remain locked as the pistol recoils. The barrel tilts at a certain point in its travel, and upon firing, the slide and the barrel recoil together. As the bullet exits the barrel and pressure abates, the slide and barrel separate, and the slide rushes forward to strip another round from the magazine and into the chamber. Practically every modern handgun now uses the Browning locked-breech design.

This manual will enable anyone to properly field strip and fire a 1911 from 1911 to present.

This original 1917 Colt is reliable with modern ammunition and would still serve today.

This is a schematic of the original 1911.

Common sense tells you that this Colt has seen extensive use since 1917, yet it does not exhibit eccentric wear, and remains serviceable.

THE BEGINNING

When the Army wanted a .45-caliber pistol, Browning took a hard look at his 1900 design, which was already refined into the 1903. The .45 ACP cartridge was designed to be the same length as the .38 ACP, with a .900-inch-long cartridge case, which simplified some of the development. He eliminated the 1900’s dual links and used only one swinging link in the 1911, but the 1905 and 1907 Colt pistols still used not only dual links, but also the locking slot for the barrel used with the 1900. Just the same, the barrel bushing and trigger action later used in the 1911 were beginning to appear in the 1907 version of the Colt .45 automatic. In the style of the day, the Colt 1907 was offered with a shoulder stock slot (gangsters later modified the 1911 to shoulder stock status, along with extended magazines and even a full auto selector switch). The hammer style, lanyard loop, and ejection port received considerable attention. The somewhat square original grip angle was retained from the 1900 pistol.

A modern replica Black Army rests above a 1917 Colt.

THE .45 ACP CARTRIDGE WAS DESIGNED TO BE THE SAME LENGTH AS THE .38 ACP, WITH A .900-INCH-LONG CARTRIDGE CASE, WHICH SIMPLIFIED SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT.

This is the slide window of an original 1911 (left) compared to the modern Black Army (right).

The swinging link was an ingenious solution to lockup and unlocking, one that remains effective today.

The pistol was a good effort but Army testing found this Colt lacking. Safety was one concern, as the lack of a positive manual safety was a drawback for mounted use. The grip angle was rated uncomfortable. My research indicates that cavalry tests included carrying the Colt cocked and unlocked and ready to fire in the holster. Racking a slide was unacceptable for one-hand operation in a headlong battle from horseback and carrying the pistol loaded with the hammer down seemed unacceptable.

The pistol was further developed following a poor rating by the Army. Work on the Colt .45 automatic continued through the 1909 and 1910 models. The most noticeable change was the grip design. The dual links were finally eliminated. Seminal work on safety features included the addition of a grip safety, but the slide lock or thumb safety was last in development. The various mechanical improvements are important, but the improvements in the grip angle and handling are equally important. The proof of the 1911 Colt was an intensive firing test. The 1911 .45 was fired until too hot to handle, quenched in water for cooling, then fired until 6,000 rounds were exhausted without a malfunction. There were a couple of things the Army wanted they did not get, so a compromise was made. These wants included a loaded chamber indicator and a round counter. The brass round counter of the Savage 99 rifle may have made an impression upon the military but the practical application wasn’t, well, practical. The 1911 magazine has witness holes for counting rounds. Modern 1911s have slots in the barrel for checking the loaded state but the press check is the most fool-proof method of checking for a round in the chamber.

This modern Springfield Mil Spec could be handed to a doughboy in France in 1918 and he could easily field strip and use the pistol. That is longevity!

These are both Colt 1911 pistols, but are separated by almost 100 years. Each is a good service pistol even today.

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS THE ARMY WANTED THEY DID NOT GET, SO A COMPROMISE WAS MADE. THESE WANTS INCLUDED A LOADED CHAMBER INDICATOR AND A ROUND COUNTER. THE BRASS ROUND COUNTER OF THE SAVAGE 99 RIFLE MAY HAVE MADE AN IMPRESSION UPON THE MILITARY BUT THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION WASN’T, WELL, PRACTICAL.

The barrel bushing arrangement of the original pistol has proven to be a good design that has survived for over 100 years.

The original 1911. This is the same type of Colt that served in Mexico, World War One, World War Two, and many other wars.

FIRST COMBAT ACTION AND THE RARE BLACK ARMY MODEL

The 1911 acquitted itself well in the Philippines action. Rushed to the war zone immediately after adoption, hard-pressed soldiers put the 1911 to task. The 1911 went with Pershing to Mexico and then to Europe during World War One. It was during World War One that a now uncommon variation was introduced. Colt was used to producing a few thousand guns a year, but now the Army needed 300,000. As a result, Colt cut corners in some production demands, and one of the cut corners resulted in less polish and a darker finish. This became known as the Black Army finish. These handguns became rare after the war for two reasons: First, Colt’s contract was canceled after the war ended. Second, most of the Black Army guns were refinished after World War One, and many were refinished in the new Parkerizing used during World War Two. The Army .45 did the business like no other, but as often happens at the end of a war, there was a list of complaints concerning the 1911. After World War one, Colt was asked to instigate a number of detail changes in the 1911 handgun. The 1911 was ushered off the stage, and the 1911A1 was developed.

CHAPTER 2

THE 1911A1

After World War One Colt was asked to develop an improved version of the 1911. The sight configuration was changed slightly. The primary difference in the 1911A1 is that the mainspring is arched rather than flat, and the trigger is shorter. The frame is milled out behind the trigger for better finger access. This made for better handling for smaller hands and shorter fingers. Most agree that this configuration is the best for rapid-fire defense work. Most modern 1911 handguns have a flat mainspring housing because this is the easier configuration for fitting a beavertail safety. Detail changes were also made in the hammer. These improvements were placed in regular production in 1923. All parts are interchangeable with the original. It should be noted that there were no complaints from the battlefield concerning reliability or the effect of the cartridge, only minor points in handling.

The commercial guns were also changed to the 1911A1 modifications. Military guns were finished with Parkerizing and plastic grips replaced the original wooden stocks. Over two million 1911A1 handguns were eventually manufactured during World War Two. It should be noted that the earlier contract guns by Remington and Springfield were not strictly interchangeable with Colt. Standardization was not completely successful. Between the wars new drawings and gauges were made, and during World War Two all 1911A1 handguns featured interchangeable parts. While the pistols are called 1911s by all of us today, it is technically correct to call them 1911A1 handguns because that is what they are. No look at the 1911A1 would be complete without examining the most numerous of the 1911A1 pistols- and it wasn’t a Colt.

The Colt 1911A1 has served the world, including Vietnam.

This is a Colt manufactured in 1943.

This 1943 Colt is not in as fine a shape as some of the others reviewed for this book, but it proved reliable in firing and the parts work together as designed.

THE REMINGTON RAND

The history of the 1911 pistol includes many makers that produced close copies and clones. A number of true clones made to military specifications exist. These include the Ithaca and Remington Rand. Remington Rand is not the same maker as the modern Remington Arms. However, the Remington Rand Corporation was a branch of E. Remington and Sons at one time. About 1873 Remington formed a subsidiary to manufacture typewriters. They produced typewriters for about thirteen years and then sold the company. This company became known as Remington Rand and the parent company became Remington Arms. Remington Rand continued to produce various and sundry items, including sewing machines. Remington Arms also acquired the Union Metallic Cartridge Company, and for a time the company became known as Remington UMC. During World War One Remington UMC produced 1911 pistols. They did not produce any 1911 pistols during World War Two. But Remington Rand did.

At the beginning of World War Two the United States was far from the arsenal of democracy it would later become. The demand of supplying our own soldiers was daunting enough, much less supplying our allies. But many large and small companies rose to the occasion. Among these was the