“But it won two world wars!” – every Colt M1911 lover, ever

It is no doubt that the Colt M1911 is a smooth gun to shoot (and good-looking). Yes, the Colt M1911 was used in both World Wars and many others. I will admit, despite its age, it is still very fun to shoot. It is no longer used in wars, as there are newer and better handguns, but this artifact from the past still stands firm. In today’s blog post, I will privy you on the Colt M1911.

History

The military was looking for new weapons to use in combat. Revolvers were good at the time, but the military was always striving for more. The M1911 originated due to this demand for a more efficient handgun – revolvers were king. In order to topple the revolver market, a gunsmith needed to make a handgun that was fast. A gun that could load itself as the marksman shot (also known as a semi-automatic). This was the very thing John Browning came up with. I mentioned John Browing in a previous blog post, check it out here. Browning is responsible for making quite a long list of firearms. If you really wanted to, you could call him the father of modern firearms.

The 1911 was developed and commissioned to the US military just in time for some wars. As mentioned before, the 1911 “won two world wars” (Not necessarily the gun itself, but it was used in both World Wars). In World War I, around 68,000 1911 pistols were sold and delivered to the US. Needless to say, it was used by just about every soldier during the war. The number of units owned swelled once World War II started: ~1.9 million units. However, there was a new pistol that had been made. It was a modified 1911: M1911A1. There isn’t a lot of difference between the two – at least nothing noteworthy. Again, needless to say, the 1911 saw quite a lot of use during the two World Wars – especially World War II.

After both World Wars, the 1911 was still used by the government, but the usage was on the decline. It was slowly getting replaced by newer designs of handguns that were more efficient and effective. Nowadays, the 1911 is bought as a collector’s item; however, the gun is still good. The 1911 is one of those handguns that hasn’t gone out of style or function over the years – unlike the Winchester 1894 and other lever action rifles. While it does make for a good collector’s item, the 1911 can still function as a great self/home defense weapon (and you’d look cool while doing it).

Function and Caliber

I’ve only talked about a few handguns in these blog posts: the Luger, Glock, and S&W 29. All of these handguns share the same basic principles of a handgun. The trigger is pulled, releasing tension on the hammer. The hammer is powered by a spring and smashes the firing pin. The firing pin pokes the primer of the chambered round, and the gunpowder proceeds to explode. The bullet flies out and hits the target. All stuff we’ve heard before (if you’ve read my older blog posts). However, I won’t just cover that. The 1911 is interesting. It was made to replace revolvers. Back then, gunsmiths would not have thought of a design such as the Glock or Luger’s. Instead, it seems to be a mix of the modern era and past era of guns: a blend of revolver and handgun. The Colt 1911 has certain similarities to a revolver while also introducing modern handgun concepts. In the diagram I have attached, number 23 is the hammer. You won’t find these on modern handguns, but you do find them on revolvers. In this aspect, the 1911 functions the same as a revolver. The hammer gets cocked back and puts tension on the spring system. When the trigger is pulled, the tension gets released and the hammer can spring forward. Number 21 is the firing pin that the hammer strikes. After it pokes the primer and a round is discharged, the slide will be pushed back from the force of the round. In the colored picture, the slide is the uppermost part. The slide would fly back and hit the marksman if it wasn’t for the spring pushing it back forward. The spring is located just beneath the barrel: number 14 on the diagram. On the colored picture, it is the bottom-most to the left. This concept of slide and spring is found in all modern handguns. It makes for a faster and more efficient way of shooting. As the slide flies back, the cartridge is pushed back also, causing it to eject. As the spring pushes the slide back in place, a new round is caught and chambered. Hence making the gun semi-automatic.

The 1911’s standard chambering is the .45 ACP. In the colored picture, it is the round in the middle. There are some modern 1911s that are chambered in 9mm (the same round as the Glock).

Pop Culture

The 1911 has a rich presence in the pop culture (it makes my job easier :))

The 1911 is used by Tuco’s cousins in the series Breaking Bad.
In Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind, a 1911 is held for a split second by a gang member.
Dante, from the Devil May Cry series, wields two heavily modified 1911s throughout the game series.
The 1911 makes an appearance in Metal Gear Solid 4.
LA Noire is an old timely detcetive game, so it’d make perfect sense for a 1911 to make an appearance.
In the show, Tokyo Vice, Ishida wields a modern 1911 while confronting his associate.
Finally, in Peaky Blinders, Thomas holds a 1911 in season 2.