Excuse my ignorance but who made the original 1911? And what did the troops carry?
Following its success in trials, the Colt pistol was formally adopted by the Army on March 29, 1911, thus gaining its designation, M1911 (Model 1911). It was adopted by the
Navy and
Marine Corps in 1913. Originally manufactured only by Colt, demand for the firearm in
World War I saw the expansion of manufacture to the government-owned
Springfield Armory.
[10]
Battlefield experience in the First World War led to some more small external changes, completed in 1924. The new version received a modified type classification, M1911A1. Changes to the original design were minor and 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 shorter spur on the hammer, and simplified grip checkering by eliminating the "Double Diamond" reliefs.
[8] Those unfamiliar with the design are often unable to tell the difference between the two versions at a glance. No significant internal changes were made, and parts remained interchangeable between the two.
[8]
Working for the U.S. Ordnance Office,
David Marshall Williams developed a .22 training version of the M1911 using a floating chamber to give the .22 long rifle rimfire recoil similar to the .45 version.
[8] As the
Colt Service Ace, this was available both as a handgun and as a conversion kit for .45 M1911 pistols.
[8]
World War II
Diagram from the Soldier's Handbook (1940-1) showing the various components of the pistol.
World War II and the years leading up to it created a great demand. During the war, about 1.9 million units were procured by the U.S. 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). So many were produced that after 1945 the government did not order any new pistols, and simply used existing parts inventories to "arsenal refinish" guns when necessary. This pistol was favored by US military personnel.
[11] Singer produced pistols in particular are highly priced collectibles, commanding high prices even in poor condition.
[12]
Before World War II, a small number of the original M1911 pattern pistols were produced under license at the Norwegian weapon factory
Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk, which were designated "Pistol M/1914" and unofficially known as "
Kongsberg Colt". During the German occupation of Norway the production continued. Norway never updated the design to the M1911A1 standard. These pistols are highly regarded by modern collectors, with the 920 examples stamped with Nazi
Waffenamt codes and the unknown number of unmarked examples assembled by the
Norwegian resistance movement (the "Matpakke-Colt" or "Lunch Box Colt") being the most sought after. German forces also used captured M1911A1 pistols, using the designation "Pistole 660(a)".
[13] The M1911 pattern formed the basis for the Argentine
Ballester-Molina and certain Spanish
Star and
Llama pistols made after 1922.
