March 29, 2011 is upon us, the hundredth anniversary of the 1911 pistol’s adoption by the United States Government. OK, OK, I know I seem to be obsessing on it…but I’m a gun guy, dammit, and this is my single favorite gun that we’re talking about here…
My last blog entry mentioned the upcoming Centennial, and reader Iwoots commented, “Mas, do you still have &/or shoot that first 1911?” I realized to my horror that the answer was “Yes and no.” I still have it, but hadn’t shot it in years, and Iwoots’ comment prompted me to dig it out of mothballs and take it to the range. It fit my palm like that proverbial “handshake of an old friend”…and, even in the rain, it still put a magazine of seven 185 grain Remington .45 hollow points into the head of a silhouette target 25 yards away from the barricade I braced on.
My dad bought it for me for $37.50 from Stan Sprague’s gun shop in Hooksett, NH 50 years ago. He was unsure whether I’d be able to handle its allegedly ferocious recoil. Frankly, so was I. Stan took us out back behind the shop on Route 3, with a magazine of lead bullet reloads. I held it extended in one hand like I did my .22 pistol, braced myself, and squeezed off a shot. The .45 bucked gently in my hand. I remember saying, “I like it, Dad…”
It was a WWI vintage original 1911, produced by Colt in the year 1917. It had a gray patina on it and the right-side diamond-cut wood grip panel was worn almost completely smooth of checkering. In those days, “mil-surp” .45s were common as dirt, and we all modified them without realizing that by the year 2011, one in original condition would be worth thousands of dollars. The early gun had a small-tang grip safety and a spade-shaped hammer, the combination of which bit the web of the firing hand, so I had the gun shop across the street from Sprague’s, owned by master gunsmith Dick Riley (who would later become president of the NRA) install commercial Colt Government Model grip safety and hammer, and reblue the old beast while he was at it, and install a Series ’70 barrel too. One of Dick’s gunsmiths – Nolan Santy, who would later become a dear friend and mentor – beveled out the magazine well and roughened the frontstrap of the frame for a more solid hold. It became my service pistol for much of the eight years I later spent as a part time cop patrolling the same community where my dad had bought the gun for me.
I’ll be wearing a more modern 1911 .45 on the Centennial – time marches on, after all, if rather slowly in the world of the gun – but I won’t let go of that cherished Colt until one of my kids gets it when my will is read. Thanks, Iwoots, for bringing me back to my roots there.
Old guns that helped to shape us as shooters…many of you have stories like that to tell.
I invite you to share them here.
This Colt 1911 has been around for 94 years, and owned by the author for 50 of ’em.
The gun doesn’t feel 94 years old, even if the owner does.
Top, original model of 1911, produced by Colt in 1917, a few parts upgrades since…below, Les Baer 1911 .45, produced in 2011. Not all THAT many changes in a hundred years…
It’s a beautiful old pistol, Mas. It’s wonderful that you still have it after all these years.
All these years later, Riley’s in Hookset is still the go-to gun shop in NH, along with Manchester Firing Line.
I recall being “mighty afeared” of the 1911 recoil beast, at least as warned by my father from his Korea-era Army services (he was kept stateside at Fort Hood when his unit deployed, because he had measles; so, he became a trainer and spent a lot of time shooting.)
He spent much of his time as a range instructor qualifying other people. That is, he took advantage of the free ammo to shoot range cards in other people’s names (mostly officers). This was in the day of the one-hand stance, and he was 5’7″ and all of 138 pounds, so I do cut him some slack on his claim that he had to tape his wrist for a full day of shooting.
But like you, Mas, once I acually tried it for myself, I have never found the 1911, nor any other full size .45, to be “punishing”. I’ll shoot any .45 ACP all day long over a 2″ .357 Magnum, or a compact .40 S&W.
Mine is not quite as old as yours. It was made in 1919 and it sports a parkerized finish, but its a real 1911 not an A1. Best I can tell it was made after WWI but was arsenal reworked during the WWII. I have owned it for 30 years and like you I made a few changes, but its a great shooter. If it could talk I bet it could tell a few stories.
Mas, What a wonderful story about a wonderful pistol. Thanks for sharing and do keep her in the family. Thanks again.
Excellent pistol. Happy Anniversary!
“But like you, Mas, once I acually tried it for myself, I have never found the 1911, nor any other full size .45, to be “punishing”.”
Same here! The 1911 design – at least the full-size one – has the WEIGHT needed to soak up recoil.
First handgun I ever fired was my dads Remington rand 1911. That was over 40 years ago and I still have it. I shoot it every once in a while and hope to hand it over to my daughter someday. Or rather she will get it once I’m gone. I aint giving it up!! Great story Mas.
When I took your Stressfire course in the Summer of ’99 (with my Glock 21), you had told me that “Some of my best Colts are stainless”. That December I bought my first 1911, a stainless M1991A1. Eleven years later, and on this auspicious day, she rides behind my right hip as I write, protecting my wife, two kids, and myself. I love this Colt! Thanks Mas, and thanks JMB.
Sweet!!
I recall the first 1911 I ever shot too. It was a stainless Colt Commander my brother owned back in the late 70’s or early 80’s. I loved shooting that gun.
I have several of my own now, but I payed a little more than $37.50 for my 1942 Navy issued 1911A1.
I like my Glock 30 but when I take out the Series 70 it feels like a “real” pistol.
Steve
I carried an old 1911 in the Navy as a security / fire watch, and had a gold cup in the 1960s and loved it.
Recently I bought a High Standard Officer’s Model 1911 .45ACP, made in the Philippines.
It is a very well made gun, and it is all steel. Heavier than my XD sub compact .40S&W, but it feels better in the hand, and that .45 hole in the muzzle is intimidating as heck.
Carried my Kimber Comander size 1911 today.
I have owen all kind of guns yet 1911 pistol. All what enjoy owen shooting above all other guns. I can not seem have enough of them.
Old sentimental 1911s are just like old friends: “Ya just can’t buy ’em” – to paraphrase Guy Clark…
My second handgun was a used Colt NM (wish I still had it). Since then I’ve had dozens of different brands/styles and currently have a few in a variety of types. But, the most enjoyable thing with the 1911 was building 2 myself. Both started with Essex frames. The first was pretty much assembling surplus parts but it functioned fine and I still have it. The second was done with hand-fitting custom parts. I started with a slide that had to be tapped down onto the rails and worked in with polishing compund until it fit perfectly with no slack at all. The other parts (barrel to slide lugs, hood, link and pin, trigger, sear, etc.) were all carefully fitted to be perfect. The trigger is 2 1/2 lb. but has never “doubled.” The gun’s not a Brown or Wilson but I feel it gives up nothing to them. And, the best part is I did it myself!
Doing these builds showed me the simplicity of Browning’s design yet his genius for designing something so simple that worked so well. I say, “try a build yourself!” Get a good guide book, build yourself a 1911, and you will know how it REALLY works.
My first 1911 I was able to call my own was given to me by my father on the occasion of leaving the Navy some 10 years ago. It is a Colt Series 80 Combat Commander Enhanced SS. It was previously owned by a Sheriff’s Deputy friend of his who “successfully dispatched” a bad guy with said gun. The deputy no longer cared for the “memories” and wanted to hastily part with it. Needless to say, it has become a prized part of my collection. Having carried a G30sf daily for the past year, the 1911 is still my first love. Yesterday’s carry was a S&W 1911 SC Combat Commander. Ironically, I was taking a Glock Armorer’s Course. 🙂
As a fairly recent gun owner/carrier, at nearly 60, I don’t have stories of “Dad’s old gun”. But when it came time for my first handgun, I tried several and sold ’em because they just didn’t work well for me. At a gun show, I walked around hefting different types, and then it happened. That Rock Island compact 1911 shook hands with me at it was love at first touch. Now a few years and many rounds downrange, it’s my constant carry, although I also have it’s big brother that goes with me sometimes. my kids will be able to tell stories when it passes to them.
Great story, Mas. Your experience reminds me of the pristine Winchester Model 94 .30-30 rifle, built in 1951, with dark, original bluing and unmarred Walnut stock, that my father bought me. It’s a gun that we love to talk about and shoot together whenever he visits from out of town.
Bought my first Colt Gov’t .45 in 1989; it’s sitting next to me as I type. Never had a problem handling the recoil. Wish I could say the same for my Model 66 Smith and Ruger Security Six.
One thing to watch for with 1911’s; sometimes they breed in the safe! I now have three.
BTW, is there another finish made besides stainless? 😛
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My first handgun was a Ruger super blackhawk .44 mag. Shooting a 1911 .45 is a vacation. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again you can’t have too many 1911s laying around the house! Well in the gun safe now days. HAPPY BIRTHDAY 1911!!!!!
So the 1911 on march 29th is 100….I on the other hand turned 45 on this march 29….it must be fate
I’ve got a Colt 1911 that was made in 1914. Still an excellent shooter, I admit she doesn’t leave the safe much these days. It was the gun I learned to shoot with, so it has a certain sentimental value to me.
The thefirearmblog.com has captured an image of Ruger’s 1911 from an upcoming issue of Guns & Ammo previewed in Shooting Times. And what do we learn from this? Not much, except that Ruger is cashing in on the 1911 mania sweeping gun nation. Then again, there’s not a whole lot you can do with a gun design that was pretty much set in stone 100 years ago. The bottom line will be . . . the bottom line. Remington launched its R1 1911 at a slightly sub-$1k price tag. If Ruger can bring in this bad boy closer to the $500 mark with the same quality, it should be a slam dunk. Oh, and note to Guns & Ammo: please return TTAG’s “The Truth About . . .” tagline when you’re done. Tx.