STANDARD MANUFACTURING'S MODEL 1911 .45 ACP

FROM THE HIP

- Brian Pearce

Back in the 1970s, a leading magazine conducted a straw ballot vote as to what was the “AllTime Classic Handgun.” The competition was stiff and included the fine old Colt Single Action Army, Smith & Wesson Model 29, the famous Luger, and others. However, when the results were tallied, the clear winner was Colt’s Model 1911 .45 ACP. In addition to serving as the U.S. military’s official standard-issue sidearm for 74 years (1911-1985), it continues to serve admirably within elite combat units.

It has been used, or is being used, by police/military units in at least 56 countries around the world. However, immediately after its development, it quickly became popular with civilians and has been used extensively in a variety of competitions that include match/target bullseye, various action pistol events and is frequently relied on for personal protection, recreational shooting, hunting, and a host of other applications. Today, there are more companies than I can count that offer quality Model 1911s, and sales remain incredibly strong. It has been nearly 50 years since the above straw ballot, but the timeless Model 1911 is still just as relevant and more popular than at any time in its 110-year history.