Triple Threat

How Caspian arms changed the competitive shooting game

- Steve Sieberts

THERE IS A TERM IN HOCKEY KNOWN AS A “HAT TRICK” WHEN A PLAYER SCORES THREE GOALS IN A SINGLE GAME. WIKIPEDIA ALSO LISTS A HAT TRICK AS ANY THREE ACHIEVEMENTS OF A POSITIVE FEAT. THIS ISSUE OF “CONCEALED CARRY” HAS WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE THE HAT TRICK OF CUSTOM 1911 HANDGUNS. THIS TRIPLE THREAT OF A COMPACT OFFICER’S MODEL, A TACTICAL MODEL AND A CLASSIC GOVERNMENT MODEL, ALL START WITH THE SAME, BASIC PLATFORM: THE CASPIAN ARMS SLIDE AND FRAME.

The Only Logical Choice

I first became aware of Caspian Arms while competing in USPSA matches around New Jersey. Later, I became the chief gunsmith for a classified DOD facility building tactical 1911s for U.S. Special Operation’s personnel. At the time, we were building guns using the old National Match slides and frames from Rock Island Arsenal but eventually used them up. There were simply no more serviceable National Match slides and frames to be had to build from; they were too old and had been accurized too many times by the military marksmanship units over the years, rendering the slide and frame rails too thin. So we had to turn to a commercial product if we were to continue build custom 1911s.

We looked at obtaining Colt factory slides and frames, or possibly parts from other manufacturers. But realized that we would have to still spend time squeezing slides and peening frames rails to get the precision slide to frame fit that we – and our customers – demanded. We were looking for oversized parts that could be precision fitted. Caspian Arms was the only logical choice.

Precise Production