M1911 Colt Cavalry Requirements

Colt Manufacturing Co. of Hartford, Connecticut, has produced quality firearms for more than 150 years. The company founded by Samuel Colt became famous in America's Old West with six-shooter revolvers like the 1873 Single Action Army model. And Colt's M1911 .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol was the standard issue U.S. military sidearm from 1911 to 1985. The M1911 was used by American troops in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghanistan and Iraq.

  1. Construction

    • As of October 2010, Colt manufactured a replica of the M1911 that is based on the original 1911 blueprints. Colt's M1911 is built to last a lifetime and with proper care and maintenance, it is a reliable weapon that will function even in harsh environments, such as a desert or in cold or wet weather. Its durability in a variety of conditions is one reason why it has remained in the U.S. military's arsenal for a century. Its frame material is constructed with carbon steel and is finished in carbonia blue. The barrel is 5 inches long and has a wide hood, and the weapon has an overall length of 8 inches.

    Features

    • The M1911 comes with a Series 70 firing system and has a straight mainspring housing, original roll marks and inspector marks, plus a lanyard loop. The weapon has double diamond walnut grips, a knurled thumb safety and a WWI-style "short tang" grip safety. It is a single-action sidearm with a "tapered blade" front sight, and a U-notch rear sight.

      The M1911 has a long steel trigger and WWI-style hammer. It fires .45 ACP ammunition and has a magazine capacity of seven rounds. It also has a forged slide stop and a knurled magazine catch. The M1911 also comes with the original M1911 owner's manual, a WWI-style screwdriver and two seven-round magazines.

    Options

    • Colt also produces other versions of the Model 1911 that offer variations of the original design. The Government Model is made from stainless steel and has a blue finish, aluminum trigger, white-dot sights and rosewood grips. The Series 70 features a choice of carbon or stainless steel with a ammunition capacity of eight rounds. The Defender Model is constructed of lightweight aluminum with fixed sights, a stainless steel slide, Teflon-coated receiver and wraparound grips. The Colt Gunsite Pistol has a stainless steel frame and comes with an ammunition capacity of nine rounds. It also has an aluminum trigger with a 4-lb. pull.

    Gold Cup

    • The stainless steel Gold Cup National Match pistol was a M1911 model built for competitive shooters and features an adjustable wide trigger and hand-honed action. The Special Combat Government is made from carbon steel and has an ammunition capacity of nine rounds. The Colt XSE Series has Government, Commander and Lightweight Commander versions that feature front and rear serrations and an aluminum trigger. And the Colt 1991 Series has both carbon steel and stainless steel models with ammunition capacities of eight rounds. Colt also produces .38-caliber, 10 mm and double-action pistols in the Government Model design.