The Future of the Past

It was an amazing year to say the least! In January, the world saw the first shipboard landing of an aircraft. In May, the first Indianapolis 500-Mile Race had revvedup cars blazing around the track, with the winner having an average speed of a whopping 74.6 miles per hour! In July, American explorer Hiram Bingham discovered Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas. But more importantly than all of these events and dozens more, the most significant event to occur in the year 1911, transpiring in late March.

The Colt pistol, designated "Model of 1911," was adopted by the United States Army. Over 100 years later, this iconic pistol continues to "keep em’ in the 10-Ring!" With such an amazing start, the future of the 1911 looked bright. John Moses Browning, often hailed as the father of modern firearms, designed the 1911 pistol to operate off of a recoil operated slide and chambered in the venerable 45 ACP round. Throughout much of the history of the 1911, not much has changed design-wise.

The grip angle has remain unchanged, single stack magazines have prevailed, and the slim profile has continued to dominate. As an avid lover of the 1911 platform, the consistency of the effectiveness of this firearm reminds me of an age-old adage my sweet grandma used to tell us growing up: "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it." More than a century later, and thousands of different firearms being introduced to market, the 1911 has sustained its dominance.

Between 1911 and 1983 very few changes to this machine were introduced. And for good reason! If you’re going to change something, it should most definitely be changed for the better. In the early 1920s changes such as a shorter trigger, frame alterations, and updates to the grip safety (to name a few) occurred. These kinds of changes were initiated to make the pistol easier to shoot.

Beginning in the 1940s different size variants were introduced as well as a number of different chamberings, the first to be a 22 Long Rifle conversion. One thing remained constant: the platform continued to reign supreme. In 1983, although the 1911 was now being produced all over the world, Colt introduced a major change. Interestingly enough, this change would not make the pistol easier to shoot, better looking, or even lighter to carry.

This change was to completely alter the safety parameters of the 1911 platform. The changes that the 1911 underwent in the early 80s included a Firing Pin All pictures courtesy of Peach State Armory (PeachStateArmory.com).

David Marshall Williams developed a .22 caliber training version of the M1911 using a floating chamber for the U. S. Ordnance Office. This was marketed as the Colt Service Ace. Gunsmith legend Bob Marvel designed a .22 caliber 1911 conversion that is still available in various models from Marvel Precision and Nelson Custom, a design that remains a very popular and winning choice for Precision Pistol competition.

Safety as well as the ability to place the hammer in what is termed the half-cock position, to name a few. These changes specifically identified all models moving forward as either its predecessor the Series 70, or this new, safer design, the Series 80. My current Every Day Carry is the SIG Sauer Ultra Compact 1911 chambered in 9mm. This Series 80 1911 pistol is a dream to shoot, and like the majority of 1911 models, has its day on the range each visit!

Since its inception, the 1911 platform has been a mainstay in the world of law enforcement, professional carry, and self-defense. Throughout its illustrious history, the 1911 has seemed to transcend all of the conventional modes of utility. In the late 1950s, Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper hosted the first modern organized combat competitive shooting events. The primary firearm used in these practical shooting competitions was non-other than the esteemed 1911.

Some of the most well-known by-products of the original shooting competitions hosted by Cooper are The International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) and United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA). In addition to being the heavily relied upon selfdefense pistol and the duty issued firearm for peace officers, the to being one of the most popular pistols in the world of competitive shooting.

Shooters like Julie Golob, Randi Rogers, Rob Leatham, and Nils Jonassan make light work of the paper and steel targets in action-based competitions nationwide each year. As a SIG Sauer Certified 1911 Armorer, Adjunct Professor of Firearms Technology for Sonoran Desert Institute, and co-owner of Peach State Armory (Peach State Armory. com, I’ve spent plenty of time working on and training with this great gun.

The ability for a product to stand the test of time is a true testament to its solid foundation and quality of build. For a product to traverse the peaks and valleys of over a century is a mark of sustainability. Since its first major adoption in March of 1911, the pistol introduced by John Moses Browning has tended to remain largely the same while everything around it has seemed to change. Nineteen different U. S. Presidents have served our country since its adoption.

Passenger vehicles have evolved from the in-line 4-cylinder Model T Fords, to totally managed, self-driven electric vehicles. Consumers have went from preparing meals on an open stone hearth to zapping an entire meal in the microwave. While decades have elapsed and the world around us continues to change, one thing remains constant… the future of the past looks constantly bright! AG