In order to adequately arm the US Troops, the old Colt Single Action Army of 1873 was called back into service. The old Peacemaker, with its black powder and 255 grain bullet at about 850 feet per second, performed admirably. The US Government held a competition for development of a new self-loading pistol chambered for a .45 caliber bullet. Making a long story short, the 1911 Colt Government Model, designed by John M. Browning, won the competition.
The 1911 actually got to the Philippines at the tail-end of that conflict. The Government Model was used in the Punitive Expedition against Mexico in 1916-1917. One of the most famous individual acts of bravery in the history of warfare was when Sgt. Alvin York captured some 130 Germans and killed around 22 others. He used a Lee-Enfield rifle and a 1911 pistol. At one point, York killed six Germans with as many shots from his 1911. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. Find some very interesting info here:
http://www.sgtyorkdiscovery.com/The_York_Gallery.php
There are literally dozens, if not hundreds, of stories similar to York's illustrating how US servicemen in a bunch of wars and conflicts used the old slab-sided warrior to good effect. By the beginning of WWII the gun had become the 1911A1, because of improvements in the design. The pistols were manufactured by several different companies during the war, including Remington-Rand, Singer Sewing Machine Co., Ithaca, and others.
The US adopted a Beretta 9mm service pistol in the middle 80s. Colt continued to manufacture the Government Model as a commercial offering. At least a dozen other companies make 1911 style pistols, notably Kimber, Springfield, and Para-Ordinance. I currently own two 1911A1 style pistols, made in China of all places. Ironically, they have turned out to be some of the better Govt. Model "clones" because, unlike any of the other manufacturers (including Colt), they are still made from forged steel rather than the castings and metal injecting processes used to cut costs in firearms manufacturing today.
Cutting to the chase, because of sentimentality (maybe senility?) I am wanting a gen-u-wine Colt 1911A1 Government Model Pistol. Problem is, those manufactured since about 1980 aren't made in the old, traditional way. There are the afore-mentioned cast and injection-molded parts, and horror of horrors, even plastic in some of the new ones. Those manufactured from about 1970 to 1980 are way over-priced. They are also, according to some sources, not really high quality, at least as not as good as those commercial guns made in the 50s and 60s. I saw a 1980 manufactured 1911A1 on a website sell for $925 last week. I am afraid I am not going to be willing to pay quite that much for a Colt. I mostly collect (accumulate is more like it) Smith&Wesson revolvers, and that kind of money will buy an early post-war .357 Magnum or .44 Magnum revolver of unquestioned quality.
We'll see.
Edited to add, September 16, 2011----Well, I found a Colt Series 70 MK IV Government Model. No great bargain, but a fair price. A very nice pistol, and a great shooter. I bought it on Sunday, 9-11-2011. So far I have fired about 100 rounds of 230 grain Ball ammo, using the magazine that came with the gun and magazines from my two Norincos, without any issues. The sights are dead on for windage and elevation at 20 yards. Good trigger, and a real joy to shoot. I love it!
Couple of pictures of my S-70
My Chinese 1911s. They have the inscription "Model Of The 1911A1" on the slide.
Very interesting! Maybe you can become a "Picker" and set off to find one in somebody's barn. BTW, What's that errant knife doing in the photo? Species of another collection?
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