Now let's set the record straight, I am a 1911 fanatic. I have six 1911 type pistols, long slides, short slides, 22 cal. conversions, Kimber, Springfield, AMT and Colts. I have owned carried and shot 1911 models for 35 years and have reloaded my own 45 ammo for 30 years. I have shot at bull's eye targets, defensive targets, metal targets, cans, bottles, moving things and dirt with 1911s. Yet I very seldom carry a 1911!

Why?

I am a short person and a full size 1911 is uncomfortable and difficult to carry concealed. The short 1911 are much better but the full size frame is still large. I find the mini 1911 style pistols hard to control and the site radius too short for my old eyes. I went to Crimson Trace grips on my short slide models and it was a great improvement but the grip is still the same size.

So what do I carry? I carry the 1911s younger brother, a Browning Model 1935 High Power with a short slide. This “improved” version of the 1911 model was also designed by John Browning between 1914 and his death in 1926 and was to be the future of semi auto pistols. The controls and functions are basically the same. It is 2/3rds the size of the 1911, thinner and is much easier to carry concealed. With a short slide and barrel, Crimson Trace Grips, extended slide release and extended safety lever it is a refined and dependable firearm. The 13 rd capacity is also a plus and it feeds all types of defensive ammunition without a hitch.

The Hi Power is said to be the most popular semi auto pistols in the world. In 1935 it was being praised as the best auto pistol ever made and 65 years later the first CIA teams to enter Afghanistan in 2001 had there choice of any pistol, they chose High Powers. (See the book First In by CIA Team Leader Gary Schroen) This popularity allows for easy access to parts and magazines no matter where you are. The 9mm cartridge is also the most prolific pistol ammunition in the world. I travel to many locations in the world and I know that High Power Pistols are readily available and highly prized.

The Browning High Power or model 1935 has an extraordinary history. Manufacturing started in March of 1935 and is still going strong today. It is the only pistol ever to be manufactured for issue by both sides in a major war. In 1940 the Germans occupied Belgium and continued the High Power (German Pistole 640b) production for 4 years at the original FN Factory. The Allies manufactured the identical pistol in Canada throughout the war. The High Power became the favorite of elite forces, commandos and paratroopers on both sides. Post WW2 High Powers were issued to many US and allied special operations units in the 1960's and 70's and to special operation communist forces.

Present day High Powers come in a variety of calibers and variations.

Next to the Soviet Tokarev Model TT 30/33 pistol it is the most copied pistol in the world. Both licensed and unlicensed it is manufactured in many different countries. Licensed countries include Argentina, Canada, Nigeria, Portugal and Venezuela. It is made in many countries without permission such as Hungary, Israel, and Indonesia. You will also find it produced in backyard shops throughout Pakistan, Afghanistan, Vietnam and many other places in the third world.

As with any handgun it has its strengths and its limitations.

The strengths include a proven design made to high quality control standards. It was the first high capacity pistol of a manageable size. It is extremely accurate, points well and the 9mm is easy to master. After WW2 it was adopted by many countries in both the military and law enforcement communities due to its durability. It has fewer moving parts and is much easier to field strip than the 1911. Unlike the 1911 parts, magazines and ammunition can be found anywhere in the world.

The limitations include the standard 9mm caliber, metal frame which can be damaged when dropped and is heavy to carry. As with the 1911 it is a training intensive firearm. It takes a highly motivated individual who is willing to stay current to safely handle any single action pistol.

The High Power does not have one important safety feature of the 1911, it lacks the grip safety. It does have a magazine disconnect which renders the pistol out of service when the magazine is removed. Without the magazine inserted the pistol can not be fired. This is a safety design that is liked or disliked depending on what the pistol is used for.

Specifications: Barrel length - 4.7 inches std., 4 inches for the short slide

Height - 5.6 inches

Width - 1.3 inches

Weight - 39 OZ loaded

Magazine capacity - 13rds

The High Power is a similar design to the 1911 (bottom) yet has fewer parts. The barrel bushing, spring plug, barrel link, barrel link pin and the grip safety have been eliminated.

Size comparison, the 1911, High Power and Taurus Model 85

I am a very fortunate person, I have access and the opportunity to carry and shoot many of the most popular pistols in the world. When some see my High Power they just smile and nod, others ask why I stick to 70 year old technology. Would I drive a 70 year old car day to day? Probably not, so why do I stick to a 70 year old gun design?

All I can say is that I enjoy carrying and shooting single action pistols. I feel that with the appropriate training the 1911 and the High Power are superior firearms, quick to present, a trigger pull that is light and predictable for each shot and the High Power is just a pleasant and efficient pistol to shoot. Although I am not a 9mm parabellum fan it fits my need at the present time. For me the Browning High Power is the right tool for the current job. One could do a lot worse.

Carryconcealed.net Contributor-Dan

I have not seen any of these in the US available for sale. For CCW holders they would not fit under any laws that we are aware - Clark

Guns disguised as mobile phones

Swiss police seize shipment

We went to the range to try out several different models of Glocks.  Our real excuse we used for another trip to the range was to see how much “Compensators” make on accuracy. Our spouses did not totally buy the excuse. But we had a good time shooting. Helping with this test was one of our police advisors. Scott has had lots of practice with the different Glock models including the 23c model and is pictured on the right.

The Glock compensator package is basically holes in the barrel and the slide to allow the gasses to pass out the top and reduce recoil. For the untrained shooter the flames coming out the top of the gun may be unnerving. However the reduction in recoil makes a difference on the second and third shot in a group.

Using several rounds of tests the patterns were an average of 1.6 inches closer on fast shooting drills using the Glock 23c. In the tests where we had lots of time the difference was only .8 inches. The bottom line is that for the experienced shooter or the novice the compensator package makes a difference on the follow up shots. The second and third shot could be the difference of life and death in a shoot out. New shooters need to keep in mind that the flames shooting out the top of the barrel may be distracting unless you practice.   

The models we used were very close in details so it was very difficult to tell the difference between the two models.  There was only about .7 grams difference with the 23c being lighter. I could not tell the difference in weight, but could tell in recoil.

We recommend that anyone who is serious about personal defense that  they consider the Glock product line and while they are shopping, they also check out the “c” models that have the compensation systems.

 Notice there is no difference except a weight difference of about .7 grams.

We identify genius by its impact. It changes things and its vision endures. In the world of firearms, there is one designer whose work changed everything and endures, John Moses Browning. Browning is most frequently remembered as the designer of the 1911 .45 ACP and the Browning High Power, but he also created the Winchester 30-30, The Winchester Pump Shotgun, The Browning Auto-5 Shotgun (produced by Remington as the Model 11), The BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) and the Browning .50 caliber Machine Gun, plus most of the .30 cal and .50 cal machine guns produced by Colt and used in WW II. He is credited with 128 gun patents, and some fifty million sports and military weapons were manufactured from those patents during the forty-seven years he was an active inventor.

During the same time frame that John Browning was putting the Winchester Repeating Arms Company on the map, a highly motivated tribe of warriors, known as the Moro, were giving the U.S. Army fits in the Philippines. To prepare for battle, the Moro used a combination of body binding with leather, narcotics, and religious ritual to put themselves into an altered state of consciousness which left them insensible to injury. Soldiers found that their revolvers chambered in .38 Long Colt simply would not stop the Moro. It should be noted that their .30 Krag rifles didn't do a whole lot better against these warriors.

John Browning began to experiment with self-loaders in 1889, inspired by Hiram S. Maxim who had invented a machine gun six years earlier. Browning converted a Winchester 1873 lever-action to an autoloader by using the action of the gases at the muzzle. A machine gun using this same operating principle was built in 1890 and 1891. From this work evolved a machine gun design ultimately built and sold by Colt as the Model 1895 machine gun, popularly called the "Browning Potato Digger" because of its downward arcing, gas-operating piston system. Browning's first self-loading pistol was also a gas-operated weapon.

Based on the experience with the Moros and extensive testing on animals and human cadavers, an Army Ordnance Board headed by Col. John T. Thompson (inventor of the Thompson sub-machine-gun) and Col. Louis A. La Garde, determined that the Army needed a .45 caliber cartridge to provide adequate stopping power. In the mean time, Browning who was working for Colt, had already designed an autoloader pistol, around a cartridge similar in dimension to the .38 Super. When the Army requested designs for a new handgun, Browning re-engineered this .38 autoloader to accommodate a .45" diameter cartridge of his own design with a 230 gr. FMJ bullet, and submitted the pistol to the Army for evaluation.

The selection trials began in 1906 and Browning's pistol faced competition from pistols submitted by Colt, Luger, Savage, Knoble, Bergmann, White-Merrill and Smith & Wesson. Browning's design and the Savage design were selected in 1907. The Army called for additional tests of function and reliability which revealed that neither Colt's nor Savage's offerings had reached the desired perfection. The Ordnance Department instituted a series of further tests and experiments, which eventually resulted in the appointment of a selection committee in 1911.

Browning was determined to prove the superiority of its handgun, so he went to Hartford to personally supervise the production of the gun. There he met Fred Moore, a young Colt employee with whom he worked in close cooperation trying to make sure that each part that was produced for the test guns was simply the best possible. The guns produced were submitted again for evaluation to the committee. A torture test was conducted on March 3rd, 1911. The test consisted of having each gun fire 6000 rounds. One hundred shots would be fired and the pistol would be allowed to cool for 5 minutes. After every 1000 rounds, the pistol would be cleaned and oiled. After firing those 6000 rounds, the pistol would be tested with deformed cartridges, some seated too deeply, some not seated enough, etc. The gun would then be rusted in acid or submerged in sand and mud and some more tests would then be conducted.

During the trials, several alterations were made to the original design such as a single swinging link, an improved manual safety, and the inclusion of a grip safety and a slide stop. The other significant change was to the grips, which were angled more acutely and lengthened slightly.

In its final form, the M1911 was a locked-breech, single-action semi-automatic pistol. It was chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge and had a magazine capacity of seven rounds. Its weight unloaded was 39 ounces; overall length was 8.25"; the height was 5.25". Sights were fixed, although the rear sight was housed in a dovetail slot that allowed it to be drifted either left or right for windage adjustments. The pistols were finished in blue and fitted with checked wood stocks.

Browning's pistols passed the whole test series with flying colors. It was the first firearm to undergo such a test, firing continuously 6000 cartridges, a record broken only in 1917 when Browning's recoil-operated machine gun fired a 40000 rounds test.

The report of the evaluation committee (taken from "The .45 Automatic, An American Rifleman Reprint," published by the National Rifle Association of America) released on the 20th of March 1911 stated :

"Of the two pistols, the board was of the opinion
that the Colt is superior, because it is more
reliable, more enduring, more easily disassembled
when there are broken parts to be replaced, and
more accurate."

On March 29th, 1911, the Browning-designed, Colt-produced .45 Automatic pistol, was selected as the official sidearm of the Armed Forces of U.S.A., and named Model 1911.

When we entered the Great War, the U.S. government had purchased some 140,000 M1911 pistols from both Colt and Springfield Armory. The Armory tooled up in 1913 to make M1911s and help fill initial orders. Altogether some 31,000 M1911s were built at Springfield prior to the U.S. entry into World War I. To meet wartime requirements, they made 45,000 more, all in 1918.

Guns made for these production runs were all stamped UNITED STATES PROPERTY on the frame. The slide carried the inscription MODEL OF 1911 U.S. ARMY. Production runs increased when the World War I started and continued to increase through 1918. By May 1918, it had increased to 1,000 per day. The summer months of 1918 saw an increase to 2,200 per day.

To meet the needs of our expanding armed forces, 1917 planners estimated that a total of 765,000 pistols would be required. The estimate was later revised upward, first to 1.3 million and then to 2.7 million.

Filling the projected needs meant that pistols would have to be made by contractors other than Colt. Thus orders were placed with Remington-UMC, Winchester, Burroughs Adding Machine Co., Lanston Monotype Machine Co., National Cash Register Co., A.J. Savage Munitions Co., Savage Arms Co., and two Canadian firms, Caron Brothers Mfg. Co., and North American Arms Co., Ltd. Of those firms, only Remington-UMC delivered any meaningful quantity (22,000 of 150,000 ordered). North American did make some pistols, but the total was probably less than 100.

A number of foreign companies or governments were licensed to manufacture the Colt-Brownings in a variety of calibers. It is interesting to note that Colts at one time were produced under the direction of the Nazi government. In 1915 the Norwegian government was licensed to manufacture the pistols. When Nazi troops occupied Norway in World War II, they ordered the government arsenal to start production. The Nazi's planned to use the pistol to arm their occupying forces. However, only about 1,000 guns were produced in 1941 and 1942.

After World War I, the Army's Ordnance Department evaluated the Colt .45's combat performance. They recommended the following changes:

1. Wider front sight to develop "Patridge-type" of sights, allowing the shooter to quickly align both front and rear sights under various lighting conditions.

2. Longer hammer spur. Both changes 2 and 3 work together to prevent the web between the thumb and the forefinger being pinched between the hammer and the safety spur when the gun is fired.

3. Longer grip-safety spur.

4. Arched spring housing fills the shooter's hand and checkering backstrap provides a better grip.

5. Relief cuts in the frame around the trigger allowing easier access to the trigger.

6. Shorter trigger with knurled face to avoid the trigger finger from slipping.

These changes were put into production on June 15, 1926 as AUTOMATIC PISTOL, CALIBER .45, MODEL OF 1911A1.

World War II was a replay of the situation in 1917, but worse. Colt .45s were in demand, not only by the U.S. Armed Forces, but also by the military establishments of our major allies. Again, contractors other than Colt provided the balance of the 2.5 million .45s made during 1941 to 1945. In all, four contractors added their share to Colt’s 480,000-pistol contribution. Remington-Rand produced 1.03 million. Ithaca turned out 370,000. Union Switch and signal Co. of Swissvale, Pa., received and filled an order for 55,000 M1911A1s. And Singer Sewing Machine contracted to provide 500 1911A1 pistols—which it did.

In the early 1970s, the Army decided to do something for its General Officers in terms of personal protection. The M1908 Colt Pocket Hammerless pistols issued to General Officers since World War II had finally outlived their service life. To correct this situation, Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Illinois began modifying the standard M1911-A1. The pistol’s slide and barrel were shortened just over .75"(1.905cm) and the barrel had one locking lug removed. A full-length recoil spring guide was installed, as was an enlarged set of fixed sights. Checkered, walnut grip panels inlaid with a plate bearing the officer's name replaced the standard pistol's brown plastic grips. Adopted in 1972 as the United States Pistol, General Officers’, Caliber .45, M15, it is similar in both size and weight to the civilian Colt Combat Commander. The M15’s increased muzzle blast and recoil are a small price to pay for what is hoped to be a personal weapon of last resort

The M1911-A1 pistol remained in service through World War II, the Korean War, and the War in Vietnam. The old war-horse proved to be particularly useful in the tunnel fighting that went on in Vietnam. For more info on the discernment of the various manufacturers of 1911 pistols during the war years, see the Who Made It?

The Norwegian 1911 (Model 1912 and 1914)

Colt .45 Autos have been copied, both here and abroad, almost since the first ones were made. The first of the foreign copiers was Norway. Seeking a suitable semi-automatic pistol, the Norwegian military decided on the M1911 as early as 1912. In 1913 and 1914, the Norwegians purchased 300 commercial .45s from Colt and then, having established that no Norwegian product was acceptable, began to negotiate for a license to build guns in Norway. Under an agreement signed in January, 1915, payment of 25,000 kroner bought the Norwegians a set of Colt’s drawings and the right to make M1911 pistols at their Kongsberg Weapons Factory for as long, and in whatever quantity they desired.

Formally adopted as the "Colt Automatisk Pistol Model 1912," the first 500 guns are virtual twins of the Colt product, differing only in marking. The second production lot, begun in 1919, carried a different slide marking — 11.25 m/m Aut. Pistol M/1914. The M/1914 also features a slide release lever that is distinctly different from those on both Colt and M/1912 Norwegian pistols.

The Kongsberg plant turned out about 20,000 M/1914 pistols between 1919 and the early ‘30s. Then, military demand satisfied, the line shut down. Under German occupation during World War II, the production of M/1914 was re-started, and another 10,000 were produced. Following the war, a few M/1914s were assembled from parts to bring the total made to just under 33,000.

— From The .45 Automatic, "Service Pistol Surrogates" by J.B. Roberts, Jr.

M1911-A1 Modelo 1927

After adoption of the M1911A1 in the United States, the Argentine government purchased the pistol from Colt as the Model 1927. The order to Colt was for a run of 10,000 guns for the Argentine Army. These guns were serial numbered in their own range from 1 to 10000. The original finish of these guns was blued with a brush blue finish and they had checkered walnut grips. The way to recognize them is that on the right side of the slide it has the following markings:

EJERCITO ARGENTINO
Colt CAL. 45 MOD. 1927 S/N

In the 1930’s, the Argentines secured license to manufacture their own .45s. These are called "Sistema Colt" to distinguish them from the actual Colt Modelo 1927. These Model 1927s were made by Fabrica Militar de Armas Portatiles "Domingo Matheu," in Rosario, Argentina. They are marked "F.M.A.P" or "D.G.F.M. (F.M.A.P)" on the left side of the slide and "Ejercito Argentino, Sist. Colt, cal. 11.25 m.m. MOD 1927" in two lines on the right. All Model 1927s bear the Argentine seal on the slide. 

An estimated 38,000 copies of the Colt M1911 .45 caliber pistol were made at Rosario; another 75,000 were produced in 1947-1966 (some of which were still in service with elements of the Argentine military during the Falklands/Malvinas war in 1982).

All Sistemas were originally blued, except a few that were specially ordered for the Navy. Early guns had checkered walnut stocks, later had black or brown hard rubber. They were numbered on the frame, slide, barrel, and magazine. Most examples noted have been either reblued, or phosphated; many of the phosphated examples have blued small parts.

In addition to military production, the firm of Hispano Argentino Fabrica de Automoviles. SA (HAFDASA), manufactured an unlicensed copy of the Colt known as the "Ballester-Molina." Most features of the HAFDASA gun are taken directly from the Colt product. The trigger and trigger linkage differ, however, in that the trigger pivots, and the trigger extension is external. The Ballester-Molinas also lack the grip safety. The story that the Ballester-Molinas are made from steel from the German battleship Graf Spee is a delightful but false legend. Both the Model 1927 and the HAFDASA .45s are extremely well-made pistols. For more on the Ballester-Molina, click here.

Civilian Commercial Production by Colt

In the early 1930's, Colt offered a target version of the basic civilian Model 1911. This National Match pistol first appeared in 1933. These pistols differed from the standard grade because they incorporated a match barrel, checked trigger, checked arched grip, walnut stocks and the internal parts were hand honed. Also included on later versions were a ramped front sight and an adjustable rear sight. These models were marked "NATIONAL MATCH COLT Automatic Calibre .45" on the left side of the slide. During World War II, the National Match Model was discontinued, but resumed in 1957. This newer version was referred to as the "Gold Cup National Match."

In 1950 Colt Introduced the Lightweight Commander. This pistol was chambered in 9mm, .38 Super or .45 ACP with a 4 1/4" barrel and full size grips. It was built in both steel and aluminum alloy frame variations, and was produced until 1976.

The MKIV Series 70 Government Model Colt pistols were manufactured from 1970 to 1983 and have "70G" as a prefix in the serial numbers on the models made from 1970 to 1976. The models made from 1976 to 1980 have "G70" suffixes. Models made from 1979-1981 have "B70" suffixes and models made from 1981 to 1983 have "70B" prefixes. The Series 70 had, in addition to the Government model, a Series 70 Combat Commander, Series 70 Lightweight Commander, and Series 70 Combat Government. The Series 70 featured an accurizer barrel bushing for improved accuracy.

In 1983, Colt presented the MKIV Series 80 pistol. It was a single action with 5" barrel. It was offered with checkered walnut grips and rubber combat style grips. This model had a firing pin safety incorporated.

In 1985, the United States Armed Forces replaced the M1911 with the Beretta 92F to the everlasting consternation of 1911 devotees everywhere. There were several reasons for the switch. The U.S. was the only NATO country not using a 9mm as the standard issue sidearm and there was a desire to issue a pistol chambered for the ubiquitous 9mm for logistical reasons. The Marines in particular resisted the switch to the Beretta and only accepted delivery when ordered to do so by Congress. Many special forces units within the armed services still select 1911-pattern sidearms. In 1998 The FBI S.W.A.T. team adopted the Springfield 1911A1 as standard issue. Anecdotal evidence out of Desert Storm indicates that the Berettas jammed because of the fine sand in the desert and the Marines broke out the 1911's.

Today (1998) 1911-pattern pistols are produced by Colt, Springfield Armory, Kimber, Para-Ordnance, Wilson Combat, Les Baer, Ed Brown, Caspian, STI, Robar, Auto-Ordnance, Strayer-Voight, Charles Daley, IAI, Llama, and others. The 1911 is perhaps more popular today than any time in its long and illustrious career.

A lot of people believe that the 1911-pattern pistol is the greatest combat handgun ever built. I certainly wouldn’t argue with them, although I am aware that some other good pistols have been designed since 1911. It remains one of the best fighting guns ever, even though the single action design has become something of a liability in this hoplophobic milieu in which we live. Rather than stoking the “best” argument which is truly endless and without resolution, I will say only that the 1911 occupies a very special place in the history of combat weaponry, and in the hearts of pistoleros everywhere. It was the 1911 in the hands of Cpl. York which brought down the German patrol, which downed the Zero for 2nd Lt. Bagget, and fought until dawn against overwhelming odds with Kouma, Basilone, and Schmid. It was the 1911 which lay under John Dillinger’s pillow and dangled from the drunken hand of Machine Gun Kelley at his capture. This rich history coupled with the superb performance of the pistol is unique and will never be duplicated.

Credits and Bibliography

Curt Gentry, John M. Browning: American Gunmaker (1964).

Richard C. Roberts and Richard W. Sadler, "Browning Company" in Ogden: Junction City (1985).

J. B. Roberts, Jr., "Service Pistol Surrogates" American Rifleman, (March, 1980.)

John Caradimas, M1911 Web Site, http://www.m1911.org

Sam Lisker, The Colt Auto Web Site, http://www.coltautos.com

Dave Arnold, "The Colt 1911/1911A1," Guns & Ammo: The Big Book of Surplus Firearms, 1998.

Oliver de Gravelle, Model 1911A1.com WWII production of 1911A1's by Colt, Remington, Ithaca, and Union Switch.

The 1911 had its trial by fire on March 3, 1911. The Army had a test with 6000 rounds and the pistols were cleaned and oiled after every 1,000 rounds. With several other gun manufactures in the tests, the Browning design was selected for service. The original requirements were for the .45ACP to allow the same round as the Thompson Machine gun and for greater knock down power. The pistol had several modifications after World War I and saw service in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Today in special services or special ops they are being used when possible.

The basic design allows for two main safeties. The “Beaver Tail” safety prohibits the handgun from firing unless the hand is wrapped firmly on the pistol grip. This is also supposed to help from an accidental firing when dropped. The other safety or “Thumb” safety is easily released when holding the pistol in a ready to fire position. This allows for the gun to be carried “Cocked and Locked”. This means a round is in the chamber and the hammer is back in the ready position. As the Browning design is a single action the hammer must be back and ready to strike the firing pin. The 1911 is one of the only guns that I feel very comfortable carrying a round in the chamber due to these additional safeties.

There have been many stories of police officers who carried 1911 pistols and used electrical tape to disable the “Beaver Tail”. This was to ensure that they would have the gun go bang even if their hand was not seated correctly. Personally I prefer to keep the gun in fully operational status.  

One of my dear friends was shooting with me at the range years ago and he brought his Springfield Arms 1911. We shot up all of his ammo, and I ran out to the front desk of the range for more. The 5 inch 1911 fit my hand like a glove and it was deadly accurate. The thinner profile of the 1911 frame fits very close to the body while still offering a very large bullet for greater stopping power. So after several years and thousands of rounds, I was able to get another Springfield Arms 1911 except this one was the Micro Compact. This is a 3.5 inch barrel with night sights which makes for a very easy gun to put on your hip and pull a light coat, sweat shirt, or even a Hawaiian style type shirt. The Micro Compact even fits in the NRA 5.11 shirt that fits like an under shirt with pockets on each side. If a nice button down shirt is required the gun does not “Imprint” and is not visible.  The night sights help with quick target acquisition in low light situations. The green glowing dots also help at night to find the gun on the night stand.

Having several different models has been nice to pick the right one for the activity that is going on. The longer barrels are for outdoors, and the shorter barrels are for concealing in the city and when discretion is needed. One of the key reasons to standardize on 1911 style pistols is the ability to interchange magazines. I have the ability to leave magazines in boats, or cars without leaving the actual gun. The Micro uses regular magazines, but care needs to given because the shorter 6 Micro does not work in the other 1911 models.

There are 1911 magazines available from various sources and they can range in price from $7.00 to $30.00. There are even 20 round magazines that work great. They do hang down and add an extension to the handle and you need to practice with the longer magazines as they change the feel of the hand gun. Standardizing on the 1911 style gun has increased the ability for me to have the most amount of knock down power and not having to carry additional magazines. Scott, one of our Law Enforcment advisors is trying out the extended magazine. He was tempted to turn it sideways, but he stopped himself.

The cheaper and better availability of magazines also goes with parts, handles and upgrades. The upgrades can include trigger assemblies, grips, and sights.  This was one argument that you could have used when talking about Glocks vs. the 1911. Now that Glocks have become so widely accepted parts and additional handles are available that portion of the argument has gone away. We will discuss the Glock vs. the 1911 in another article.

When at the range or shooting out doors, it has always been a real joy to pick up a 1911 as it has become a good friend over the years. My son and I have taken up shooting at the 100 yard range for fun. He has done outstanding with his Colt Government 1911 and I prefer my Springfield. In some of the shootings we were able to get 5 out of 7 in the torso of the target. This is not possible every time, but we have fun trying. Notice the shell in the air, and his 1911 Colt is ready for the next shot. His concentration is one of the reasons he shoots so well.

The bottom line: If you do not have one, rent or borrow one. Just shooting a piece of history is worth it to help get a better idea what our brave Veterans used as one of the greatest defense tools ever made. If you decide on using one for a CCW please practice. The single action can throw some one if they think they can just pull the trigger. There are good brands to look at when shopping for a 1911. Kimber, Springfield Arms , Colt are just a few. Enjoy and keep the lead down range. Clark – Carryconcealed.net

By: Ernie H, a Carryconcealed.net Contributor

What do you get a man that has everything? A Mercedes Benz! What do you get the shooter who has everything? A Sig of course! Sig Sauer is the aristocrat of the firearm community and is the leading manufacturer for firearms for military, law enforcement and civilian use. Sig Sauer has a pistol for everyone, no matter what your needs or wants are; whether you need a .380 or a large .45, a pocket size compact to race guns or even a 1911 frame. Sig has got your back! All this from a company that is over 150 years old. They must be doing something right.

In 1853, a small Swiss company, named Schweizer Industrie Gesellschaft, started manufacturing small arms for the Swiss Army. In the late 1930s, Sig started to produce a 9mm, the model 210. The Sig Model 210 was considered the Rolls-Royces of center fire autoloaders, regarded as one of the most accurate and elegant of all 9mm service pistols. Due to the cost of manufacturing the Model 210 was doomed to crash and burn.

SIG realized that if the company was to stay afloat, it would have to be able to export to the world. Due to the strict Swiss export laws, SIG united with the German firm J.P. Sauer & Sohn in 1970, birthing the name SIG-Sauer. With the new collaboration, the thought went to marketing an effective and cost efficient pistol that could be marketed worldwide

In 1974, Sig released the P-220, chambered in 9mm, .38 Super and .45ACP. This pistol was quickly put into service by the Swiss Army in 1975, chambered in the 9mm and called the Model 75. Japan and Denmark quickly followed in adapting the P-220 into their military ranks. In 1975, the German Police Trials fathered the development of the P-225, which was a smaller, lighter 9mm version of the P-220. In 1977, Browning imported the P-220 to the USA under the label, "The Browning Double Action" and later simply as the P220.

With the successful sales of the browning double action, Sig looked into marketing itself to the USA. In 1979, the creation of SIGARMS USA was introduced.

220

The P220 is the oldest firearm on the Sig’s current line up, boasting over 30 years of service. The P220 is known as the most accurate out of the box .45 on the market and has held that title for years. The 220 is primarily a full size, .45ACP, but has recently released a compact carry version that is. The modern P220 has an alloy frame, with an M1913 Picatinny rails for a variety of attachments that one may need. The P220 comes in DA/SA, DAK, SAO models in a wide variety of bodies. Sig markets the P220 in a standard frame, a carry frame, a compact frame, and the match frame. Each has a wide range of features that make this a very user friendly gun. The only draw back to this pistol is the single stack magazines.

Like many who have used this gun, I find it to be an enjoyable day on the range when I have a 220 in my hands.

The European Law Enforcement community desired a compact semi-automatic service weapon. To meet this demand Sig designed the P225 as a compact 9mm version of the P220. Like the 220 the 225 was a single stack magazine, which limited it’s capacity. The 225 was chosen as the service weapon for the West German Police Department and undercover operatives in the law enforcement and intelligence communities.

The P226 has distinguished itself as one of the best service combat pistols every made due the reliability and durability of this work horse. The 226 is a full size pistol that is chambered in either a 9mm, .40 S&W or .357 SIG. As a pistol designed to replace the M1911A1 in 1984, its only shortcoming was the overall pricing. Due to the price the US Army chose the Berretta 92F. I would like to mention that the 226 did out perform the 92FS, but as I stated earlier, pricing made the overall decision on the contract. Even though the US Army decided to pass up this business only pistol, it still found its way into the hands of servicemen all over the world; serving in every conflict of the past two decades. The 226 found homes in countries all over the world from the UK to Singapore. The 226 became the chosen sidearm for US Special Forces operators, including Army Delta Forces and Navy Seals.

Eventually US Law Enforcement was looking to replace their S&W service revolver with a higher capacity semi auto pistol. Again the 226 was called upon to participate in a series of test to compete for government contracts all over the country. The higher capacity, double stacked magazines were an instant seller. The 226 proved its worth on some of the toughest streets throughout the US and in the hands of government officers and agents. The 226 has seen action with some of the following departments: San Jose PD, Fremont PD, Alameda County SO, San Joaquin County SO, Texas Rangers, Texas Highway Patrol, Dallas PD, Federal Reserve PD, FBI, Michigan State Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, New York PD, Massachusetts State Police, Rhode Island State Police, San Francisco PD, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, I think you get my point, the list goes on and on.

The Modern 226 comes in a gambit of variants ranging from the standard picatinny rail service model to the race ready X-five model. DA/SA, DAK, SAO and SRT, whatever your flavor, the 226 has your answer. The 226 was designed and built for action but "sex appeal," you better believe it! This gun is one of the hottest things to look at, Stainless, wood grips, nitron black, beavertails. This gun deserves to look good considering the service it gas completed all over the world. SIGARMS sure knows how to make this gun shine. If any of you out there are like me, you love seeing guns in movies. The 226 has had many roles on the silver screen and is one of the most filmed firearms in Hollywood. Now why would they cast an ugly looking gun for a movie?

SIG market to versions of the 226 to raise money for the Special Operation Warrior Foundation (SOWF), which provides free college scholarship grants, along with financial aid and educational counseling to the children of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps Special Operations personnel, who were killed in an operational mission or training accident. The 226-9-NAVY has a NSW serialized numbers and the sales of these guns have raised over 500,000. Showing that the company was willing to give of itself to help impact the lives this nation’s warriors.

Similarly, Sig also put out another 226 model, the C.O.P.S. which helps support the ongoing efforts to help the families of fallen police officers throughout the nation. The 226C.O.P.S. is a Two-Tone, chambered in .40S&W featuring a DAK trigger, SIGLITE Night Sights and custom wood grips. Each pistol is engraved on the top of the slide with the year (2007), the C.O.P.S. logo, sequential numbers and the words "Honoring the Fallen" on the right side of the slide.

SIGARMS also partnered with Blackwater Security in 2004 and produced the 226 Blackwater. SIGARMS won the contract to outfit Blackwater security personnel around the world with this built for business model. When personal protection of world leaders in high-risk environments is your job then you only want the best equipment. You want a SIG SAUER pistol because it’s engineered to perform and built to protect. This model comes only in a 9mm version with contrast SIGLITE night sights. The slide is stamped with the Blackwater logo.

SIGARMS also partnered with Blackwater Security in 2004 and produced the 226 Blackwater. SIGARMS won the contract to outfit Blackwater security personnel around the world with this built for business model. When personal protection of world leaders in high-risk environments is your job then you only want the best equipment. You want a SIG SAUER pistol because it’s engineered to perform and built to protect. This model comes only in a 9mm version with contrast SIGLITE night sights. The slide is stamped with the Blackwater logo.

SIGARMS also partnered with Blackwater Security in 2004 and produced the 226 Blackwater. SIGARMS won the contract to outfit Blackwater security personnel around the world with this built for business model. When personal protection of world leaders in high-risk environments is your job then you only want the best equipment. You want a SIG SAUER pistol because it’s engineered to perform and built to protect. This model comes only in a 9mm version with contrast SIGLITE night sights. The slide is stamped with the Blackwater logo.

SIGARMS also partnered with Blackwater Security in 2004 and produced the 226 Blackwater. SIGARMS won the contract to outfit Blackwater security personnel around the world with this built for business model. When personal protection of world leaders in high-risk environments is your job then you only want the best equipment. You want a SIG SAUER pistol because it’s engineered to perform and built to protect. This model comes only in a 9mm version with contrast SIGLITE night sights. The slide is stamped with the Blackwater logo.

I personally have two versions of this gun, a DA/SA service 9mm that is my duty weapon, with SIGLITE night sights and Hogue grips. This pistol has proven to be my best friend on the streets and reliable to its core. I also own the Nitron DAK model chambered in .40 S&W, with contrasting Tru-glo night sights. This gun has proven to be a great carry weapon and the DAK makes a great addition to this pistol. The new DAK trigger system delivers a safe, reliable and consistent 6.5 pound double-action only trigger pull. The DAK also features double-strike capability making it fun to throw some rounds down range, but I won’t lie, it has gotten me in trouble at some ranges.

The success of the 226 was more then SIG expected and demands came pouring in for a compact model of the fabulous 226. Welcome the P228, a compact version of the 226, which shared the same high capacity of the 226. Unlike the 226, the 228 was only made available in a 9mm. The P228 was welcomed with open arms, so much so that the U.S. military dubbed it the M11 and was issued to Army CID, Naval Aviation and Air Force OSI. The 228 also became the standard issue weapon for both German and Swedish Police Forces.

Many agencies dropped the 225 and crossed over to using the high capacity 228. Simple, because of the high capacity. He who has the most ammo and can keep shooting can usually win a fight. Double stacks are great. Reliability? Are you kidding? Out of the box, this gun is supremely reliable. Accuracy is there, time and time again.

I also have a 228 and boy does this gun "kick tail". My 228 is fitted with Hogue grips and MMC night sights. Which make for a great feel and a hot looking sidearm. Sig no longer markets this gun, so owning one turns heads alone. This is one clean looking compact gun. Everything about it screams, built tough and with purpose.

229

Sig first put out the P229 as a .40 S&W version of the popular P228 frame. Since many of departments and agencies wanted do upgrade to a round with more stopping power then a 9mm, the 229 was a big hit. Not only did you have the world class reliability, accuracy and ergonomic design of the 228, but now you had more power in the punch using the .40 S&W. This modern model also comes with picatinny rail and your choice of .40 S&W, .375 SIG or 9mm since the 228 is no longer in production. Like the other models in SIGARMS roster, the 229 comes in DA/SA, DAK and a SRT (Short Response Trigger) which makes for a 60% less trigger pull for faster trigger returns and surgical control during high speed shooting. Like the 226 and the 228 before it, the 229 boast a heavy payload with its double stacked Mags.

I own a 229 SAS, chambered in .40 S&W with contrast crimson trace grips. Now you want to talk about a sexy looking piece, this is it. This 229 pistol from the SIG SAUER custom shop has gone through a radical dehorning process resulting in an ultra smooth, snag free profile that’s ideal for concealed carry. Each pistol utilizes the new DAK trigger system and features a smooth, dehorned stainless steel slide with front SIGLITE night sight and a contrast rear sight over a light weight black hard-anodized alloy frame with rounded trigger guard and dust cover. The P229 SAS come with wood grips, but I upgraded and got the crimson trace grips, which I think gives a better feel to my gun.

SIGARMS realized that they were excluding a growing number of new consumers from the Sig experience. Who are these people, those that were looking for the ultimate polymer experience. Polymer firearms were selling like hot cakes and Glock had pretty much cornered the market up till the release of the SigPro 2340, Sigs first polymer handgun. The 2340 integrated the picatinny rail into a light weight, wear resistant frame with standard SIGLITE night sights, made this gun the cats meow. The 2340 was chambered in .40 S&W and with a switch of the barrel, you could convert the gun into a .357 Sig. Two gun platforms on one frame. SIGARMS also put out the SP2009, which was a 9mm version of the 2340. The 2340 could simply be transformed between the two calibers but the 2009 was stuck in a rut and could only be a 9mm. Both guns had interchangeable grips to fit almost any shooter. By pressing a release inside the magazine well the grip would slide down off the gun and you could slide up a different grip. Still both of these guns sold for under $600 bucks.

SIG decided to stream line the whole polymer line and introduced the SP2022, which could be chambered in either the 9mm, .40 S&W or the .357 Sig. By simply changing the barrel you could have all three calibers, but when converting to a 9mm you had to switch to the 9mm magazines. The 2022, like its predecessors had interchangeable grips that could be used for different size hands.

I owned a 2340 back in the day and it was a great gun, I loved the interchangeable grips and the tactical look of the gun. I bought my 2340 for $520 with standard SIGLITE night sights and three magazines. The gun performed great out of the box and the light weight polymer really made a difference in the way this Sig felt in comparison to my 226 duty weapon. You could really tell the difference in weight on the range with the recoil. But it had a clean crisp trigger pull. Magazines for this gun only cost me $10 bucks, I remember I was floored by the price, so much so that I bought 4 additional magazines. Wish I would have kept that one.

Performance engineering is the key word behind this mighty mouse. This sub-compact gun can also be chambered in 9mm, .40 S&W or .357 SIG. The Sig P239 boasted one of the smallest barrels on the market for a higher caliber pistol. The P239 was engineered out of the demand by agencies and officers for a compact secondary weapon with the capability to be used in off duty situations without sacrificing power. This is the smallest large caliber pistol Sig offers.

Do you remember that movie Men in Black? Remember the gun "the noisy cricket? That is how I felt when I shot this lil guy. The P239 is chambered in .380ACP and is the smallest, lightest gun on SIGARMS current lineup. What a perfect little punch to hide on your body. It is so small it fit right into my sweatshirt pocket no problem. At the range, I was 10X shooting all day. The 232 comes in a 23oz stainless version and a 18oz blued version, now that is a light gun. From what I hear it is a great back up weapon, but a little too small for my standards. I guess something is better then nothing, but at least give me a 9mm.

Now I am a 1911 lover from way back. So when SIGARMS released its 1911 line up in 2004, I jumped for joy. With all the great features we all love on our 1911’s and with the Sig twist. No plastic parts, no injected metal parts. Only Premium internal components that include a match grade barrel, hammer/sear set and trigger. These guns have been machined and honed to make these guns some of the hottest on the market. No nonsense and straight to putting boot to ass, if you love 1911’s like I do, these variants will make you fall in love all over again. From the full size model to the cut to carry concealed model, Sig has reinvented the wheel. With over 17 variants on the 1911 in the line up there is a model for everyone’s taste.

Now SIGARMS has given us a glance at the future of Sig. Imagine having one gun that can change size and caliber at will, in a matter of seconds. The P250, a modular gun that was designed specifically to address the future needs of the military, law enforcement, and civilian shooters. The P250 will be available in the most popular calibers;(9mm, .357SIG, .40S&W and .45ACP). The P250's innovative design enables the shooter to quickly remove the functional mechanism and place it into the polymer grip of his choice. This allows an immediate change in caliber and size;(subcompact, compact and full). Its modularity not only provides incredible ease of maintenance, but also provides a solution for accommodating different hand sizes - there are 6 different ergonomic combinations for each size, this is done by changing the grip circumference and trigger style.

Not everyone who owns a Sig Sauer is going to have their life depend on their gun, but it’s nice to know that all Sig Sauer guns are built with that in mind. Every gun on the Current Sig Sauer lineup has the basics, high quality, ultimate reliability and unmatched performance which have always been the cornerstone of the SIG SAUER name. One in three law enforcement professionals carry a SIG SAUER. "To Hell and Back Reliability," that is the way SIGS are made and that is why, the only gun you’ll ever find in my holsters are SIGS.