Colt 45 weapon. The legendary Colt M1911 - a weapon with a hundred-year history

According to the most common version, Colt was prompted to create a revolver by observing a rotating mechanism on the ship Corvo, on which the great inventor traveled from Boston to Calcutta. One way or another, it was on board the Corvo that Colt first made a wooden model of what was later called a revolver. Upon returning to the USA, Colt, distinguished by his business acumen and enterprise, applied to the patent office and issued patent No. 1304 dated August 29 (according to other sources, February 25), 1836, which described the basic principles of the operation of a weapon with a rotating drum.

Colt Paterson

In late 1836, Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company in Paterson, New Jersey began production of Colt's five-shot, .28-caliber cap revolvers, sold under the name Colt Paterson. In total, until 1842, 1,450 revolving rifles and carbines, 462 revolving shotguns and 2,350 revolvers were produced. Naturally, all weapons were percussion caps. The first samples were characterized by low reliability, regular breakdowns and a very imperfect design, not to mention the extremely unsafe and inconvenient reloading process. Not surprisingly, the US government showed little interest in the new weapon. The Army purchased only a few revolver carbines for testing. The largest customer for Colt's company was the Republic of Texas, which bought 180 revolving shotguns and rifles for the Rangers, and about the same number of revolvers for the Texas Navy. A number of revolvers (of a more powerful caliber - .36) were ordered privately by the Texas Rangers themselves with their own money. Low demand in 1842 led to the bankruptcy of the factory.

Colt Paterson made 1836-1838 (still without loading rod)

Thus, the most popular Colt Paterson revolver model produced in Paterson was the No. 5 Holster, also known as Texas Paterson, a .36 caliber revolver. About 1,000 units were produced. Half of them occurred in the period from 1842 to 1847, after bankruptcy. Their production was established by Colt's creditor and former partner John Ehlers.

Colt Paterson 1836-1838 with the trigger retracted

One of the most significant conflicts involving the use of Colt Paterson revolvers was the Battle of Bander Pass between the Mexican Army and Texas Rangers, among whom was US Army Captain Samuel Walker. Later, during the Mexican-American War, Walker met Colt and together with him modified the Colt Paterson revolver, called the Colt Walker. There was good demand for it, since the Colt Walker was much more reliable and convenient than its predecessor. Thanks to this, Colt returned to developing weapons in 1847.

Texas Ranger. 1957 The Colt company owes much of its success to the Rangers

From a technical point of view, the Colt Paterson is a five-shot open-frame revolver. Single action trigger mechanism (English Single Action, SA) with a trigger folding inside the body. Each time you fire, you have to cock the hammer. The revolver is loaded from the muzzle of the chambers - with gunpowder and a bullet (round or conical) or with a ready-made cartridge in a paper sleeve containing a bullet and gunpowder.

.44 caliber paper cartridges and loading tool

Capsules (still produced today - for lovers of such weapons)

Then a primer is placed on the brand tube in the breech of the drum - a miniature cup made of soft metal (usually brass) with a small charge of shock-sensitive fulminate of mercury. On impact, the charge explodes and creates a jet of flame, which, through a fire tube, ignites the powder charge in the chamber. You can read more about this here:. Everything that has been said about the principles of operation of such weapons applies to all other capsule revolvers.

Sights consist of a front sight and a rear sight on the trigger. Loading of early models of Colt Paterson revolvers, produced before 1839, was carried out only by partially disassembling it and removing the drum, using a special tool - essentially a small press for pressing bullets into the chambers of the drum.

This process was long and inconvenient, especially in the field. Not only was reloading the Colt Paterson unsafe, but carrying it was also unsafe, as there were no manual safeties. To speed up reloading, gunfighters usually carried several pre-loaded drums with them and simply changed them as needed. In later models, from 1839, the design featured a built-in pressing lever-ramrod and a special hole in the front of the frame for it. This mechanism made it possible to significantly speed up and simplify reloading - now it was possible to load the drum without removing it from the revolver. This improvement made it possible to get rid of the additional tool, and from that time on the ramrod lever became an integral element of the design of almost all Colt capsule revolvers.

Colt Paterson made 1842-1847 with a shortened barrel and a ramrod lever for loading

Some performance characteristics of Colt Paterson caliber .36 with a barrel length of 7.5 inches (it should be borne in mind that even for the same model of percussion weapon they may differ slightly):
- initial bullet speed, m/s - 270;
- sighting range, m - 60;
- weight, kg - 1.2;
- length, mm - 350.

So, the first Colt Paterson revolvers were actively used by the Rangers and the Navy of the Republic of Texas, and were used very limitedly by the US Army. Colt Paterson was used in clashes between the Republic of Texas and Mexico, in the Mexican-American War, and in the US war with the Seminole and Comanche tribes.

Such revolvers are very highly valued today. Colt Paterson in original box with all accessories sold at auction in 2011 for $977,500

Colt Walker

The Colt Walker was developed in 1846 by Samuel Colt and Texas Ranger Captain Samuel Hamilton Walker. According to the widespread version, Walker suggested that Colt develop a powerful .44 caliber army revolver instead of the relatively weak and not very reliable Colt Paterson .36 caliber revolvers then in service. In 1847, the newly formed Colt's Manufacturing Company in Hartford, Connecticut (where it remains to this day) produced the first batch of 1,100 Colt Walker revolvers, which also became the last. That same year, Samuel Walker was killed in Texas during the Mexican-American War.

The Colt Walker is a six-shot, open-frame, capsule-operated revolver with an added trigger guard. The Colt Walker is Colt's largest black powder revolver, weighing 2.5 kilograms. From this moment on, all “non-pocket” models of Colt capsule revolvers became six-shooters.

Some performance characteristics of Colt Walker caliber .44:
- initial bullet speed, m/s - 300-370;
- sighting range, m - 90-100;
- weight, kg - 2.5;
- length, mm - 394.

The Colt Walker was used by both sides in the North-South War.

Confederate Army soldier with Colt Walker

Colt Dragoon Model 1848

The Colt Model 1848 Precision Army revolver was designed by Samuel Colt in 1848 at the request of the US government to arm the U.S. Army's Mounted Rifles, better known in the US as dragoons. Hence its name, under which the revolver was introduced - Colt Dragoon Model 1848. In this model, a number of shortcomings of the previous Colt Walker model were eliminated - the Colt Dragoon had less weight and a ramrod lock was added.

Colt Dragoon Model 1848

Holster and belt for Colt Dragoon Model 1848

There were three releases of the Colt Dragoon model, differing from each other by minor improvements in the firing mechanism:
- first issue: from 1848 to 1850, about 7,000 were issued;
- second issue: from 1850 to 1851, about 2,550 were issued;
- third edition: from 1851 to 1860, about 10,000 Colt Dragoon revolvers were produced, of which the US government purchased more than 8,000 units.

Thus, the Colt Dragoon was produced for 12 years. The Colt company produced about 20,000 of these revolvers. The Colt Dragoon turned out to be a very successful revolver.

Separately, it is worth noting the release since 1848 of its pocket version, the Colt Pocket Model 1848 caliber .31, better known as the Baby Dragoon, especially popular among civilians.

Colt Pocket Model 1848 Baby Dragoon

Some performance characteristics of the Colt Dragoon Model 1848 caliber .44, with a barrel length of 8 inches:
- initial bullet speed, m/s - 330;

- weight, kg - 1.9;
- length, mm - 375.
The Colt Dragoon Model 1848 was used by the US and Confederate armies in the War of the North and South. A significant portion was sold to civilians.

Confederate Army soldiers with Colt Dragoon Model 1848

Colt Navy 1851

The Colt Revolving Belt Pistol of Naval Caliber revolver (caliber 36), better known as the Colt Navy 1851, was developed by Colt specifically for arming US Navy officers. Colt Navy turned out to be such a successful model that its production continued until 1873 (from 1861 - Colt Navy Model 1861), when armies around the world switched en masse to a unitary cartridge. The Colt Navy was in production for a record 18 years in various models, with approximately 250,000 of them produced in the United States. A further 22,000 units were manufactured in the UK at the London Armory factory. The Colt Navy is considered one of the most advanced and beautiful capsule revolvers in history.

The trigger mechanism has been improved: a special pin is made in the breech of the drum between the chambers, thanks to which, if the drum is not turned enough, accidental firing of the trigger does not cause ignition of the capsules. The Colt Navy has an octagonal barrel.

Colt Navy 1851 revolvers were in service not only with the US Army, where their main competitor was the Remington M1858 revolver, but also with army officers of the Russian Empire (which ordered a large batch from Colt), Austria-Hungary, Prussia and other countries.

Some performance characteristics of Colt Navy 1851 caliber .36:
- initial bullet speed, m/s - 230;
- sighting range, m - 70-75;
- weight, kg - 1.2-1.3;
- length, mm - 330.

Colt Navy was actively used by both sides in the war between the North and South. It became the first capsule revolver to undergo massive conversion - conversion to a unitary cartridge.

Winchester .44 Rimfire black powder rimfire cartridges

Colt Navy Model 1861 conversion

The differences from the capsule Colt Navy are clearly visible: a new drum with a door in the rear for loading, the ramrod lever has been removed and instead a spring-loaded extractor has been installed to remove spent cartridges, the depth of the recess at the rear of the drum has been increased for ease of loading with cartridges.

Remington M1858

The Remington M1858 capsule revolver, also known as the Remington New Model, was developed by the American company Eliphalet Remington & Sons and was produced in .36 and .44 calibers. Due to the fact that Colt was the patent holder, Remington was forced to pay him a royalty on each revolver produced, so the price of Remington revolvers was significantly higher than similar Colt revolvers. The Remington M1858 revolver was produced until 1875.

Over 17 years, approximately 132,000 Remington M1858 revolvers were produced in .44 caliber (military model with an 8-inch barrel) and .36 caliber (naval model with a 7.375-inch barrel). There were three large releases in total, which were almost identical - minor differences were in the appearance of the trigger, the design of the under-barrel lever and the drum.

From a technical point of view, the Remington M1858 is a six-shot cap revolver with a solid frame, the loading of which is carried out by placing ready-made cartridges in a paper case or black powder bullets into the chambers of the drum on the muzzle side, after which the primers were placed in the breech of the drum.

Single action trigger mechanism (English: Single Action, SA), no manual safeties.

Some performance characteristics of the Remington M1858 caliber .44, with an 8-inch barrel:
- initial bullet speed, m/s - about 350;
- sighting range, m - 70-75;
- weight, kg - 1.270;
- length, mm - 337.

Remington M1858 revolvers were in service with the army of the United States, the British and Russian empires, Japan, Mexico, and others.

A Northern Army cavalry soldier with three Remington M1858s

The Remington M1858 was actively redesigned for a unitary cartridge. Since 1868, the company itself began producing a conversion version of the Remington M1858 revolver chambered for a .46 caliber rimfire black powder cartridge.

Remington M1858 conversion

Colt Army Model 1860

The Colt Army Model 1860 revolver was developed in 1860 and became one of the most common revolvers during the American Civil War. Produced for 13 years. In total, about 200,000 Colt Army Model 1860 revolvers were produced before 1873, and about 130,000 of them were made for the US government.

It had a modification with longitudinal grooves on the cylinder and less weight - the Texas Model, so named because most of these revolvers were purchased by the Texas Rangers after the Civil War.

The Colt Army Model 1860 revolver, along with the Colt Navy 1851 and Remington M1858, became one of the most beloved revolvers of its era. It was actively purchased not only by the military, but also by civilians. Moreover, revolvers were relatively inexpensive back then. For example, a Colt Army Model 1860 cost $20 (for comparison, the price of an ounce of gold on the New York Exchange in 1862 was $20.67).

1873 was a banner year for Colt. She began production of the most famous revolver in history - the Colt M1873 Single Action Army, better known as the Peacemaker. Along with the Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum revolver, the Peacemaker has become a cult weapon that today has entire communities of fans. Suffice it to say that the production of first-generation Peacemakers for the civilian weapons market continued until... 1940!

Colt М1873 Single Action Army "Peacemaker"

The Peacemaker was initially produced in the powerful .45 Long Colt black powder caliber with a 7.5" barrel, with 5.5" and 4.75" barrel models soon available. Later, revolvers of calibers .44-40 WCF and .32-20 WCF (Winchester) appeared, and in the twentieth century they were supplemented by variants chambered for .22 LR, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .44 Special, etc. cartridges - just more than 30 calibers!

The Peacemaker for the US Army was produced for 9 years - until 1892, when the Peacemakers were withdrawn from service (the artillery model continued to be used until 1902) and replaced by the Colt Double Action M1892. And in total, until 1940, 357,859 first-generation Peacemakers were produced, of which 37,000 revolvers were purchased for the American army.

The Peacemaker is a six-shot solid frame revolver that is loaded through a hinged door in the cylinder on the right side of the revolver. There is a spring-loaded extractor for removing spent cartridges, located below and to the right of the barrel. The design provides for setting the trigger to the safety half-cock.

Peacemaker, a variant of the Buntline Special, with a barrel length of 16 inches (almost 41 cm)!

Some first-generation Peacemaker performance characteristics chambered for a .45 Long Colt black powder rimfire cartridge with a 7.5-inch barrel:
- initial bullet speed, m/s - more than 300;
- sighting range, m - n/a;
- weight, kg - 1.048;
- length, mm - 318;
- bullet energy, J - 710-750.

The Colt Peacemaker took part in the Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars, the Great Sioux War, and the US wars against the Cheyenne and other Indian tribes.

It should also be said that the Colt Peacemaker... is actually still in production today! In 1956, Colt resumed production of the second generation Peacemaker revolvers, which continued until 1974. During this time, 73,205 of these revolvers were produced.

In the early 1970s. The US Congress passed a law prohibiting the sale of firearms without special safeties - none of the single-action revolvers of the 19th century met this requirement. Colt made the necessary changes to the design and in 1976 resumed production of the third generation Peacemakers, which continued until 1982. A total of 20,000 pieces were produced during this period. In 1994, production of Peacemakers was resumed again under the name Colt Single Action Army (Colt Cowboy), which continues to this day.

Colt Single Action Army. Modern chrome version with hunting knife included

In 1982, the US military had 418,000 Colt M1911A1 automatic pistols. The first version of this weapon was introduced in 1911, in 1921 the pistol was improved, and in 1926 it was adopted in an improved version as the Colt M1911A1 model. For seven decades, the pistol was the standard weapon of the US armed forces; it was withdrawn from service only in 1982.

Pistol Colt M1911A1 - video

For several years, various models of pistols, both local and foreign, were tested, but the military did not settle on any of them. The pistols presented at numerous competitions, although they met the requirements, were each time rejected by the American military departments. After a long and stubborn struggle, the Italian company Pietro Beretta S.p.A. became the winner. from Brescia. The operation of the Colt M 1911A1 automatic pistol is based on the use of recoil energy from a movable barrel.

The weapon has an external trigger, a fixed sighting device, a rotary safety lever that is activated only when the hammer is cocked, and an additional push safety in the handle. The width of the weapon is 32 mm, the length of the aiming line is 406 mm, the trigger resistance is from 2.25 to 3 kg. Rate of fire - 14 rounds/min. A significant drawback of the weapon, according to experts, is its large mass. The standard personal firearms of the American armed forces are the so-called classic automatic pistols. They were exported to many countries around the world.

The weapon was repeatedly improved, the design and parameters were improved. Unlike the first version, the Colt M1911A1 pistol has a narrower trigger, a push safety that protrudes significantly from the handle, and a convex recoil spring housing. Since 1970, the standard model has been supplied with an improved barrel mount, since 1983 - with a modified sear. But in principle, the design has remained unchanged since 1911. After the Second World War, many American and foreign companies tried to produce all kinds of modifications. Experiments were carried out with different calibers, a shorter barrel and carriage, with a shortened handle, with a light metal handle, and they also tried to produce sports versions. In the mid-sixties, the US military, which was stationed in central Europe, received a version for Parabellum 9x19 cartridges with an 8-round magazine.

The following modifications based on the standard model deserve special attention. These include the .38 caliber Colt Super Automatic version developed in 1929, the Colt Commander version for 9mm Parabellum Luger cartridges, as well as the .45 caliber Colt Commander and Colt Super Commander caliber models that appeared in 1950. 38. The Commander versions were made of steel, the .45 and 9 mm caliber versions and the Lightweight Commander modification were made of light metal. Since the mid-seventies, all versions of the Commander and Combat Commander pistols have been produced using improved technologies.
According to the special press, Colt M1911A1 automatic pistols, as well as their Commander versions, are manufactured in the USA, which makes it easier to replace old standard handguns with new ones.

It was in service with the US Army from 1911 to 1985, and is still authorized for use today.

TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Model:	M1911	M1911A1
Manufacturer:	Colt's Manufacturing Company, etc.
Cartridge:
Caliber:	.45 inches
Weight without cartridges:	1.09 kg	1.1 kg
Weight with cartridges:	1.226 kg	1.25 kg
Length:	216 mm
Barrel length:	126 mm	127 mm
Number of rifling in the barrel:	6 left-handed
Height:	143 mm	135 mm
Trigger mechanism (trigger):	Trigger, single action
Operating principle:	Recoil with short barrel stroke, blowback
Fuse:	Flag on the left side of the frame and automatic in the form of a key on the back wall of the handle. Automatic firing pin safety prevents firing pin movement until the trigger is fully depressed
Aim:	Front sight and fixed rear sight with sighting slot
Effective range:	50 m
Initial bullet speed:	252 m/s
Type of ammunition:	Detachable magazine
Number of cartridges:	7
Years of production:	1911–1926	1926–

History of creation and production

At the beginning of the 20th century, self-loading pistols had already become widespread in Europe and the USA. However, it was mainly a weapon that operated on the principle of locking the bore with a blowback bolt and fired low-power cartridges.

At the beginning of the 20th century, revolvers were still used in the United States, which were significantly inferior to self-loading pistols in terms of rate of fire and accuracy of rapid fire. This situation was due to the conservatism of the Americans, who relied on the reliability of revolvers, which was significantly higher than that of self-loading pistols. Important advantages of revolvers were constant combat readiness with safety and ease of use, long service life, as well as low complexity and cost of production using already well-established technology.

However, the US Army, having gained combat experience in the Philippine Islands, wanted a modern self-loading pistol, not inferior in reliability to revolvers, rapid-fire, accurate and using effective 45-caliber cartridges.

Companies participated in the competition for a new self-loading pistol for the US Army Colt And Savage. Tests began on November 10, 1910. Both pistols were chambered in .45 ACP. At least 6,000 rounds must have been fired from both pistols. "Colt" turned out to be much more reliable - 11 delays versus 33. On March 15, 1911, testing was resumed after both companies had completed improvements to their weapons. These repeated tests also revealed the significant superiority of the Browning pistol in operational reliability and durability. According to the commission's conclusion, the Colt was superior to the Savage in reliability, strength, ease of disassembly and shooting accuracy. In this connection, Colt's weapons were recommended for further testing by the troops. On March 29, 1911, a self-loading pistol designed by John Browning, also known as Government Model. Since 1913, the M1911 began to be supplied to the US Navy and US Marine Corps.

Initially, the production of these weapons was carried out at Colt factories, but soon they joined Remington-UMC, Springfield Armory And North American Arms Co. During World War I, Colt M1911 pistols were supplied to the armies of Great Britain, Russia and France, and were later used by the US Army itself, which entered the war shortly before its end.

Following the pistol's use by American troops during World War I, minor changes were made to the M1911 design:

• the “tail” of the handle safety key has been extended, The knitting needle is part of the hammer, standing in its rear part and providing the possibility of its manual cocking -nia. May be absent from the self-platoon pi-sto-le-tahs and re-vol-ve-rahs, which may be considered a half-tel. -no-measure without-danger.">knitting needle the cocked hammer and the holding hand are better separated when firing (1);
• The mainspring stop has been changed, the rear part of the handle has acquired an arched shape (2);
• The trigger protrudes less and the length of its stroke is reduced (3);
• inclined recesses appeared in the frame behind the trigger for the index finger (4);
• notch on Cheeks are a part of a non-shooting weapon, intended to increase the friction of the shooter’s hand on the weapon (usually -but pi-hundred years) and preventing the rotation of slipping (especially when shooting), ras-la-ga-yu-sha-ya-sya on pi -a hundred-year-old ru-ko-i-ti. As is right, the cheeks are made from de-re-va or po-li-me-ra.">cheeks the handle reaches the fastening screws (5);
• rectangular cutout of the rear sight, instead of U-shaped (6);
• rectangular section of the front sight, instead of wedge-shaped (7).

The modernized version was put into service under the designation in 1926.

In the United States, Colt M1911 and M1911A1 pistols were produced by several manufacturers in various modifications and designs. Pistols produced by Colt were equipped with the inscription "SOLT'SPT. F.A. MFG. SO." on the bolt housing on the left side, behind the patent numbers. There, behind the notches, there is an image of a rearing foal. On the right side of the shutter casing there is an inscription "MODEL OF 1911 U.S. ARMY".

Design and operating principle

The pistol consists of 53 parts and three main parts: frame, barrel and bolt housing. The shutter moves along guides in the frame. The barrel is connected to the pistol frame using a swinging earring located under the breech of the barrel and a transverse rod in the frame.

The coupling of the barrel to the bolt (locking the barrel) is carried out by two semi-circular lugs (lugs) on the barrel and grooves on the upper inner surface of the bolt in front of the window for extracting cartridges.

After the shot, the barrel coupled with the bolt moves back. The earring rotates on the under-barrel axis and the rod in the frame, the breech of the barrel is lowered. The barrel lugs disengage with the bolt grooves. The barrel is stopped by a rod in the frame, and the bolt continues to move back and ejects the cartridge case, cocks the hammer and compresses the return and mainsprings.

The return spring with a guide rod is located under the barrel, the mainspring with guide rods is located in the handle.

A trigger rod, a three-leaf trigger spring, a hammer and a handle safety are inserted into the handle frame, which blocks the trigger, preventing it from being released from the cock until the handle is completely wrapped around the hand.

Single action trigger, with open trigger. The mainspring is a twisted cylindrical one, located behind the magazine; its force is transmitted to the trigger through a rod. The firing pin is located at the rear of the bolt, spring-loaded and recessed into the bolt to prevent premature shots. The trigger rod moves longitudinally in the grooves of the pistol frame. To prevent premature shots, there is a disconnector at the rear of the handle on the same axis as the sear. When the bolt is rolled back and until the barrel is locked, the disconnector with its stem comes out of the bolt recess and lowers the rear part of the trigger rod down, moving it away from the sear protrusion. When the trigger is released after firing, the disconnector rotates under the action of the plate trigger spring, brings the trigger rod under the sear and enters with its stem into the recess of the bolt.

On the left side of the frame there is a fuse box. Direction for turning on the safety, like a pistol PM. When the flag is raised, the safety locks the sear, the bolt and prevents the hammer from moving forward. The trigger, with the safety on, can be left cocked (eng. Cocked and locked), which compensates for the lack of efficiency in using weapons with

The Colt Model 1907 .45 caliber pistol was created as a modernized version of the pistol. This was another attempt by the Colt company to create a military semi-automatic pistol and receive a large government contract.

After testing the 1905 Colt pistol, representatives of the US Department of Artillery expressed a lot of additional requirements for the weapon. Some of the complaints concerned the safety of handling the pistol. The military pointed out the need to improve the safety devices and install some kind of indicator on the pistol that would indicate that there is a cartridge in the chamber of the weapon.
Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company instructed its engineers to develop improvements to the design of the pistol. James Peard began developing a mechanism for indicating the presence of a cartridge in the chamber. On June 23, 1908, he received patent number 891438, which describes a fairly simple design of the indicator presence of a cartridge in the chamber.The indicator is installed at the top of the bolt and represents a V-shaped plate on the axis.

At the front of the plate there is a rod that protrudes beyond the shutter mirror. When a cartridge is installed in the chamber of a pistol, its case bottom recesses the rod inside the bolt. In this case, the rear part of the pointer rises above the surface of the shutter.

The pointer lever is slightly offset to the left side of the weapon. It is the presence of such a pointer at the top of the bolt that is one of the signs by which the Colt 1907 pistol is visually different from the Colt 1905.

At the same time, George Tansley was developing an automatic fuse. On June 23, 1908, he received patent No. 891510, which described the design of a safety device built into the back of the pistol handle. The safety lever, until the shooter's hand grasps the pistol grip, acts with its front protrusion on the special safety rod. In this case, the rod tooth, located in its upper part, enters the groove of the striker and blocks its movement. After the shooter grabs the pistol grip, the safety lever rotates on an axis. At the same time, its front protrusion rises, pressing the fuse rod. The rod tooth comes out of the firing pin groove, allowing firing.

Early Colt Model 1907 pistols are equipped with this type of automatic safety. These are the so-called Colt Model 1907 pistols of the first variation (Colt Model 1907 .45 ACP First Variation). The photo shows such a pistol with a hole in the frame to demonstrate the operation of the trigger mechanism.

In 1909, Carl Ehbets improved the design of the automatic fuse. His patent No. 917723 dated April 6, 1909 provided for a different design of the safety lever. The upper edge of the lever acted on a vertical pin, with the help of which the striker was fixed in a position when the shooter’s hand did not clasp the pistol grip.

Along with the new design, for reliable operation, the rear protrusion of the automatic safety lever was lengthened. It is the presence of an automatic safety lever on the back of the handle that is another characteristic feature that distinguishes the Colt model 1907 pistol from the Colt 1905 model. Depending on the shape of the safety lever, there are different types of Colt Model 1907 pistols.

The Colt Model 1907 .45 ACP Second Variation pistol is equipped with an automatic safety lever with an extended rear part.

The lower part of the automatic safety lever is covered with a fine notch for reliable contact with the surface of the shooter's palm.

Also, at the request of the military, the window in the bolt at the top was slightly enlarged for removing cartridges. At the same time, the ejection angle of the cartridge case was changed. The sleeve is now removed not sideways, but more vertically. Due to the design change, a slot had to be made in the shutter window for the front part of the ejector.

Otherwise, the design of the 1907 Colt pistol is no different from the 1905 Colt pistol.

A slide stop lever is installed on the left side of the pistol frame.

The cheeks of the pistol handle are made of walnut wood and equipped with a diamond-shaped notch.

The left cheek is made shorter, since a rectangular swivel for attaching a pistol cord is installed in the lower part of the handle at the bottom left.

There is a screw on the back of the handle that secures the mainspring in the frame.

Sights are traditional. At the top of the bolt there is a semicircular front sight and a slotted rear sight, inserted into a dovetail groove.

The Colt Model 1907 pistol has a barrel length of 127 mm. The total length of the pistol is 206 mm, weight 950 grams. The surfaces of the metal parts of the weapon are covered with bluing.

The Colt Model 1907 pistol is equipped with a magazine for 7 rounds of .45 ACP caliber. There are usually no markings on the bottom of the handle.

The marking on the right side of the slide is the text: "AUTOMATIC COLT / CALIBRE 45 RIMLESS SMOKELESS".

The left side of the pistol is marked: “PATENTED COLT’S PATENT FIRE ARMS MFG. CO. /apr. 20. 1897 SEPT. 9 1902 DEC. 19.1905 HARTFORD. CONN. U.S.A."

About 200 leather holsters were made for Colt Model 1907 .45 ACP pistols. A metal plate is mounted in the upper part of the holster valve, protecting the pistol handle and an automatic safety device from accidental pressing. The antique value of such a holster today is very high and it is a rare find for connoisseurs of antique weapons.

). It was in service with the US Army until 1985, when the armed forces adopted the new Beretta 92FS pistol under the designation "M9". Currently, various modern versions of the M1911A1 are in service with special units of the US Army and Marine Corps, including 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta (better known as "Delta Force").* This pistol is also widely represented in the armies of other countries. It was and remains very popular among various law enforcement agencies and civilian shooters. The commercial version of the M1911A1 military pistol is the "Colt Government Model".

Main design features. Automation scheme - with a short barrel stroke. The barrel bore is locked by the barrel protrusions and the grooves of the bolt-casing, the engagement and disengagement of which is carried out by raising and lowering the breech of the barrel using an earring. The outside of the pistol barrel is cylindrical with a thickening at the breech; there are two semi-circular protrusions for engagement with the bolt-casing. On the breech there is a boss for placing the earring with its own axis and a protrusion for coordinating the position of the barrel. The earring has two holes: one for the earring axis, the second for the bolt stop rod. The barrel bore has six rifling grooves. The return spring is located under the barrel, in a special tube on the guide rod. The reflector is a fixed part mounted in the lower left part of the frame. The bolt is closed at the front by a boss on the barrel bushing. In the middle part of the bolt casing, in front of the protrusion that locks the barrel and the window for removing cartridges, it has two recesses into which the barrel lugs fit, performing locking. The ejector, which is an elastic rod, works like a leaf spring. The firing pin is spring-loaded and is fixed in the bolt channel with a stop; due to which contact of the firing pin with the primer occurs only during the shot. The slide stop and non-automatic safety are fixed by a common spring. The axis of the mash delay is also the axis of the barrel shackle.

The firing mechanism consists of a trigger with a trigger rod, made in the form of one piece, a sear, a disconnector, a three-pronged trigger spring, a hammer with safety and combat cockings, a mainspring on the guide rod, a trigger pusher and a firing pin. The left feather of the trigger spring acts on the sear, the middle one - on the disconnector, the right one - on the automatic fuse. The mainspring is located in a channel passing through the liner, which also acts as the rear wall of the handle, and acts on the trigger through a pusher. The disconnector interacts with the bolt recess with its upper part and with the sear protrusions with its lower part. When the shot is fired and the shooter releases the trigger, the disconnector rotates under the action of the middle feather of the trigger spring and, acting on the trigger rod, returns the trigger to the forward position.

Protection against accidental shooting is achieved using an automatic or safety lever. The automatic fuse is a double-armed lever swinging on the rod of the safety lever, with several cutouts and a protrusion that provides protection. The flag fuse has: a blade, which is the basis of the fuse; shutter delay tooth; rod, which is the axis of the fuse; comb with a notch for manually turning the fuse off and on.

The M1911A1 pistol has both strengths and weaknesses in its design. As a minus, we should probably immediately mention the outdated design of the single-action trigger. However, its lack of efficiency in preparing the pistol for firing is compensated by the ability to carry the Colt with the hammer cocked, thanks to the presence of two fuses, one of which blocks the sear and bolt, and the other blocks the trigger rod. Also in this regard, the difficulty of handling weapons in the absence of appropriate skills is sometimes noted. Weaknesses include large dimensions and weight with a small magazine capacity. Feature of the forty-five caliber: due to the low initial speed and large mass, the bullet has a high flight trajectory, which is why it is believed that the real effective firing range of the M1911A1 does not exceed 25 meters. The advantages are the high stopping power of the bullet of the cartridge used, reliability of operation, safe handling, comfortable holding, relatively soft recoil for this caliber, a long barrel and, as a result of the last three qualities, decent shooting accuracy.

“You just want to hold this pistol, aim, operate the bolt, insert a magazine into the handle, cock the hammer, in general interact with this wonderful weapon in every possible way, and of course shoot. It is thinner than most modern multi-shot combat pistols. It’s not that much in weight heavy, as it may seem at first. When shooting, the recoil is not at all great, contrary to the corresponding common misconception. It is not sharp and does not “dry” the hand. Its recoil is smoother than that of pistols under 9 mm Parabellum, as if stretched out in time. The sound of the shot rolling. The pistol is very convenient for high-speed shooting at several targets at a short distance. It makes excellent doublets. The pistol can even be carried concealed if the owner is wearing a light jacket or some loose clothing. A properly selected holster especially helps with this. The weapon itself is very beautiful, with a pronounced weapon aesthetics and charisma. Blued steel, nut cheeks of the handle, the hidden power of the 45 caliber..." - these are the reviews of the owners of this pistol.

The 45-caliber Colts are loved by competitive shooters due to the constant trigger pull (in this regard, a single-action trigger is preferable to a double-action trigger), controlled recoil, smoothed out by the massiveness and good ergonomics of the pistol and great opportunities for tuning. Of course, at shooting competitions, as a rule, they shoot not from ordinary army-style pistols, but from special match or custom versions with increased combat accuracy. The author of the 1911 Mystique article states that a tuned .45 Colt match shoots more accurately than any modern pistol of the same caliber (SIG, Glock, H&K, S&W).

An important element of the military Colt is the barrel, called the "U.S.G.I." (or simply "GI") - short for United States Government Issue ("government issue" translated from English - "government", "army"). Initially, this term meant barrels produced for military pistols, as opposed to civilian ones. And it is precisely in this meaning that it is sometimes used by weapon collectors; among connoisseurs, such a barrel is valued as “original”, “real”. However, over time, the term acquired a different meaning, becoming synonymous with “military specified”. However, the presence of the phrase "GI" in the name (for example, Springfield Armory GI .45 1911A1) may refer to the profile of the sight and the shape of the ejection window.

The commercial version of the M1911A1 military pistol, called the "Colt Government Model", initially had virtually no differences, except for a more free design of the frame with overlays and markings.

The standard .45-caliber Colt had a barrel length of 5 inches, i.e. 127 mm. There are also more compact models. This is Colt Commander - with a barrel length of 4.25 inches (108 mm) with a standard handle and magazine capacity of 7 rounds, and Colt Officer's ACP - with a barrel of 3.5 inches (88 mm) and Colt Defender - with a barrel of 3 inches (76 mm) and a shortened handle that holds 6 rounds (however, it remains possible to use standard long magazines for 7 rounds).Modifications for smaller caliber cartridges also appeared - in 1950, Colt expanded its range with Lightweight Commander pistols in calibers 9x19 mm Parabellum and .38 Super Automatic (9x23SR), produced in versions with a steel or aluminum frame.

And for sports shooting enthusiasts, in 1957, an expensive modification of the “Gold Cup National Match” was proposed with modified sights and a special barrel, which had a slight expansion at the muzzle and was made with smaller technological tolerances in order to reduce barrel play and improve the accuracy of the fire. During assembly, special attention was paid to whether the barrel and the bolt-casing bushing fit each other well, and whether the trigger parts were sufficiently polished. In particular, in order to avoid unnecessary friction, it was necessary to reconsider the curvature of the sear surface. Some changes were made to the design of the ejector, return spring and grooves along which the shutter-casing moved. The stainless steel "National Match" (NM) barrel is .580" wide at the muzzle and 576" wide at the breech (the "GI" barrel is .580" wide throughout).**

For a long time, no fundamental changes were made to the design of the pistol. The first (after 1924, when the Colt M1911 was upgraded to the M1911A1 level) serious revision was undertaken in 1970, Colt's Manufacturing began production of Colt Government Mk IV Series 70 pistols. This model differs from its predecessors in the presence of a modified “crown” barrel bushing ( collet bushing), made of high-carbon steel, instead of cylindrical in all other Colt M1911 models, and the barrel itself, called “Accurizor”, like the “NM” barrel, became slightly wider at the muzzle. The new bushing did improve the accuracy of the pistol. Although The accuracy of the Mk IV Series 70 was certainly not up to par with guns with true match barrels, custom hand-fitted, but was better than both the Army GI and the former Colt Government, the latter now disparagingly referred to as the "Pre-Series 70".

Everyone liked the innovation so much that pistols from the “Gold Cup National Match” series also began to be equipped with collet bushing, although the shorter-barreled Colt Commander retained the straight barrel and narrow all-cylindrical bushing of the old design. However, as time passed, it became clear that the new bushing was not reliable enough. Therefore, in 1988 it was abandoned. Colt's Manufacturing stated that new production technologies have made it possible, by tightening the standard of technological tolerance for mating with the barrel, to increase the accuracy of pistols equipped with old-type bushings.

Mk IV Series 70 pistols were in production from 1970 to 1983. An interesting system for assigning a serial number (engraved on the frame on the right side above the trigger). Pistols produced 1970-76. had the prefix “70G” in the serial number, models 1976-80. - suffix "G70", models 1979-81. - suffix "B70" and, finally, Mk IV Series 70 produced 1981-83. - prefix "70B". The "Gold Cup National Match" series pistols began with the serial number prefix "70N", while the Series 70 Lightweight Commander 9x19mm pistols began with the prefix "70L". Despite being discontinued, the 70 series pistols remained popular and continued to be in demand both in the United States and in Latin America. In 2002, Colt's Manufacturing company resumed (but without collet bushing) their production. Modern "Series 70" (so-called "repro") have a serial number with the prefix "71B", and in 2012 numbers appeared starting with to "72B".

In 1983, the 70th series was replaced by the Colt Mk IV Series 80 pistols, which are distinguished by the introduction of an automatic safety into the design that blocks the firing pin until the trigger is fully pressed (firing pin safety). This innovation received mixed reviews. Mk IV Series 80 pistols had serial numbers starting with a two-letter prefix. In 1985, the production of pistols made of stainless steel (Stainless steel finish) was opened. Previously, 45-caliber Colts, for reasons of principle, were produced only in blued steel (Blue finish).

In 1986, as part of the 80th series, production of the “Mk IV Series 80 Combat Elite” model began, intended for competition in practical pistol shooting and, in fact, being the prototype of future “custom” modifications of the M1911A1. The frame on this model was made of stainless steel, and the shutter-casing and other parts were made of carbon steel with a blue burnishing. The cheeks of the handle were made of rubber with a rhombic notch and covered the handle not only from the sides, but also from the front. The pistol also featured a large frame safety and a window for ejecting cartridges. The sights were non-adjustable, but of increased height and with bright white dots on the rear sight and front sight (high profile sights with dots). On later versions, a night sight of the “Novak carry” type was used with luminous or white inserts and a rubberized orthopedic handle. The Mk IV Series 80 Combat Elite model was produced from 1986 to 1996, production was resumed in 2008 and is currently ongoing.

The compact model chambered for .380 ACP was called the “.380 Government Model” (issued in 1983), and the ultra-compact model was called the “.380 Mustang” (1986). The latter had a barrel length of 70 mm and weighed 530 g. In 1987, the Mustang began to weigh even less. A "Pocketlite" variant appeared with an aluminum alloy frame, weighing 350 g. In 1988, the series was replenished with the Mustang Plus II model, which has a Mustang barrel and a 380 Government Model frame.

In 1987, Colt made another “knight’s move” - on the basis of the Colt Combat Elite series 80, a pistol was developed in a new, even more powerful caliber 10 mm Auto (10x25 mm) and released under the name “Colt Delta Elite”. The pistol was produced in stainless steel and blued versions, but it did not have much commercial success. The Delta Elite was discontinued in the mid-1990s and resumed in 2009 after Colt introduced a new version at the 2008 SHOT Show. This model is currently available in limited quantities with a stainless steel frame and slide. The pistol features oversized sights with white inserts, an automatic striker safety, a light alloy trigger, a Commander style hammer, and wraparound rubber grip grips with the Delta Elite model symbol.

The Mk IV Series 80 was discontinued in 1996. It should be noted here that, unlike the crudely and reliably assembled military Colts, the 70 and 80 series pistols were not good “straight out of the box”. To achieve optimal shooting and performance qualities, after-sales modifications were required. The demand for high-quality spare parts gave rise to the emergence of third-party companies that began producing them, and later mastered the production of assembled pistols and created their own designs of modernized Colts.

In the late 1990s, Colt's Manufacturing, either under pressure from the anti-gun lobby or due to the latest financial cataclysms that it faced every now and then (I was never able to figure out the reasons), announced its withdrawal from the civilian market small arms. From now on, its products were intended only for military and police structures. The vacated niche was quickly divided between Springfield Armory, Smith & Wesson, Kimber, Para-Ordnance, etc. The model range and production volumes of pistols were noticeably reduced, popular among civilian shooters pistols and revolvers, in particular the Colt Combat Elite, Colt Mustang, Colt Python and Colt Anaconda.The basic model, called "Colt Government", from the early 1990s and currently - the M1991A1, is a mixture of the classic military M1911A1 and Mk IV Series 80, i.e., actually a “downgrade" in relation to previously produced commercial pistols. The manufacturer did not hide its conservative approach, aimed at those who want to buy a “real Colt”. Nevertheless, he apparently really managed to achieve the optimal combination of reliability and shooting performance for an “entry-level” class pistol. While almost completely similar in appearance to the M1911A1, the M1991A1 has a well-fitting “filling”, a stainless steel barrel, higher sights with colored dots, increased size of window for ejection of cartridges and an automatic safety blocking the firing pin, and in terms of shooting accuracy it is not inferior to some custom models. Along with the traditional blued finish, there is an option with a stainless steel slide and frame, as well as the Colt 1991 Commander with a 4.25-inch barrel.

Here, within the framework of the “orthodox” 91st series, there was a new development. One of the variants, called "M1991DA" (Double Action), has a double action trigger mechanism. However, this model, unlike the Canadian Para-Ordnance P14-45 LDA announced in 1999 (more details in the second part of the review), did not gain much popularity and remained in the singular, although it continues to be produced today.

In 2006, Colt's return to the civilian small arms market was announced (Guns & Ammo 2006 Annual issue), but the train had already left, and Colt's Manufacturing Company was now just one of many manufacturers of pistols developed based on the M1911A1 , and far from being the most successful. Currently, Colt's Manufacturing assortment is as follows: Colt 1991 Series (basic series), Colt Series 70 (second generation of the 70th series, production resumed in 2002), Colt Gold Cup Series (pistol with National Match barrel), Colt Defender Series (compact pistol), Colt .380 Mustang Pocketlite (ultra-compact), Colt Combat Elite (this model and those listed below are essentially a "custom factory pistol"), Colt Delta Elite (caliber 10 mm Auto), Colt Special Combat Government, Colt New Agent Series, Colt XSE Series, Colt Rail Gun. Along with caliber .45 ACP, separate models are also produced in calibers .38 Super, 10 mm Auto, 9x19 mm, .380 ACP.

An important factor contributing to the popularity of the M1911A1 is its high tuning ability to increase shooting accuracy, increase safety of use and improve ergonomics, as well as (where would we be without this) achieving a beautiful appearance of the weapon. The flip side of the coin was the perception of the pistol “out of the box” as a semi-finished product - as opposed to the SIG Sauer P220 or H&K USP. And if the military Colt M1911A1 still somehow met the requirements for it, which were based on the reliability and high stopping power of the bullet, then for its civilian counterpart Colt Government, used mainly in shooting galleries and shooting ranges, modifications after purchase became almost the norm. Many third-party companies have begun producing parts and kits, with the help of which, like Lego, you can assemble your “dream gun”, and over time, the “dream guns” themselves (this will be discussed in the second part of the review).

These trends did not escape the military either. Although the M1911A1 gave way to the “alien” Beretta M9 in the US armed forces, in those formations that retained freedom of choice, gunsmiths had to work hard to make the “old man” competitive with modern products from Heckler & Koch, SIG Sauer and Pietro Beretta. In the special forces units of the US Marine Corps, such a pistol was called MEU(SOC) M1911 or M45 MEUSOC.

Behind its unprepossessing appearance lies a formidable weapon with high combat accuracy. The standard military M1911A1 was taken as the basis, but a significant part of its elements were replaced by products from commercial manufacturers: a bolt-casing from a Springfield Mil-Spec pistol, a double-sided safety lever, Pachmayr rubber grips wrapped around the rubber cheeks, a Bar-Sto match barrel made of stainless steel, a match aluminum trigger Videcki hook, trigger - compact, with a round head. The barrel and trigger parts were carefully processed and adjusted. Later versions had a bolt-casing with additional notches in the front, as well as Novak sights.

Added. The Colt Rail Gun at present (2013) apparently should be considered the pinnacle of development of the 45-caliber military Colt. In July 2012, Colt's Manufacturing Company won the competition and received a contract for the supply of a large batch of such pistols, called M45A1CQBP(Close Quarter Battle Pistol), for reconnaissance and sabotage units of the US Marine Corps.

Another area of ​​tuning for Colts, widely popular among the Hispanic and African-American population of the United States, as well as in areas south of the US-Mexico border, was decoration in the form of gilding and engraving. Photo reviews of trophies from Mexican drug wars almost always include this kind of product, which makes you always wonder at the imagination of their manufacturers, as well as the vulgarity of their owners. However, apparently the now popular “tactical design” should be considered a phenomenon of the same order, consisting in the presence of guides for attaching tactical accessories, the application of a camouflage coating to the weapon and brutal names indicating the involvement of its owner in special forces.

The spoils of the Mexican drug wars

There are also models of pistols that copy the design of the M1911, but are not formally related to it. These are Spanish Star pistols, designed by the manufacturing company Bonifacio Echeverria, SA. made changes in order, firstly, to bypass patent restrictions, and secondly, to reduce the cost of production, and the Argentine Ballester-Molina, which is, in fact, a hybrid of the M1911 and Star modelo P.

Unlicensed clones under the Star brand have been produced by Astra since the early 1920s. There were options for various calibers: 9x23 mm Largo (modelo A and A Super); 9x19mm Parabellum (modelo B, BM and B Super) and .45ACP (modelo P). Star pistols models A, B and P are self-loading pistols with a single action trigger mechanism and automatic action based on a short barrel stroke with locking by an oscillating earring (similar to the M1911). Unlike the Colt, the trigger on the Spanish clones is not moving back and forth, but rotating, and has one trigger rod instead of two. The safety, located on the left, locks the bolt and the trigger itself. Other differences from the M1911: the absence of an automatic safety on the back of the handle, a non-detachable (one-piece with the rear of the frame) mainspring casing, and the presence of an external extractor similar to the Browning High-Power.

In 1946, the production of Star A Super and B Super pistols began, differing from models A and B in the barrel locking scheme - Browning High-Power type locking, with a figured cutout in the boss under the barrel. Otherwise, they are similar to models A and B. Their production continued until the mid-1960s, and model B Super pistols were in service in Spain until the early 1990s. The main market was the countries of South America, where the Spaniards successfully competed with the M1911A1 and its Argentine and Brazilian-made clones.

The Ballester-Molina pistol (until 1940 it was called "Ballester-Rigaud") was produced by the Spanish-Argentine company Hispano Argentina Fabrica de Automoviles Sociedad Anonima (HAFDASA) from 1938 to 1953 (before that, the Argentines produced a licensed version of the M1911A1 called Sistema Colt Modelo 1927 ). It is named after the founders of HAFDASA, Arturo Ballester and Eugenio Molina, as well as the name of the company's leading engineer, the Frenchman Rorice Rigaud. Used by the Argentine military and police until the 1980s. The parts that are interchangeable with the original M1911A1 are the barrel assembly with the swinging earring and the 7-round magazine.

And about shooting accuracy.
When shooting two-handed at a distance of 25 yards (23 meters) from a well-tuned Colt, a trained shooter places the series in a circle with a diameter of 1-1.5 inches (25-37 mm). However, high accuracy is a quality not limited to match-grade .45-caliber Colts. Modern budget-class commercial models, the Colt M1991A1 and Para GI Expert, hit groups within 2 inches (51 mm) in the same conditions. The military M1911A1, produced with greater technological tolerances, has worse results - about 3-3.5" (76-89 mm), but higher reliability. For comparison: Beretta 92, considered one of the best in terms of shooting accuracy ("9- mm caliber,” add supporters of the 45 caliber), from 25 yards it produces groups of 2-3 inches with a factory barrel and 1.5-2 inches with a match barrel. What surprised me personally, the more powerful Colt caliber (coupled with a larger weight) from the point of view of controllability of recoil, it works not as a minus, but as a plus. Supporters of the .45ACP unanimously note that 9-mm pistols have sharper recoil. This is consistent with the results of tests in which “Colts” performed in 9- mm caliber, they are inferior in practical shooting accuracy to 45-caliber models.

Notes:

*Along the way, I decided to investigate the question of what kind of Colts.45 the Delta Force is armed with. Found the following.
Firstly, custom M1911A1 models are used. Each fighter receives a cash payment to independently select and purchase weapons. Subsequent individual modifications are carried out by a military gunsmith directly in the unit. I doubt, however, that we are talking about elaborately modernized devices from STI orInfinity Firearms, which excites the imagination of visitors to weapons web forums. Professionals, as a rule, choose weapons based on their combat properties, and not on the “wrapper”. Customization in this context most likely concerns the barrel, internal mechanisms and sights.
According to the book "Weapons of Delta Force" by Fred Pushys, it is unknown how trustworthy this author can be, operators"delta force" give preference for brandsColt National Match, Wilson Combat, and Les Baer.
Secondly, Delta has now abandoned the Colts and is rearming with Glock .40 S&W pistols. This is due, among other things, to a change in the general concept of pistol shooting: now they began to shoot more quickly and less accurately, which places less demands on the accuracy of the weapon, but requires a larger magazine capacity.

** Currently, many Colt .45 models based on the M1911A1 from various manufacturers are equipped with barrels that have a widening at the muzzle. However, according to some forty-five-caliber experts, such a barrel, if it has not been individually adjusted (this is a different class and price category of the pistol), is nothing more than a marketing ploy. “Not that its use is harmful, but it does not provide any significant advantages in terms of accuracy over the GI barrel.”