Time-Tested Appeal
The classic design of the 1911 lends itself to seemingly infinite variations, all of which enhance its enduring popularity.
By Richard Mann
On February 14, 1911, patent #US984519A was issued to John M. Browning. It detailed the pistol that would come to be known as the 1911. Just a month later the United States Army adopted this handgun as its service pistol. According to the National Rifle Association, more than 55 Medals of Honor have been presented to American servicemen who demonstrated extreme bravery and courage while carrying the 1911. It’s estimated that nearly three million 1911 pistols have served our flag.
That’s enough to make any firearm an American icon. But while some claim the 1911’s esteem hinges largely on it helping win two world wars, our troops used the ’03 Springfield to win WWI and the M1 Garand to win WWII. Those guns are now mostly considered antiquated relics. Not the 1911; 113 years later it remains arguably the most popular pistol in America. Yeah, there are other old guns still being made, but not to the extent of the 1911. Currently, more than 30 manufacturers are turning out 1911s. The reason the 1911 has survived the onslaught of double-action, striker-fired, high-capacity, and polymer-framed pistols is much simpler than its iconic history.
The 1911 has endured because it works. It’s a very rugged and durable design that fits the hands of most shooters, points naturally, and is accurate and reliable. It can be, and has been, used effectively for duty, service, personal protection, competition, and hunting and has even morphed into compact, subcompact, and high-capacity configurations. The design is compatible with the most popular pistol cartridges and (this is important) it’s ideally engineered to facilitate simple and complex customization by virtue of today’s CNC and EDM manufacturing.
Refined Approach
Forty years after the introduction of the 1911, Colt introduced a 4.25-inch barreled 1911 with a lightweight aluminum frame called the Commander. About 25 years later Detonics introduced the Combat Master, which was a 1911 with a 3.5-inch barrel and a shortened grip frame. This ultimately led Colt to introduce the 3.5-inch-barreled Officer’s Model in 1985. These compact and subcompact 1911s would eventually become just as popular as the original 5-inch 1911.
As with most all military arms, the Army’s selection of the 1911 made it popular. But it wasn’t until the early 1960s when the 1911 began to be tweaked by custom gunsmiths that it really established itself as one of America’s most prominent pistols. In its original form, the sights, which were small and unremarkable, were the primary weakness of the 1911. King Gun Sight, Armand Swenson, and Pachmayr, pioneers all, began installing better sights. They also checkered the front strap, modified the grip and thumb safeties, tuned the trigger, and of course, fine-tuned the action for reliability and accuracy.
Entwined in all of this was a former Marine named Jeff Cooper. Initially, with his South West Combat Pistol League, later through his writing for gun magazines, and ultimately as the founder of the American Pistol Institute (now Gunsite Academy), Cooper helped vault the 1911 to its current iconic status. He believed “… all the 1911 really needs are a trigger that you can manage, sights that you can see and a dehorning job.” These custom modifications were reflected in the Colt 1911 that became the Gunsite Service Pistol.
Other custom makers took note of what King, Swenson, and Pachmayr were doing and what Cooper was saying, but they went even further, refining every aspect of the 1911. But no one did it more so than Bill Wilson. In the early 1980s Wilson, an Arkansas watchmaker and shooter, began offering custom 1911s that quite frankly changed the game. In addition to building custom 1911s, Wilson began manufacturing custom 1911 parts so other professional and even garage gunsmiths could more easily customize 1911s. Wilson also crafted exceptional 1911 magazines.
His company, Wilson Combat, is now the largest manufacturer of custom 1911 handguns and 1911 parts in the world. Their pistols are considered the finest examples of the 1911 available anywhere. But even that wasn’t enough. In 2017, Wilson Combat introduced the EDC X9 pistol. This modernized 1911 did away with the sometimes-cussed grip safety and increased the pistol’s capacity with a double-stacked magazine. The idea was so innovative it inspired Kimber to introduce a similar 1911 in 2023 that they call the KDS9C. But there’s more to Kimber than just this newest iteration of the 1911.
While Wilson Combat was turning out packaged and individually customized 1911s as fast as they could, nearly two decades ago Kimber realized doing something similar at a mass-produced factory level could have immense appeal. Kimber began offering factory-stock 1911s with various collections of common custom features and finishes at half the cost of what was then thought of as a “custom” 1911. They also wisely applied this innovation to the compact and subcompact 1911 models. Other manufacturers, such as Dan Wesson, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, and Springfield Armory, began doing the same. Today the pistol that started all this looks very different than the one corporal Alvin York or second lieutenant Frank Luke were carrying when they stepped into Medal of Honor history.
Custom Packages
Consumers today can have anything they want when it comes to the 1911. They can go direct to Wilson Combat, Novak, or a host of other custom 1911 builders and have a one-of-a-kind pistol created. But just like back in the 1980s and 1990s, wait times can be long. Alternatively, consumers can purchase a custom “package” gun with the most desirable custom features direct from one of these makers or even from dealers. Because Wilson Combat and other custom builders now have lucrative dealer programs to put high-quality custom 1911s under the glass in gun shops, the high-end custom 1911 is more accessible than ever. Prices generally start at around $2,500 and can exceed three times that much.
The less expensive and more available alternative is to go with a modern factory 1911 that’s been tricked out with a host of popular custom features like Novak sights, beavertail grip safeties, ambidextrous thumb safeties, unusual checkering and slide engraving, checkered grip frames, and a wide array of finish types and colors. Also, just like with the full-custom options, many of these pistols from companies like Kimber and Springfield Armory are offered chambered for either the 9mm Luger, 10mm Auto, or .45 Auto. Prices usually range from around $1,000 to $2,500.
Affordable Alternatives
SDS Imports is a Tennessee-based company that works with Tisas of Turkey to import a wide variety of 1911 pistols. Following the blueprint established by Kimber, you can find a Tisas 1911 in just about any configuration. They offer originally styled 1911s and highly refined-looking compact 1911s with all the usual custom tweaks. Taking advantage of the low labor costs overseas, these are very affordable and well made. Tisas even offer a builder’s kit that includes every part‑many of which were once considered custom only–needed except the frame. Prices start at about $400. Though some say this latest alternative is driven by renewed interest in the 1911, 20 years ago Jeff Cooper wrote, “People who write about the ‘comeback of the 1911’ do not seem to be aware that it has never been away.”
Classic Appeal
Today, what is and what is not a custom 1911 is a very blurred image. The custom makers that built their brand by providing tuning and alterations are now manufacturers turning out complete pistols using frames, slides, barrels, and other parts they make in house. Non-custom manufacturers are doing the same thing; the differences are generally the quality of the materials, fit and finish, and accuracy and reliability. You generally get what you pay for with a 1911, but today even affordable 1911s are good 1911s. Modern machining techniques are amazing and have turned what was once custom into common.
I asked Bill Wilson why he felt that the 1911 has reigned as America’s pistol for so long, especially when competing against more affordable and modern polymer-framed pistols. “The 1911 is a classic and people just like classics whether it's guns or cars,” he told me. “Just look at a 2023 Camaro, Challenger, or Mustang. Other than that, the 1911 has a long history of shootability and durability that no other design can match. There are a lot of gun people that just aren't overly excited with polymer guns and prefer traditional metal-frame guns. I'm certainly one of those.”
To be relevant to their customers, dealers must sell 1911s, and the best approach is probably three tiered. Examples of high-end custom guns, such as those available from Wilson Combat, Nighthawk, and Republic Forge, need to be under the counter glass. But just as importantly, factory 1911s, like those from Kimber that emulate what the big-name custom shops are tuning out at half the price, need to be beside them. And finally, less-expensive 1911s like those from Tisas offer shooters a great, custom-like 1911 at a very affordable price.
The theory of evolution is one of the fundamental principles of biology. It claims that distinguishable differences are due to modifications in successive generations. Evolution perfectly describes history of the 1911. Through customization and modern manufacturing techniques, the 1911 has evolved from a very workmanlike service handgun to a highly refined pistol of seemingly infinite variations, in varying levels of quality, and at price points every American can afford. Its appeal is so extraordinary, owning only one never seems to be enough.
