The Model 1902 is a semi-automatic pistol developed by famous American firearms designer John Browning and produced by the Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company in the early 20th century. The Model 1902 was not a new design, but rather an incremental improvement upon the nearly identical M1900 , and would transition from the 1900 into three distinct but related pistols with the same action and cartridge, the 1902 Sporting Model, the 1902 Military model, and the 1903 Pocket Hammer model . The 1902 Sporting model was so similar to the 1900 that it continued the serial number range, while the 1902 Military Model featured a different serial range as did the 1903 Pocket Hammer model. The 1902 Military Model featured a square and lengthened grip frame with an additional round in the magazine, while the 1903 Pocket Hammer featured a shortened barrel and slide but retained the Sporting model grip frame. The Colt M1905 .45 ACP pistol would be derived from the same lineage, also with a different serial number range.
100-417: M1902 may refer to: 3-inch M1902 field gun - A US Army gun 3-inch M1902 seacoast gun - A US Army gun not related to the field gun Colt M1902 pistol 76 mm divisional gun M1902 - A Russian artillery piece 76 mm divisional gun M1902/30 [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
200-421: A fresh cartridge from the magazine and feed it into the firing chamber. At the forward end of its travel, the slide locks into the barrel and is ready to fire again. However, if the fired round was the last in the magazine, the slide will lock in the rearward position, which notifies the shooter to reload by ejecting the empty magazine and inserting a loaded magazine, and facilitates (by being rearwards) reloading
300-622: A limited number of what would be later termed the Interim Close Quarters Battle pistol ( ICQB ). Maintaining the simple recoil assembly, 5-inch barrel (though using a stainless steel match grade barrel), and internal extractor, the ICQB is not much different from Browning's original design. In July 2012, the USMC awarded Colt a $ 22.5 million contract for up to 12,000 M45A1 pistols with an initial order of 4036 pistols to replace
400-491: A longer grip with an additional round in the magazine and a lanyard loop. This brought about the Model 1902 Military model which although inspired by military suggestions, was nonetheless primarily a commercial pistol. It eclipsed the sporting model in sales by about three to one. However, if one considers the production of the 1903 Pocket Hammer models as being just short barreled 1902 Sporting Models, which they basically were, then
500-474: A low end of around $ 400 for basic models imported from Turkey ( TİSAŞ and GİRSAN ) and the Philippines ( Armscor , Metro Arms, and SAM Inc.) to more than $ 4,000 for the best competition or tactical versions (Wilson Combat, Ed Brown, Les Baer, Nighthawk Custom, and Staccato). Due to an increased demand for M1911 pistols among Army Special Operations units, who are known to field a variety of M1911 pistols,
600-401: A lower profile spur hammer and replaced the stub hammer only in the very last of the sporting models but took position as the sole 1902 Military model hammer from about 1908–09, just prior to that being phased into production alongside the stub hammers. Due to hand polishing of Colt Automatics through the 1905 Model .45, the depth of any pistol's markings might vary on the same pistol as well as
700-582: A new .452 in cartridge Browning designed—the .45 ACP . European militaries generally opted for lighter calibers, with the exception of the British (a policy that may have reflected their extensive experience in colonial warfare). One can only speculate on the type of commercial customer (excluding the military users) that would have purchased the Colt 1902 Sporting and Military Models: perhaps wealthier hunters, fishermen, and adventurers who visited remote areas of
800-476: A rope lanyard. The metal buckle and fittings were in gilded brass. The buckle had the seal of the U.S. on the center (or "male") piece and a laurel wreath on the circular (or "female") piece. The pistol was a standard-issue M1911A1 that came with a cleaning kit and three magazines. From 1972 to 1981 a modified M1911A1 called the RIA M15 General Officer's Model was issued to general officers in
900-494: A self-loading pistol that would culminate in the official adoption of the M1911 after the turn of the decade. Hiram S. Maxim had designed a self-loading rifle in the 1880s, but was preoccupied with machine guns . Nevertheless, the application of his principle of using cartridge energy to reload led to several self-loading pistols in 1896. The designs caught the attention of various militaries, each of which began programs to find
1000-428: A serial run of 15201–15999, then production serials stabilized, in late 1907, starting at 30,200 and continuing to the production end in 1928 at 43,266. Yearly production peaked in 1907 at 1,400, and by 1917, large production numbers were pretty much done, but minimal production continued. Use of the stub hammers ended approximately in late 1907, and there was a phasing in of lower spur hammers by until around 33000 where
1100-605: A series of specifications and improvements to make Browning's design ready for 21st-century combat, many of which have been included in MEU(SOC) pistol designs, but design and supply time was limited. Discovering that the Los Angeles Police Department was pleased with their special Kimber M1911 pistols, a single source request was issued to Kimber for just such a pistol despite the imminent release of their TLE/RLII models. Kimber shortly began producing
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#17327809436451200-405: A shorter barrel survived long after with the continued production of the Colt 1903 Pocket Hammer Model, a relative more closely related to the 1902 Sporting Model than the 1902 Military model. The number of Colt 1902 sporting models delivered to Mexico does not appear to have been great, the 1902 Military proving more popular. In 1901, the military, in evaluating its test Model 1900 Colts, suggested
1300-512: A single pistol over the course of two days. When the gun began to grow hot, it was simply immersed in water to cool it. The Colt gun passed with no reported malfunctions, while the Savage designs had 37. Following its success in trials, the Colt pistol was formally adopted by the Army on March 29, 1911, when it was designated "Model of 1911", later changed in 1917 to "Model 1911", and then "M1911" in
1400-501: A single-stack magazine (which makes for a thinner pistol that is, therefore, easier to conceal), personal defense, target shooting, and competition as well as collections. Numerous aftermarket accessories allow users to customize the pistol to their liking. There are a growing number of manufacturers of M1911-style pistols and the model continues to be quite popular for its reliability, simplicity, and patriotic appeal. Various tactical, target and compact models are available. Price ranges from
1500-512: A step in the right direction (the Swedes mentioned this virtue). The Colt 1902 had room to develop, while the Mauser was already mature and not subject to improvement. The Luger on the other hand would be developed at about the same pace as the Colt 1902, the competition peaking in 1907 when .45 ACP Colt 1905's and 45 ACP Lugers faced off, although in the end both pistols showed insufficient promise in
1600-409: A stipulation that M1911A1s should have serial numbers higher than 700,000 with lower serial numbers designated M1911. The M1911A1 changes to the original design consisted of a shorter trigger, cutouts in the frame behind the trigger, an arched mainspring housing, a longer grip safety spur (to prevent hammer bite ), a wider front sight, a shortened hammer spur, and simplified grip checkering (eliminating
1700-592: A suitable one for their forces. In the U.S., such a program would lead to a formal test at the turn of the 20th century. During the end of 1899 and into 1900, a test of self-loading pistols was conducted, including entries from Mauser ( C96 "Broomhandle" ), Mannlicher ( Mannlicher M1894 ), and Colt ( Colt M1900 ). This led to a purchase of 1,000 DWM Luger pistols , chambered in 7.65mm Luger . During field trials, these ran into some problems, especially with stopping power . Other governments had made similar complaints. Consequently, DWM produced an enlarged version of
1800-490: Is highly possible that the Military Model might have seen increased foreign sales during World War I had not Colt been concentrating on the 1911 (over 80,000 commercial 1911s were delivered to foreign countries during the war, 50,000 to Tzarist Russia alone). These sales might have otherwise gone to the 1902 Military Model. M1911 pistol The Colt M1911 (also known as 1911 , Colt 1911 or Colt Government in
1900-528: Is noted for its unusual extended slide stop which was specified by Norwegian ordnance authorities. Twenty-two thousand were produced between 1914 and 1940 but production continued after the German occupation of Norway in 1940 and 10,000 were produced for the German armed forces as Pistole 657 (n) . Between 1927 and 1966, 102,000 M1911 pistols were produced as Sistema Colt Modelo 1927 in Argentina , first by
2000-627: Is produced under contract by Springfield Armory for the FBI regional SWAT teams and the Hostage Rescue Team. This pistol is made in batches on a regular basis by the Springfield Custom Shop, and a few examples from most runs are made available for sale to the general public at a selling price of approximately US$ 2,700 each. On March 18, 2011, the U.S. state of Utah —as a way of honoring M1911 designer John Browning , who
2100-675: The Burroughs Adding Machine Co. , Winchester Repeating Arms Company , and the Lanston Monotype Company , but the signing of the Armistice resulted in the cancellation of the contracts before any pistols had been produced. Battlefield experience in World War I led to some more small external changes, completed in 1924. The new version received a modified type classification, M1911A1, in 1926 with
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#17327809436452200-613: The Dirección General de Fabricaciones Militares . A similar gun, the Ballester–Molina , was also designed and produced. The M1911 and M1911A1 pistols were also ordered from Colt or produced domestically in modified form by several other nations, including Brazil (M1937 contract pistol), Mexico (M1911 Mexican contract pistol and the Obregón pistol ), and Spain (private manufacturers Star and Llama ). World War II and
2300-570: The SIG Sauer M18 to replace the M45A1. The Marines began the roll out of the M18 in 2020. The replacement was completed by October 2022. Since its inception, the M1911 has lent itself to easy customization. Replacement sights, grips, and other aftermarket accessories are the most commonly offered parts. Since the 1950s and the rise of competitive pistol shooting, many companies have been offering
2400-617: The Sporting Model 1902 variant was slightly lighter and smaller than the military version, with a more rounded grip frame. In 6 years of production a total of approximately 6927 Sporting versions were manufactured. In the period of 1902–1907 the Sporting Models still outsold the military models, 6,927 to 5,500 and when production of the Sporting Model ended in 1907, sales were still steady. Perhaps unexpectedly, with
2500-694: The Springfield XD and the Heckler & Koch USP , the M1911 shows no signs of decreasing popularity and continues to be widely present in various competitive matches such as those of USPSA, IDPA , IPSC , and Bullseye . In 1986, the USMC Precision Weapon Section (PWS) at Marine Corps Base Quantico began customizing M1911A1s for reconnaissance units. The units served in a new Marine Corps program Marine expeditionary unit (special operations capable) (MEU(SOC)). The pistol
2600-484: The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit began looking to develop a new generation of M1911s and launched the M1911-A2 project in late 2004. The goal was to produce a minimum of seven variants with various sights, internal and external extractors, flat and arched mainspring housings, integral and add-on magazine wells, a variety of finishes and other options, with the idea of providing the end-user a selection from which to select
2700-693: The XM9 trials, eventually leading to the official adoption of the Beretta 92F on January 14, 1985. By the late 1980s production was ramping up despite a controversial XM9 retrial and a separate XM10 reconfirmation that was boycotted by some entrants of the original trials, cracks in the frames of some pre-M9 Beretta-produced pistols, and despite a problem with slide separation using higher-than-specified-pressure rounds that resulted in injuries to some U.S. Navy special operations operatives. This last issue resulted in an updated model that includes additional protection for
2800-471: The effectiveness of earlier pistols in the 1902's class, ultimately leading to the 1904 Thompson-LaGarde Tests which concluded that for military use, ".38"-caliber cartridges of the time were inadequate and recommended the adoption of a pistol cartridge of at least .45 (11.43 mm) caliber. Colt and Browning responded to these criticisms with the introduction of the Colt Model 1905 pistol chambered in
2900-461: The "Double Diamond" reliefs). These changes were subtle and largely intended to make the pistol easier to shoot for those with smaller hands. No significant internal changes were made, and parts remained interchangeable between the M1911 and the M1911A1. Working for the U.S. Ordnance Office, David Marshall Williams developed a .22 training version of the M1911 using a floating chamber to give
3000-430: The "high" spur hammer and a rounded hammer, referred to by Colt as the "stub" hammer, were carryovers from 1900 production. Eventually, by 1904, at or just beyond serial 7184, the supply of "high" spur hammers was exhausted and the "stub" hammer became the norm for the sporting model. The 1902 Military Model, started production with "stub" hammers only. The third hammer, which did not see use until late 1907 or early 1908,was
3100-410: The "high" spur hammer of the 1900 Model. Apparently Colt was using up the remaining Model 1900 hammers in Sporting Models while still utilizing the stub hammers with the odd numbered pistols. After the supply of the high Model 1900 hammers was exhausted in 1904, all the sporting models thereafter used rounded hammers until the end of regular production. At the cessation of production of the sporting model,
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3200-592: The .22 long rifle rimfire recoil similar to the .45 version. As the Colt Service Ace , this was available both as a pistol and as a conversion kit for .45 M1911 pistols. Before World War II, 500 M1911s were produced under license by the Norwegian arms factory Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk , as Automatisk Pistol Model 1912 . Then, production moved to a modified version designated Pistol Model 1914 and unofficially known as " Kongsberg Colt ". The Pistol M/1914
3300-442: The 1902 Military comes in second-best. The 1902 "Military" model was introduced with a new style of front serration, a densely checkered area on the front of the slide immediately discernible from the 1902 Sporting Model's plunge serrations. A longer, squarer grip with a lanyard loop also made it distinctive, and of course the magazine was longer than the sporting model's as it carried an extra round. Less distinctive, but significant,
3400-425: The 1902 sporting model initially continued the sixteen milled plunge serrations on each side as featured in the model 1900. The 1902 Sporting Models looked very much like the Model 1900, however all vestiges of the 1900 sight safety had disappeared. At approximately serial 8000 around April 1905, these serrations were changed to a more modern look of twenty instantly discernible cut serrations as they did not plunge into
3500-619: The 1911's basic field strip), beating the Colt OHWS , a much-modified M1911. Dissatisfaction with the stopping power of the 9 mm Parabellum cartridge used in the Beretta M9 has actually promoted re-adoption of pistols based on the .45 ACP cartridge such as the M1911 design, along with other pistols, among USSOCOM units in recent years, though the M9 has been predominant both within SOCOM and in
3600-428: The 1911A1 in service with some units past 1989. The 1911A1 has never been completely phased out. Modernized derivative variants of the M1911 are still in use by some units of the U.S. Army Special Forces , U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy . The M1911 pistol originated in the late 1890s as the result of a search for a suitable self-loading (or semi-automatic) pistol to replace the variety of revolvers in service at
3700-445: The 1940s. The same basic design has been offered commercially and has been used by other militaries. In addition to the .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol), models chambered for .38 Super , 9×19mm Parabellum , 7.65mm Parabellum , 9mm Steyr , .400 Corbon , and other cartridges were offered. The M1911 was developed from earlier Colt semi-automatic designs, firing rounds such as .38 ACP . The design beat out many other contenders during
3800-502: The Colt 1911 outstripped supply, and many pistols still went south to the Mexican Army in small lots or individually, and the excitement of World War I on the horizon probably also spurred a re-interest. However, the number sold only averaged about 1,100 units per year and after 1915, sales dropped steadily with only a trickle being sold, the Military Model's sales did more fading away than ending in 1928. The 1902 Colt sporting Model
3900-411: The Colt's Manufacturing Company which was hoping to capitalize on the interest in service pistol modernization by procuring large and profitable government military contracts . Their first collaboration produced the Model 1900; it interested the U.S. military enough to lead to the purchase of a few hundred Model 1900 pistols for testing, evaluation and limited field trial issue, however, the limitations of
4000-465: The DWM design over the Colt and Steyr entries. In any case, a series of field tests from 1907 to 1911 were held to decide between the Savage and Colt designs. Both designs were improved between each round of testing, leading up to the final test before adoption. Among the areas of success for the Colt was a test at the end of 1910 attended by its designer, John Browning. Six thousand rounds were fired from
4100-574: The Europeans (except the French and English) who were "sold" on automatics and had been buying them since the turn of the 20th century in a near frenzy, the North American customers were still waiting, perhaps taking their cue from the military, for more robust and powerful automatic pistols. The Colt 1905 .45 ACP, which was really being developed by Colt with military contracts in mind, supplied
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4200-409: The M1911 as a base model for major customization. These modifications can range from changing the external finish, checkering the frame, to hand fitting custom hammers, triggers, and sears. Some modifications include installing compensators and the addition of accessories such as tactical lights and even scopes. A common modification of John Browning's design is to use a full-length guide rod that runs
4300-538: The M45 MEU(SOC) pistol. The Marine Corps issued the M45A1 to Force Reconnaissance companies, Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) and Special Reaction Teams from the Provost Marshal’s Office. The new 1911 was designated M45A1 or "Close Quarters Battle Pistol" CQBP. The M45A1 features a dual recoil spring assembly, Picatinny rails and is cerakoted tan in color. In 2019, the USMC selected
4400-525: The Mexican revolution along with other privately acquired Military, Sporting Model, and 1903 Pocket Hammer Colts. The U.S. Army 's unsatisfactory experiences several years earlier with .38-caliber pistols used against Moro tribesmen during the Philippine–American War may also have been a factor against larger acceptance of the "large frame" automatics. Events of this conflict called into question
4500-543: The U.S. Armed Forces in the Korean War and the Vietnam War , where it was used extensively by tunnel rats . It was used during Desert Storm in specialized U.S. Army units and U.S. Navy Mobile Construction Battalions (Seabees) , and has seen service in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom , with U.S. Army Special Forces Groups and Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance Companies. However, by
4600-541: The U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. From 1982 to 1986 the regular M1911A1 was issued. Both came with a black leather belt, open holster with retaining strap, and a two-pocket magazine pouch. The metal buckle and fittings were similar to the M1916 General Officer's Model except it came in gold metal for the Army and in silver metal for the Air Force. After World War II, the M1911 continued to be a mainstay of
4700-510: The U.S. and other countries continue to use (often modified) M1911A1 pistols including Los Angeles Police Department SWAT and S.I.S., the FBI Hostage Rescue Team , FBI regional SWAT teams, and 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment—Delta ( Delta Force ). The M1911A1 is popular among the general public in the U.S. for practical and recreational purposes. The pistol is commonly used for concealed carry thanks in part to
4800-625: The U.S. military in general. Both U.S. Army Special Forces Units and SFOD-D continue to use modernized M1911s, such as the M45 MEU(SOC) and a modified version of the Colt Rail Gun (a 1911 model with an integrated picatinny rail on the underside of the frame) designated as the M45A1 CQBP (Close Quarters Battle Pistol). Browning's basic M1911 design has seen very little change throughout its production life. The basic principle of
4900-759: The Vietnam War era. Designed by John Browning , the M1911 is the best-known of his designs to use the short recoil principle in its basic design. The pistol was widely copied, and this operating system rose to become the preeminent type of the 20th century and of nearly all modern centerfire pistols. It is popular with civilian shooters in competitive events such as the International Defensive Pistol Association and International Practical Shooting Confederation . The U.S. military procured around 2.7 million M1911 and M1911A1 pistols during its service life. The pistol served as
5000-507: The arc of the pistol's hammer was also removed. Another shortcoming in the M1900 design was brought out by trials held by the British military, who discovered that the pistol had a tendency to fire when dropped. In the M1902, the firing pin's length was reduced to be less than that of the slot it moved in, decreasing the likelihood of such an occurrence unless the firing pin was actually struck by
5100-521: The case of Colt -produced models) is a single-action , recoil-operated , semi-automatic pistol chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge . The pistol's formal U.S. military designation as of 1940 was Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911 for the original model adopted in March 1911, and Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911A1 for the improved M1911A1 model which entered service in 1926. The designation changed to Pistol, Caliber .45, Automatic, M1911A1 in
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#17327809436455200-407: The chamber, which is accomplished by either pulling the slide back slightly and releasing, or by pushing down on the slide stop, which releases the slide to move forward under spring pressure, strip a fresh cartridge from the magazine, and feed it into the firing chamber. Other than grip screws there are no fasteners of any type in the 1911 design. The main components of the gun are held in place by
5300-456: The counter shelf plus the imposing long barrel and superior rate of fire over robber's revolvers; perhaps those who just liked the look and selected the pistol for personal defense or the home; and of course the casual owners and shooters who liked the novelty. Prior to 1905, they were clearly "modern" holster pistols and the public and military already understood the value of about 1.5 seconds of seven/eight shot firepower. By 1906, however, unlike
5400-399: The design prevented its service-wide adoption. The Model of 1902 was basically the same pistol with some improvements meant to address these deficiencies. The Mauser C96 , 1900 Luger , and Colt 1902's had some occasion to be compared to each other in the field. The Mauser tended to be considered the most developed (or mature) in terms of mechanism, featuring a reliable action protected from
5500-470: The development of the Colt 1911 . The M1902 was a short recoil operated pistol derived from the Model of 1900 by the simplification of its internal mechanism and a reduction in the number of internal parts. Browning and Colt also adopted the suggestion of the U.S. Military to add a slide stop to the design. The problematic pivoting rear sight safety of the M1900 which swung back and down to physically block
5600-471: The elements, manual safety, and a hold open indicating the last shot had been fired and easily convertible to carbine form, however the pistol had reached its developmental peak. The Luger, like the Colt, in 1902–1907, was not yet refined, although it was not only beautifully made, but it was ergonomically classic. The Colt was ergonomically the opposite, having poor balance and a crude grip, it also lacked safety mechanisms (the abandoned and unpopular sight safety
5700-424: The end of Sporting model production, the Military Model sales actually began to decline until 1913, with the continued sales of the Model 1905 .45 ACP probably cutting significantly into sales improvement, and then the Colt 1911 .45 ACP came on in 1912 to directly eliminate the Model 1905, the Model 1905 not being able to hold a candle to the more modern pistol. Perhaps this contributed to a jump in sales, as demand for
5800-463: The features that best fit their missions. The AMU performed a well-received demonstration of the first group of pistols to the Marine Corps at Quantico and various Special Operations units at Ft. Bragg and other locations. The project provided a feasibility study with insight into future projects. Models were loaned to various Special Operations units, the results of which are classified. An RFP
5900-501: The force of the main spring. The pistol can be "field stripped" by partially retracting the slide, removing the slide stop, and removing the barrel bushing. Full disassembly (and subsequent reassembly) of the pistol to its component parts can be accomplished using several manually removed components as tools to complete the disassembly. The military mandated a grip safety and a manual safety . A grip safety, sear disconnect, slide stop, half cock position, and manual safety (located on
6000-574: The frame/receiver with the arsenal's initials, such as RIA for Rock Island Armory or SA for Springfield Armory. Among collectors today, the Singer-produced pistols in particular are highly prized, commanding high prices even in poor condition. From 1943 to 1945 a fine-grade russet-leather M1916 pistol belt set was issued to some generals in the U.S. Army. It was composed of a leather belt, leather enclosed flap-holster with braided leather tie-down leg strap, leather two-pocket magazine pouch, and
6100-572: The full length of the recoil spring. This adds weight to the front of the pistol, but does not increase accuracy, and does make the pistol slightly more difficult to disassemble. As of 2002, custom guns could cost over and are built from scratch or on existing base models. Some notable companies offering custom M1911s include Dan Wesson Firearms , Les Baer , Nighthawk Custom , Springfield Custom Shop , and Wilson Combat . IPSC models are offered by BUL Armory , Strayer Voigt Inc ( Infinity Firearms ). Many military and law enforcement organizations in
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#17327809436456200-520: The government's selection period, during the late 1890s and early 1900s, up to the pistol's adoption. The M1911 officially replaced a range of revolvers and pistols across branches of the U.S. armed forces, though a number of other designs have seen use in certain niches. Despite being challenged by newer and lighter weight pistol designs in .45 caliber, such as the Glock 21 , the SIG Sauer P220 ,
6300-576: The hammer. The Model of 1902 was chambered for the same .38 ACP cartridge as was the earlier M1900 pistol. The M1902 pistol for the most part also shared the same hard black rubber grips which were standard on the Model 1900, however, custom grips were also available, especially on presentation versions. The vast majority of Model 1902 pistols were produced with a highly polished, deep and lustrous Colt Royal blued finish, but rarely nickel and silver plated models are encountered, as well as various custom finishes. On some early production Model 1902s
6400-531: The heavier caliber, and as the United States was committed to the .45 ACP, the basic 1902 design stayed terminally rooted to the .38 ACP and the Luger had a tad more stretch and would find the greatness with the 9 mm parabellum cartridge that would never come to the Colt 1900/1902/1905 series. However the Colt pistols helped sell the semi-automatic pistol concept in the United States and would contribute to
6500-488: The last 191, presumably non production line pistols utilizing spare parts and specially numbered 30000–30190. Certain deductions can be made giving approximate numbers of the three hammer variations of the sporting model: 1,450 "high" spur hammer pistols made between 1902 and 1904, 5483 round "stub" hammer models shipped up into early 1908. Any "extra" sporting models put together from part stocks and shipped after that period probably had low spur hammers. The slide serrations on
6600-491: The late 1970s, the M1911A1 was acknowledged to be showing its age. Under political pressure from Congress to standardize on a single modern pistol design, the U.S. Air Force ran a Joint Service Small Arms Program to select a new semi-automatic pistol using the NATO -standard 9mm Parabellum pistol cartridge. After trials, the Beretta 92S-1 was chosen. The Army contested this result and subsequently ran its own competition in 1981,
6700-445: The late 19th century the militaries of many countries, including the United States, were evaluating or in the process of adopting a state of the art semi-automatic service pistol to replace the revolvers in use at the time which were perceived to be outdated. American gun designer John M. Browning wished to join contemporaries such as Hugo Borchardt and Georg Luger in designing a marketable semi-automatic pistol. Browning partnered with
6800-448: The left rear of the frame) are on all standard M1911A1s. Several companies have developed a firing pin block safety . Colt's 80 series uses a trigger operated one and several other manufacturers, including Kimber and Smith & Wesson, use a Swartz firing-pin safety, which is operated by the grip safety. Language cautioning against pulling the trigger with the second finger was included in the initial M1911 manual and later manuals up to
6900-407: The mechanical slide stop and had a lanyard loop on the heel of the grip, it was also slightly heavier. Military models produced prior to 1908 had rounded hammers, while post-1908 models had spur hammers. Colt presented one of these pistols to then-President Theodore Roosevelt . Overall, approximately 18,068 total units of the Military Model 1902 version were produced. Available from 1902 to 1907,
7000-534: The mid-1920s. The Director of Civilian Marksmanship began manufacture of M1911 pistols for members of the National Rifle Association of America in August 1912. Approximately 100 pistols stamped "N.R.A." below the serial number were manufactured at Springfield Armory and by Colt. The M1911 was formally adopted by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps in 1913. The .45 ACP "Model of 1911 U.S. Army"
7100-520: The most impatient and significantly supplemented Colt 1902 sales while setting the table for US government adoption of the Model 1911. Competition in Europe was overwhelming except in England. Although mainland European sales are noted, the admittedly excellent and safer Mauser M1896's and Lugers took the lion's share of the large frame automatic market. Steyr and others were at least regionally strong. It
7200-421: The new .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) cartridge. These three still had issues that needed correction, but only Colt and Savage resubmitted their designs. There is some debate over the reasons for DWM's withdrawal—some say they felt there was bias and that the DWM design was being used primarily as a " whipping boy " for the Savage and Colt pistols, though this does not fit well with the earlier 1900 purchase of
7300-501: The new pistol "should not be of less than .45 caliber" and would preferably be semi-automatic in operation. This led to the 1906 trials of pistols from six firearms manufacturing companies (namely, Colt , Bergmann , Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM), Savage Arms , Knoble, Webley , and White-Merrill). Of the six designs submitted, three were eliminated early on, leaving only the Savage , Colt, and DWM designs chambered in
7400-403: The pistol is recoil operation. As the expanding combustion gases force the bullet down the barrel, they give reverse momentum to the slide and barrel which are locked together during this portion of the firing cycle. After the bullet has left the barrel, the slide and barrel continue rearward a short distance. At this point, a link pivots the rear of the barrel down, out of locking recesses in
7500-708: The resultant surge in demand for the firearm in World War I saw the expansion of manufacture to other contractors besides Colt and Springfield Armory, including Remington- UMC and North American Arms Co. of Quebec. Several other manufacturers were awarded contracts to produce the M1911, including the National Cash Register Company , the Savage Arms Company, the Caron Brothers Manufacturing of Montreal,
7600-624: The round, the 9×19mm Parabellum with fifty weapons chambered for it tested by the U.S. Army in 1903. American units fighting Tausūg guerrillas in the Moro Rebellion in Sulu during the Philippine–American War using the then-standard Colt M1892 revolver, .38 Long Colt , found it to be unsuitable for the rigors of jungle warfare , particularly in terms of stopping power , as the Moros had high battle morale and often used drugs to inhibit
7700-502: The same title formed as a letter–number combination. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1902&oldid=932973872 " Category : Letter–number combination disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Colt M1902 In
7800-599: The sensation of pain. The U.S. Army briefly reverted to using the M1873 single-action revolver in .45 Colt caliber, which had been standard during the late 19th century; the heavier bullet was found to be more effective against charging tribesmen. The problems prompted the Chief of Ordnance , General William Crozier , to authorize further testing for a new service pistol. Following the 1904 Thompson-LaGarde pistol round effectiveness tests, Colonel John T. Thompson stated that
7900-550: The slide but cut down to the bottom. The position of the cuts was relatively short lived as the cut serrations were moved to the back of the frame. Certain deductions for the 1902 sporting model can be made: Front milled plunge serrations, number made about 3,725 (1,444 high spur hammer/2,281 stub hammer) (approx); front cut serrations, only about 500? made (all round hammer); rear cut serrations 3,002 made (2,811 stub hammer/191 low spur hammer). The last sporting model did not see delivery by Colt until 1912. However, its basic design with
8000-422: The slide, and the barrel is stopped by making contact with the lower barrel lugs against the frame. As the slide continues rearward, a claw extractor pulls the spent casing from the firing chamber and an ejector strikes the rear of the case, pivoting the casing out and away from the pistol through the ejection port. The slide stops its rearward motion then, and is propelled forward again by the recoil spring to strip
8100-634: The spur hammers take over completely. The front checkered slides reputedly end around serial 11000 in 1906, where the slides then featured the more familiar vertical cut serrations on the rear of the slide. This leads to a deduction that the 1902 Military's with front checkered slides were produced 1902–1906 and numbered about 4,000, all with stub hammers; 1902 military's with rear cut serrations and stub hammers were produced 1906-1908ish and numbered approximately 2,000 (guesstimate); and rear cut serrations and low spur hammers being manufactured starting in 1907 number about between perhaps 11,000–12,000. The Model 1902
8200-521: The standard-issue sidearm for the United States Armed Forces from 1911 to 1985. It was widely used in World War I , World War II , the Korean War , and the Vietnam War . The M1911A1 was replaced by the adoption of the 9mm Beretta M9 pistol as the standard U.S. military sidearm in 1985. However, the U.S. Army did not officially replace the M1911A1 with the Beretta M9 until October 1986; production and procurement delays kept
8300-419: The time. The United States was adopting new firearms at a phenomenal rate; several new pistols and two all-new service rifles ( M1892/96/98 Krag and M1895 Navy Lee ), as well as a series of revolvers by Colt and Smith & Wesson for the Army and Navy, were adopted just in that decade. The next decade would see a similar pace, including the adoption of several more revolvers and an intensive search for
8400-401: The trigger, pins, and grip screws were set off with a fire or nitre blued finish, giving those parts a beautiful cobalt blue hue. The hammer of 1902 pistols usually had a case hardened finish. Earlier production pistols featured either milled straight line or cross-cut checkered slide serrations on the forward end of the slide, which were deleted in later years of production. Although the M1902
8500-740: The use of M1911 pistols for selected personnel in MEU(SOC) and reconnaissance units (though the USMC also purchased over 50,000 M9 pistols. ) For its part, the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) issued a requirement for a .45 ACP pistol in the Offensive Handgun Weapon System (OHWS) trials. This resulted in the Heckler & Koch OHWS becoming the MK23 Mod 0 Offensive Handgun Weapon System (itself being heavily based on
8600-613: The user, the 92FS, and updates to the ammunition used. During the Gulf War of 1990–1991, M1911A1s were deployed with reserve component U.S. Army units sent to participate in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. By the early 1990s, most M1911A1s had been replaced by the Beretta M9 , though a limited number remain in use by special units. The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) in particular were noted for continuing
8700-543: The war. At the end of hostilities the government cancelled all contracts for further production and made use of existing stocks of weapons to equip personnel. Many of these weapons had seen service use, and had to be rebuilt and refinished prior to being issued. From the mid-1920s to the mid-1950s thousands of 1911s and 1911A1s were refurbished at U.S. arsenals and service depots. These rebuilds consisted of anything from minor inspections to major overhauls. Pistols that were refurbished at government arsenals will usually be marked on
8800-494: The weight; pistols might vary as much as an ounce when compared. The 1902 Militaries were slightly heavier than the sporting models due to the extended square frame and lanyard loop. Offered between 1902 and 1928, the Military Model 1902 differed from the sporting version in that the grip handle was a bit longer and square-shaped so as to house one additional round of ammunition in the magazine. The Military model featured
8900-518: The wilderness; businesses, especially those with Latin American offices and projects in remote areas such as mining interests in the US as they had significant and occasional labor unrest (often with very good cause) in the early 20th century; the more modern leaning police of the era who might have evaluated the pistols (no known significant police sales); perhaps shopkeepers who preferred the flat pistol for
9000-407: The wood grip panels were replaced with panels made of brown plastic. The M1911A1 was a favored small arm of both U.S. and allied military personnel during the war. In particular, the pistol was prized by some British commando units and Britain's highly covert Special Operations Executive , as well as South African Commonwealth forces. The M1911A1 pistol was produced in very large quantities during
9100-433: The years leading up to it created a great demand. During the war, about 1.9 million units were procured by the U.S. Government for all forces, production being undertaken by several manufacturers, including Remington Rand (900,000 produced), Colt (400,000), Ithaca Gun Company (400,000), Union Switch & Signal (50,000), and Singer (500). New M1911A1 pistols were given a parkerized metal finish instead of bluing, and
9200-801: Was 500 marked pistols purchased in 1906 through the London Agency (in the 11000 serial range) by the Chilean Navy (round hammer, checkered front slide, slide marked). Sporting Models show occasional purchases also by individuals associated with various governments, but only in single or smaller lots. At least one American observer in Mexico in 1913 mentioned them as the standard pistol of the regular Mexican Army. The US government purchased 200 1902 Militaries (serials 15000–15201) in 1902 for service evaluation of type (round hammer, checkered front slide). The Mexican marked pistols undoubtedly saw service during
9300-406: Was considered by Colt to be a continuation of its 1900 model. Serials picked up at the end of Colt 1900 Model production with serial 4275 in 1902 and continuing into 1907 with 10999. A final offering of the 1902 sporting model was made in 1907 with a special serial run of 191 pistols, 30000–30190. Through approximately serial number 7184 in 1905, the even serial numbered 1902 sporting models featured
9400-458: Was designated the M45 MEU(SOC). Hand-selected Colt M1911A1 frames were gutted, deburred and were then assembled with after-market grip safeties, ambidextrous thumb safeties, triggers, improved high-visibility sights, accurized barrels, grips, and improved Wilson magazines. These hand-made pistols were tuned to specifications and preferences of end users. In the late 1980s, the Marines laid out
9500-473: Was exchanged for no safety at all), and was considered more open to the elements. The Colt 1902 sporting model, used in 1904 Swedish tests (lost out to the FN Browning 1903 9MM), was also found to be not quite sufficiently reliable but the Swedes also mentioned the ergonomic drawbacks. The value of the Colt, however, was that its .38 ACP cartridge was considered superior to both German pistol's cartridges and
9600-525: Was issued for a Joint Combat Pistol but it was ultimately canceled. Currently, units are experimenting with an M1911 pistol in .40 S&W , which will incorporate lessons learned from the A2 project. Ultimately, the M1911A2 project provided a testbed for improving existing M1911s. An improved M1911 variant becoming available in the future is a possibility. The Springfield Custom Professional Model 1911A1 pistol
9700-590: Was never adopted by the U.S. or any other world military organization, probably due to reservations regarding the design's robustness as well as its developmental nature. The largest military purchase (still commercially serialed but military marked) known to date were of 1902 Military Models, 800 pistols in 1908 to Mexico (Mexican Crest on top of slide-rear slide serrations but still round hammers—pearl grips) However, other unmarked 1902 Militaries were purchased in smaller lots, perhaps adding up to several thousand pistols if not more to Mexico alone. The second largest purchase
9800-483: Was originally intended for the military market, Colt was progressive enough to recognize that commercial merchandizing of the pistol also offered potential revenue and introduced a sporting version of the pistol with a few minor changes. Neither the Military or Sporting versions of the pistol had a manual safety. The Colt 1902's featured three distinctive hammers for the 1902 sporting model. Two, referred to by Colt as
9900-489: Was the addition of a slide stop on the right side of the frame. The 1902 Military Model offered a bit more panache with all these bells and whistles, the 1902 Sporting Model being more plain. Unlike the sporting model, the 1902 Military committed to the use of the stub hammers. Serial numbers started oddly, the first 300 pistols being numbered 15001–15200, then working backward to 15000–14900, and continuing backwards from 1903 into 1907 serials 14899–11000. In 1907 there commenced
10000-412: Was used by both U.S. Army Cavalry troops and infantry soldiers during the United States' Punitive Expedition into Mexico against Pancho Villa in 1916. By the beginning of 1917, a total of 68,533 M1911 pistols had been delivered to U.S. armed forces by Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company and the U.S. government's Springfield Armory . However, the need to greatly expand U.S. military forces and
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