M1911 And Its Impact On American Weapons

The 1911 handgun is one of the most beloved and popular weapons, but why? Is it the sheer popularity of it being a standard issue in WWII? Is it an essential tool on the battlefield? Or was it the only thing the military could get their hands on at the time? The Colt 45 M1911 handgun has had a major impact on firearms and warfare, and the reason for its invention, its usefulness, and what happened to it after WWII might be the reason this handgun is so impactful and important. The reason for the Colt 45. M1911 was invented for a variety of reasons. One was that before soldiers used 38 caliber rounds, which were not very effective (Sharpe). Second is that they wanted to replace revolvers with semi-automatic pistols (Sharpe). And they succeeded, by

People didn’t see the practicality of a handgun in a modern battlefield setting, so not many were manufactured (Sharpe). Supply of the M1911A1 dropped right before WWII due to more focus on higher firepower such as tanks, planes, and machine guns (Sharpe). But thanks to companies like Remington-Rand, Union Switch and Signal Company, and Singer Sewing Machine Company assisting Colt, they could supply the military during WWII (Sharpe). The effectiveness of this weapon is also the reason it is so impactful, literally. The 45-caliber bullet used in the gun could blow people back several feet on impact. The design was nearly perfect, but many modifications were added. Many modifications were made to the firearm, renaming it the M1911A1 (Sharpe). These modifications include a grip safety to go along with the existing thumb safety (DeGaspari). It was also given shorter triggers, arched mainspring housing, and finger clearance. All of these factors make it an even better weapon. But all good things must come to an end. The last production of M1911A1s was in 1945 (Sharpe). Meaning that these weapons will one day be lost to time. In 1985 the 1911 was replaced with the Italian 9mm Beretta