1911 Pistol
Designed by John Browning in 1911, the M1911 (1911) is a single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, recoil-operated pistol originally chambered for the 45 ACP cartridge.
The M1911 pistol served as the standard-issue sidearm for the United States Armed Forces from 1911 to 1986. It was widely used in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
The pistol’s formal designation as of 1940 was Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911 for the original model of 1911 or Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911A1 for the M1911A1, adopted in 1924. The designation changed to Pistol, Caliber .45, Automatic, M1911A1 during the Vietnam War era.
The 1911 pistol was originally produced by the Colt Manufacturing Company. Today 1911 style pistols are produced by various manufacturers and are available in a range of calibers.
1911 Pistol Manufacturers (Past and Present)
*Know of a 1911 pistol manufacturer that isn’t shown on this list? Let us know.
- A&R Sales
- Accuracy X
- Alchemy Custom Weaponry
- American Classic
- American Tactical
- AMT
- Armi Dallera Custom (ADC)
- Armscor
- Astra
- ATI
- Australian Precision Arms
- Auto Ordnance
- Briley
- Brixia
- Brolin Arms
- Browning
- Bunker Arms
- Cabot
- Carolina Arms
- Caspian Arms
- Charles Daly
- Christensen Arms
- Cimarron
- Citadel
- CO Arms
- Colt
- Chiappa
- Crown City
- Cylinder & Slide
- CZ USA
- Dan Wesson
- Detonics
- Devel
- Devil Dog Arms
- Dlask Arms
- D&L Sports
- Double Star
- Ed Brown
- EMF
- Essex
- Federal Ordnance
- Falcon
- Firestorm
- Freedom Arms
- Fusion
- Gemini Custom
- Girsan
- Griffon Combat
- GSG
- Guncrafter Industries
- Gunsite
- Hero Guns
- High Standard
- Imbel
- Imperial Defense
- Infinity
- Inland Manufacturing
- Interstate Arms (Regent)
- Interarms
- Irwindale Arms Industries (IAI)
- Israeli Arms Industries (IAI)
- Ithaca Gun Company
- Iver Johnson
- Karl Lippard
- Kimber
- Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk
- Korth Arms
- LAR
- Les Baer
- Llama
- Lone Star
- Magnum Research
- Maximus Custom
- Metro Arms
- Michigan Armament
- Mitchell
- MP Express
- National Ordnance
- Nighthawk
- Norinco
- North American Arms Co. Ltd.
- Nowlin
- Palmetto State Armory
- Para Ordnance/Para USA
- Pistol Dynamics
- Olympic Arms
- Omega Defense
- Oriskany Arms
- Peter Stahl
- Randall
- Ranger
- Reeder Custom
- Regent
- Remington
- Republic Forge
- Roberts Defense
- Rock Island Armory
- Rock River Arms
- Ruger
- Safari Arms
- S.A.M
- Salient Arms
- Sarco
- Schroeder Bauman
- Shooters Arms
- Sig Sauer
- Singer
- Sistema
- Smith & Wesson
- South Fork Arms/Perkins Custom
- Springfield Armory
- Standard Manufacturing
- STI
- SVI
- Tanfoglio
- Taurus
- Taylor & Company
- TİSAŞ
- Turnbull Mfg
- Ultimate Arms
- Unertl
- Union Switch & Signal
- Uselton
- USFA
- Umarex
- Walther
- Wilson Combat
- Vega
- Valtro
- Victory Arms
- Volkman