M1911 Pistol

At Mid America Arms we carry a wide variety of M1911 style semiautomatic pistols in several calibers.  Among the manufacturers providing M1911 style firearms are Kimber, Springfield Armory, Colt, Remington, Nighthawk, Sig Sauer, Ruger, and Armscor.

Originally designed by John Browning, this pistol was adopted by the United States Army in 1911 and continues to be a popular choice to this day in its many variants.

The M1911 pistol is available chambered in cartridge sizes as small as .22 Long Rifle up to highly specialized .50 caliber versions, though it is most commonly available in .45 Automatic Colt Pistol (.45 ACP). As a self-defense round, the .45 ACP is considered one of the most effective.

Calibers that produce less recoil may be a choice for shooters who want a 1911 pistol but are concerned about managing the powerful .45 ACP cartridge. Many experienced shooters will say a 9mm 1911 is one of the smoothest shooting guns available.

Full size versions mirror the size and feel of the original military version (sometimes called the GI version) and variants that are compact are well suited for lawful concealed carry.

The original capacity of the GI 1911 was 7+1 rounds, and commander models held 6+1. With manufacturing improvements, magazines now hold eight rounds in a full-size 1911.

Firearms modeled on the single-action M1911 include a grip safety that prevents the weapon from firing if the handgrip is not held correctly.  An additional safety is found at the rear of the slide, sometimes referred to as the thumb safety.  The hammer can be cocked without regard to safety engagement, but the trigger will not allow the hammer to fall on the firing pin and discharge the weapon unless both the grip and thumb safeties are disengaged.

Given its popularity, the 1911 has an enormous number of options and variations available from most major firearms manufacturers.  Aftermarket accessories such as sights, lights and specialized grips can be added.