US M1911 .45 Caliber Pistol

By Crusader1307

Developed in 1911, The US Model 1911 Pistol was one of the longest serving weapons used by The US Armed Forces (1986, with final phase out completed in 1992). The pistol was a reliable and effective close quarters weapon. It was (and is) still used by some 28 Nations. Originally designed to fill the need of an automatic hand held weapon with maximum stopping power, the .45 Caliber round was chosen (at 825 feet per second). The weapon was originally designed to use a 7 round clip magazine feed system. The M1911 weighed just slightly over 2.5 pounds. Very effective at 200 yards, it was the standard issue sidearm for US Servicemen during World War I. Although subsequent Model versions were developed during it's operational history (A1 and A2 versions), the M1911 was an iconic piece of firearms history.