"COLT 1911" Developed Brand Loyalty:

John M Browning's tilting-barrel short-recoil design first surfaced at the turn of the 20th century in the M 1900 design.

 Following the 1904 Thompson-LaGarde ** stockyard handgun effectiveness tests - the army became fixated on the .45" caliber for US military purposes - although versions of 'the 1911' have been been produced in many other effective calibers such as 9x19 mm. - .38" Super. .38 acp. etc.

Thompson-LaGarde Quote:

"We are not acquainted with any bullet fired from a hand weapon that will stop a determined enemy when the projectile traverses soft parts alone. The requirements of such a bullet would need to have a sectional area like that of a 3-inch solid shot - the recoil from which when used in hand weapons would be prohibitive. "

** The Thompson–LaGarde Tests in which most of the experimental animals shot had to be 'pole-axed' by a slaughterman - have since been criticized as being "highly unscientific" and producing a recommendation unsupported by the tests findings.

Formally adopted by the US Army on March 29, 1911 - the "1911" was later so extensively modified and improved in the light of combat usage as to require re-classification in 1924 as the M1911A1.

Some 2.7 Million '1911s" were built by multiple US military contractors and since it's replacement in 1986 by the superior 9mm. Beretta M 9 - countless makers around the world continued to produce variations of this venerable design.

Chinese Norinco Copies Are Popular With "Forty-Five" Fans.

A wide selection of versions on a '1911' theme are made .. including the "70 Series" & "80 series" plus high capacity double-stackers and even striker-fired designs - still claiming to be "1911s"..

HUDSON H9 .. Striker Fired Double-Stacked High Capacity 9mm

 - Lauded as an "All American Modern 1911(ish).

- So it seems that almost anything can qualify to be presented to believers as "a 1911" provided the marketing mad-men can see a buck in it eh.

Coke or Pepsi, - Ford or Holden, - Harley or Honda ?

 - It's called "Brand Loyalty" (the tendency of some consumers to continue buying the same brand of goods rather than competing brands.)

Shouldn't that be Bourbon?

Marty K.