The colt 1911 Gunsite Pistol: re-birth of a classic idea

American Handgunner, March-April, 2004 by Sheppard W. Kelly

A little over a year and a half ago, Buz Mills, owner and President of Gunsite Academy, and COL Bob Young, USMC (Ret'd), Vice President and Operations Officer of Gunsite Academy, confided that Gunsite was contemplating having a 1911 pistol produced based on what they felt was needed in a defensive handgun. While Gunsite had, over the years, sold various 1911s called "Gunsite Pistols" all were nearly custom items in construction and features. Numbers produced were small and they were expensive. Gunsite wanted a pistol readily avail able and at an affordable price.

At the time of our discussion, the pistol's parameters were already fairly well defined. They would encompass the basic elements of what was needed in a fighting 1911 according to Jeff Cooper and what the training of 1,000s of students had shown. The pistol would not be a collectors item but was intended to be used hard under all conditions. Bob outlined the key components for the pistol--absolute reliability, proper combat sights and a good trigger. Other additions beyond the basics might include an extended thumb safety, a beveled magazine well and extended grip safety. Gunsite was seeking a manufacturer for the pistol who could meet the design requirements and produce a product worthy of the Gunsite logo. Finally, shortly before the first of the year, COL Young called and asked where I wanted the pistol sent--the Gunsite Pistol from Colt was finished.

Basic Business

The Gunsite Pistol is the tried-and-true Series 70 5" design; available in either bead blasted stainless steel or blue. The Series 70 was chosen due to its reliability, arguably better trigger system and simplicity--it was as John Browning had designed the pistol. The front strap of the pistol has grooves, a-la the Gold Cup, a minimally-beveled magazine well and flat, checkered mainspring housing. The grip safety is a Smith and Alexander all-steel unit.

At Gunsite's request, Colt fitted thin rosewood, checkered grips and a short adjustable trigger, tuned to a crisp 4-pound pull. A Chip McCormick sear and Commander style hammer are used to ensure the trigger pull remains consistent. COL Young had constantly reminded me this pistol was to be user friendly in fit and performance. Training had shown most hands could better manage the 1911 with thinner grips, short trigger and flat mainspring housing. The beavertail grip safety coupled with a Commander style hammer was installed, based on Gunsite trainee's input for pistols that would not bite the web of the shooting hand. The frame components were rounded out with time installation of a minimally extended thumb safety for a right-handed shooter.

The head blasted stain less steel auto is equipped with an all black--no dots--Novak rear sight, an all-black Heinie front sight, and has grooves at the front of the slide to facilitate press-checking of the chamber. The stainless steel barrel and bushing is a snug fit at the muzzle and the breech, but is easily removed without a bushing wrench. The recoil spring is rated at 18-pounds and a heavy duty firing pin spring is installed. The ejection port is flared and the barrel has been throated and is mated to a polished teed ramp. The entire pistol has been de-horned. A critical part of any semiauto is time magazine. Consequently, Gunsite specified the Wilson-Rogers stainless steel version and two 8-rounders are included with every pistol.

The pistol is packaged in a lockable blue plastic case with the obligatory cable lock. A paper case-slip with "COLT GUNSITE SERVICE PISTOL" with Gunsite Raven logo on the front and Gunsite's "Four Rules for Safe Gun Handling" on the back complete the package. As an added bonus, each purchaser of the Colt Gunsite Pistol receives a coupon worth $100 to be applied to the cost of any training program Gunsite offers.

Does It Work?

I brought along 14 magazines--the original two Wilson-Rogers 8-rounders sent with the pistol, plus a collection of Wilson-Rogers 7-rounders, old and new GI, Devel, Colt and several whose origin is known but to God. The pistol was taken from the box as received--the gun had been test fired and cleaned by Gunsite--but was sparingly lubricated. I loaded the magazines with Federal American Eagle 230 grain ball ammunition and proceeded to fire the pistol as fast as I could shoot and reload. One hundred-plus shots later, there had been no malfunctions, a noticeably consistent ejection pattern and a very hot gun.

While the gun cooled, we reloaded the magazines with a mixture of Federal 230 gr. JHP P Tactical loads, Speer 230 gr. Gold Dot HP and Triton 230 gr. P JHP. Fourteen magazines later, shot in double and triple taps, there again were no malfunctions, with a now very hot gun. Getting serious, I took the target out to 30 yards and fired two magazines with each load from a barricade-supported stance. My best group, perfectly centered for elevation and windage on the Army 'E' silhouette was 4" with the Federal 230 gr. P Tactical loading. Between three shooters, in a little over an hour and a half, we had shot over 500 rounds. The gun got hot--unrealistically hot--which is what I wanted, to see if the stainless steel would seize or gall. It didn't. The gun was never lubricated from commencement to cessation of firing. The sights were tight and the trigger pull remained at 4-pounds. Abusive treatment yes--but not so for a handgun designed to save someone's life under the worst of conditions.