March 25th, 2024
8minute read
For the purposes of this article, 1911 and M1911 are used interchangeably.
Additionally, the differences discussed are the general feature changes.
Many, many variations were created throughout two world wars and the interwar period.
When looking at a surplus 1911, would you be able to tell if it is a M1911 (left) or a M1911A1 (right)? The author’s article is designed to help you spot the differences. Image courtesy of Rock Island Auction Co.
To the untrained eye, the guns still look basically the same.
When Did the M1911A1 Appear?
This is not the case.
The 1911, in one form or another, has proven itself in the trenches of World War I Europe all the way to the jungles of the Pacific islands in World War II and beyond. Image: Tom Laemlein
As with most things involving the government, progress was steady, but slow.
What are the differences between the two designs, and why were the changes made?
The stocks on a 1911 were made of walnut, checkered, and had diamonds around the screw holes.
Roughly 1.8 million M1911A1 pistols were manufactured for the United States military.
They were, however, still made of walnut.
Initially, aluminum and Bakelite were tested, but they didnt pan out.
Finally, Coltwood Plastic came along.
The original M1911 pistols had walnut grips with the distinctive diamond pattern and slotted screw heads. Image courtesy of Rock Island Auction Co.
This eliminated the use of fibers and was implemented in 1941.
This material was used by all of the manufacturers contracted to produce the 1911A1.
It protrudes much farther from the frame than the trigger on a 1911A1.
This is one of the original M1911 pistols manufactured by Springfield Armory. Nearly 26,000 of them were made there.
The trigger was shortened to make it easier for shooters of all sizes to have a better reach.
This was done in the first half of 1922.
Eliminating the long trigger resulted in a gun that was easier to shoot for many people.
The original M1911 had a flat mainspring housing, which can be the first clue in attempting to identify one. Image courtesy of Rock Island Auction Co.
For folks with smaller hands, this can be a big benefit.
Sights
A few different changes were made to the 1911s sights during the inter-war and WWII eras.
This was done in 1923.
The original M1911 pistols had a wider hammer spur than the -A1 model that would follow.
By World War II, the front sight was enlarged again, again to a uniform width overall.
In 1942, the front sight underwent another change; serrations were added on the edge facing the shooter.
At the same time, the rear sight changed from a U-notch to a square notch.
The author offers a broad understanding of the M1911 pistols. However, there are all kinds of experimental M1911s like this one from WWI that did not use a traditional holster.
For example, theSpringfield Armory 1911 Mil-Speccomes with 3-dot sights.
Mainspring Housing
The mainspring housing on a 1911 is flat.
It was observed that this led to a tendency of new shooters in WWI to aim low.
Springfield Armory’s 1911 Mil-Spec pistol gives you everything you like in the classic M1911-A1 with a few modern updates to improve overall performance.
To correct this, a hump was recommended in 1921.
Visually, the arched mainspring housing is one of the quickest ways of determining the difference between the models.
In 1922, it was recommended that the new humped mainspring housing be knurled for a better grip.
This was adopted, but it was changed to serrations during World War II.
The pinching is known as hammer bite.
The stopgap solution was to wear a piece of tape over that spot to protect the skin.
would lead to the tape falling off.
By 1939, however, the hammer had been shortened to provide for increased performance and shooter comfort.
During World War II, it was narrowed a bit as well.
The comb of the grip safety was extended to protect the hand webbing.
What We See Today?
This due in part to the fact that the changes were not made all at once.
Consequently, youll see some guns that exhibit some but not all of the changes.
These guns were worked and reworked repeatedly over their 74-year service life.
Most surplus military-issue 1911s and 1911A1s that you come across will exhibit a mix of parts from different eras.
At the end of the day, call it a 1911, or call it a 1911A1.
My advice is to acknowledge it, shrug it off, and go put more rounds downrange!
Another enhancement is a slightly beveled magazine well for easier reloads.
Additionally, the Mil-Spec has big, easy-to-see three dot sights.
Go to forum thread
1911Series
1911Mil-Spec
