This article by Jared Keller originally appeared on Task & Purpose, a digital news and culture publication dedicated to military and veterans issues.
The Colt Model 1911 .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol that John Browning dreamed up more than a century ago remains one of the most beloved sidearms in U.S. military history. Hell, there's a reason why Army Gen. Scott Miller, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, still rocks an M1911A1 on his hip despite the fact that the Army no longer issues them to soldiers.
But if scoring one of the Army's remaining M1911s through the Civilian Marksmanship Program isn't enough to satisfy your adoration for the classic sidearm, then Colt has something right up your alley: the Colt Model 1911 'Black Army' pistol.
According to Colt, the limited run of vintage 'Black Army' pistols were designed to invoke the World War I heritage of the M1911's original blackened finish that Colt used in lieu of the standard Carbonia Blue finish to boost wartime production.
The new pistols feature, among other things: a matte blued finish; Colt's Series 70 firing system; original rollmarks and inspector marks; 5" barrel with wide hood; and WWI-style manual thumb and grip safety.
As Guns.com points out, the actual WWI-era Black Army pistols that survived the war and escape subsequent modifications at the hands of Army engineers are extremely rare and can run somewhere around $7,000 a pop.
Luckily for M1911 fans, however, Colt is selling off pistols from the new limited run for just $999. Chris Eger put it best over at Guns.com: Colt's new Black Army pistol run represents "classic Great War styling without the classic Great War price."
Unfortunately, you can't get one in California, Massachusetts, or Maryland due to state restrictions. Sorry guys, but you'll have to settle for the CMP auctions for now.
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