Happy 100th Birthday 1911!

[chickenstripe]

Today is the official 100th anniversary (29 March 1911) of the US Army adoption of the 1911.

Carry your 1911 today in tribute [smilie=w:

[MtGun44]

Try to think of ANY machine that was in common use in 1915 or so that is even considered
USEFUL today, let alone has somewhere around 10-12 different manufacturers building them
and selling the heck out of them.

Buggy whips were in common production, the Model T Ford was more than a decade in the
future. Airplanes were made of wood, wire and cloth and fell apart all too often. Telephones
were somewhat rare, travel over long distances was by steamship or train. The world has
changed MASSIVELY, and yet the 1911 is still a very competitive, perhaps even superior
design of tool. The mind boggles at the comparisons.

I can think of about 3 machines that almost qualify, but not quite. Oh - and I am excepting
the Ma Deuce because is has the same source, although I don't think it is in production today,
and certainly not by 10-12 competing manufacturers!

Uniquely perfected design, the 1911.

Bill

[waksupi]

Try to think of ANY machine that was in common use in 1915 or so that is even considered
USEFUL today, let alone has somewhere around 10-12 different manufacturers building them
and selling the heck out of them.

Buggy whips were in common production, the Model T Ford was more than a decade in the
future. Airplanes were made of wood, wire and cloth and fell apart all too often. Telephones
were somewhat rare, travel over long distances was by steamship or train. The world has
changed MASSIVELY, and yet the 1911 is still a very competitive, perhaps even superior
design of tool. The mind boggles at the comparisons.

I can think of about 3 machines that almost qualify, but not quite. Oh - and I am excepting
the Ma Deuce because is has the same source, although I don't think it is in production today,
and certainly not by 10-12 competing manufacturers!

Uniquely perfected design, the 1911.

Bill


The only other thing that comes to mind immediately, is the Mauser action rifle.

[Matthew 25]

Yeah, I was thinking 1892/1894. (and Colt SAA).

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I would think the magnitude of sales today would have to push the 1911 beyong the fine Mausers (that 98 is one fine bolt rifle). About the only item left I can see would be the Colt 1873 in all the replicas that are made for the cowboy shooters.
I do not regret carrying a 1911A1 while tank crewing. It was a nice comforter to have on hand. It rattled terrible when hand held but never failed to fire in every condition I got it into.

[MtGun44]

Mauser action is pretty good choice, SAA is not considered "near state of the art"
for most uses, but is certainly still a useful tool.

Sewing machine and mechanical watch are the two that I was thinking of. Pretty hard
to come up with other machines that are so enduringly useful.

Bill

[wills]

Pretty hard to come up with other machines that are so enduringly useful.

Bill

Lever, wedge, wheel & axle

[MtGun44]

Hammer, chisel and screwdriver, too - but I was thinking of something beyond one or
two parts.

Bill

[Combat Diver]

There a few units still using the M1911 down range. My son carried a cocked and locked M1911A1 earlier in Iraq this year (10th SFGA). In 03', I took out of depot 250 ea M1911A1s for service with 5th SFGA in Iraq. My last one I used in 08' had a Colt dated 1916 frame with a WWII Ithaca slide.
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/P5210025_rz.JPG

Another piece of US equipment still used today is the M1907 leather sling. Issued with all sniper rifle and shown here with my Mk 13 (Rem 700 in .300 Win Mag). Date on this one is 1999.
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/9809700_50_.jpg

[StrawHat]

The 1911 and I share the same "birthday" (I was born a few decades after the 1911). Oddly, I have never even fired one. I am a revolver fan so I would have to mention the S&W N frames and K frames for a similar longevity.

[MtGun44]

Strawhat - Excellent point! Also a great fan of the S&W N and K revolvers. I recently built a
K frame up from a bare frame made in the 1920s and learned a LOT of the internal parts
from a modern K frame will NOT work in the older ones, but are extremely similar. Lots of
simplification in the parts without changing function. It is interesting to look at two hammer
assemblies and realize that the newer one has maybe 10 less machining operations, yet
functions exactly like the older one, just simplified geometry and reducing unecessarily
complex geometric features that added nothing to the function. Neat old guns and building
one from scratch, setting up all the internal fits and clearences, timing and function, etc was
a real learning experience.

Bill

[StrawHat]

... I recently built a
K frame up from a bare frame made in the 1920s and learned a LOT of the internal parts
from a modern K frame will NOT work in the older ones, but are extremely similar ... building one from scratch, setting up all the internal fits and clearences, timing and function, etc was a real learning experience...Bill

Somewhere in the 40s they redesigned the action to incorporate a safety bar to prevent it from firing if dropped. Then a redesign from the old "long action" to the more modern "short action". Not sure of the dates or the order but the results were the same, new parts don't drop in to the old style revovlers. Parts are available but still need to be hand fit. What cartridge does your K frame use? I've had a couple of 38 Specials and 32 WCFs from that era and was very pleased with them. On second thought, let's not hijack this thread.