The late 1980s and early 1990s was an era of rapid transformation and transition. The last final gasps of the Revolver as the Primary Duty Sidearm of American Law Enforcement was being heard. Criminals, Cops, and Citizens alike were rearming themselves with the latest and greatest of the Wonder-Nines. This article is in no way about those guns. Instead, this article is going in a different direction. The same direction that some Police, Citizens, and Ne'er-do-wells went. Today, we're talking about the .45 ACP, or more importantly. Two pistols of the era that were chambered in them.
Yes, you read that right. We're goig to discuss the two guns chambered in the cartridge that Americans romanticize about but has always been treated as the stepchild in the Law Enforcement world. The biggest hurdle that the .45 ACP has always faced has been its size. Many love the 230gr behemoth because it harkens back to the days of cavalry charges with sabers and shooting a horse out from under its rider. But that also was its detriment. The size of the .45 ACP meant it was and is a big mamajama of a cartridge and to fit it in guns, you need a big old honking chunk of steel. And today we're looking at two massive chunks of American made steel.
Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut has been making guns in .45 ACP since 1905. They invented the bloody thing. So it makes since that one of the guns we'd be looking at is a Colt. I know, some here are gonna ask, "is it the Colt Series 90 Double Eagle?" Alas dear reader, no it is not. For you see, I am poor and have not found one yet at poor people prices. No, the gun we're discussing today is a gun made for poor people like me; the Colt 1991A1 Government Model.
Colt took the basic MK IV Series 80 Government Model 1911 and looked at what could be changed to lower manufacturing and production costs. One of the things Colt learned from their competitors was that at the time, the no-nonsense military look was actually selling well. Both the Norinco and Springfield Armory made guns looked like WWII era USGI contract guns. Luckily for Colt, that meant less time finishing the guns. Instead of the polishing and blueing; a "no frills tough guy attitude" set of features was included. A matte parkerized finish was applied, black plastic grip instead of woods, a nylon mainspring housing and trigger pad instead of alloy, a set of plain black sights, and they shipped from the factory with two seven round magazines.
Also, with a bit of clever marketing, a simple "COLT M1991A1" slide rollmark and the serial number range picked up where the original USGI contract pistols left off in 1945. Colt even cashed in on the general gnashing of teeth that former service members and gun aficionados had towatds towards the adoption of the 9mm and the Beretta as the new military service pistol and had it all ready for release by it's name sake, in 1991.
The other gun we're looking at is a gun of 80s Reaganesque Awesomeness that comes to us by the Smith & Wesson Company of Springfield, Massachusetts. S&W had some history with the .45 ACP, but prior to 1985, all of the company's endeavors with the cartridge was with N-Frame Revolvers like the M1917, Model of 1955, and the Model 25 & 625. S&W was doing fairly well with their 1st and 2nd generations of their DA/SA 9mm guns. But the market was demanding something in .45 ACP. So after some fiddling around with math, science, and gun alchemy. The Mod 645 was born in 1985 and replaced in 1988 by the 3rd generation Model 4506.
Taking everything S&W learned from their 9mm guns, they produced a hell of a gun in stainless steel. Everything on it is stainless steel except the plastic orange insert in the front sight and the carbon steel rear sight. Shipping from the factory with two eight round magazines and wearing a set of plastic checkered grips. You got a hell of a gun.
But this gun was not cheap new, even in 1980s Cocaine Fueled Economic Stimulus Money. S&W pushed this gun heavily and it even became the "star" of Miami Vice in season 3 & 4. This gun was marketed as being so cool, it required a windbreaker.
Yup, that's what is being compared to today. A 1980s Movie Star and a 1990s Grizzled Old War Vet. But both have their share of charms in their own way. The Colt weighs in at 2.3lbs and the S&W just tops it at 2.4lbs. Both sport a five inch barrel and have been slightly changed by me.
My Colt is wearing a pair of period Hogue wrap around grips the the S&W is wearing a pair of Pachmayr Signature grips. I also swapped out the main spring housing on the Colt for an arched one. You can clearly see the 1911 inspiration in the 645. The slide profile and general layout shows it, but with the modern touches like a ambidextrous slide mounted safety/decocker and squared off combat trigger guard that was all the rage then. The sights are similar too, but the S&W just has a little bit more flair in theirs.
Yes, you read that right. We're goig to discuss the two guns chambered in the cartridge that Americans romanticize about but has always been treated as the stepchild in the Law Enforcement world. The biggest hurdle that the .45 ACP has always faced has been its size. Many love the 230gr behemoth because it harkens back to the days of cavalry charges with sabers and shooting a horse out from under its rider. But that also was its detriment. The size of the .45 ACP meant it was and is a big mamajama of a cartridge and to fit it in guns, you need a big old honking chunk of steel. And today we're looking at two massive chunks of American made steel.
Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut has been making guns in .45 ACP since 1905. They invented the bloody thing. So it makes since that one of the guns we'd be looking at is a Colt. I know, some here are gonna ask, "is it the Colt Series 90 Double Eagle?" Alas dear reader, no it is not. For you see, I am poor and have not found one yet at poor people prices. No, the gun we're discussing today is a gun made for poor people like me; the Colt 1991A1 Government Model.
Colt took the basic MK IV Series 80 Government Model 1911 and looked at what could be changed to lower manufacturing and production costs. One of the things Colt learned from their competitors was that at the time, the no-nonsense military look was actually selling well. Both the Norinco and Springfield Armory made guns looked like WWII era USGI contract guns. Luckily for Colt, that meant less time finishing the guns. Instead of the polishing and blueing; a "no frills tough guy attitude" set of features was included. A matte parkerized finish was applied, black plastic grip instead of woods, a nylon mainspring housing and trigger pad instead of alloy, a set of plain black sights, and they shipped from the factory with two seven round magazines.
Also, with a bit of clever marketing, a simple "COLT M1991A1" slide rollmark and the serial number range picked up where the original USGI contract pistols left off in 1945. Colt even cashed in on the general gnashing of teeth that former service members and gun aficionados had towatds towards the adoption of the 9mm and the Beretta as the new military service pistol and had it all ready for release by it's name sake, in 1991.
The other gun we're looking at is a gun of 80s Reaganesque Awesomeness that comes to us by the Smith & Wesson Company of Springfield, Massachusetts. S&W had some history with the .45 ACP, but prior to 1985, all of the company's endeavors with the cartridge was with N-Frame Revolvers like the M1917, Model of 1955, and the Model 25 & 625. S&W was doing fairly well with their 1st and 2nd generations of their DA/SA 9mm guns. But the market was demanding something in .45 ACP. So after some fiddling around with math, science, and gun alchemy. The Mod 645 was born in 1985 and replaced in 1988 by the 3rd generation Model 4506.
Taking everything S&W learned from their 9mm guns, they produced a hell of a gun in stainless steel. Everything on it is stainless steel except the plastic orange insert in the front sight and the carbon steel rear sight. Shipping from the factory with two eight round magazines and wearing a set of plastic checkered grips. You got a hell of a gun.
But this gun was not cheap new, even in 1980s Cocaine Fueled Economic Stimulus Money. S&W pushed this gun heavily and it even became the "star" of Miami Vice in season 3 & 4. This gun was marketed as being so cool, it required a windbreaker.
Yup, that's what is being compared to today. A 1980s Movie Star and a 1990s Grizzled Old War Vet. But both have their share of charms in their own way. The Colt weighs in at 2.3lbs and the S&W just tops it at 2.4lbs. Both sport a five inch barrel and have been slightly changed by me.
My Colt is wearing a pair of period Hogue wrap around grips the the S&W is wearing a pair of Pachmayr Signature grips. I also swapped out the main spring housing on the Colt for an arched one. You can clearly see the 1911 inspiration in the 645. The slide profile and general layout shows it, but with the modern touches like a ambidextrous slide mounted safety/decocker and squared off combat trigger guard that was all the rage then. The sights are similar too, but the S&W just has a little bit more flair in theirs.
