Ten years ago, Smith & Wesson had no presence in the 1911 pistol market, even though it is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the U.S. The company made 1911 barrels and components during World War II, but that's as far as it went.
That's all changin', pardner.
Less than eight years after building complete 1911 pistols for the first time, the Springfield, Mass., company is rolling out its brand-spanking-new line of 1911s. The SW1911 "E" series should be in production by February, said Herb Belin, S&W's 1911 product manager.
"The decision was made within the last year to actively entrench ourselves in this market, and that's what we're doing," Belin said.
The company is displaying prototypes of all four of its new 1911 models at SHOT Show. They're a major upgrade over Smith & Wesson's previous 1911s, featuring a precision hand-fit trigger, a chamfered and recessed muzzle, a titanium firing pin, slip-resistant fish-scale slide gripping points and an oversized extractor. The base model, the SW1911, is listed at $919.
Upgraded models come with more bells and whistles. The SW1911 Crimson Trace, for example, also has crimson trace laser grips, and is listed at $1,089.
The SW1911 Tactical Rail adds a military-standard 1913 equipment rail, front and back tritium night sights, an ambidexterous safety and several other features. It's listed at $1,319.
The top-end model is the SW1911 Scandium. It has all the bells and whistles of the lower models, but includes Smith & Wesson's patented Scandium alloy frame, which company officials say weighs the same as a comparable aluminum frame, but with wear characteristics approaching steel. It's listed at $1,369.
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