It's a Colt, a 1911 and...a DAO!?

Scuttlebutt is Colt will soon ship something they announced a couple years ago, double action only 1911's. I have not gotten gun in hand to test it, but I think this is going to be the first 1911 I've really liked.

I have some positive things to say about the 1911 pattern, and I've shot an assortment, from plain Army issue on up to gussied up modern versions. It is a powerful gun and its short and light trigger pull is conducive to accuracy. Its reliability is famous. I have no doubt it will protect your life as well as any sidearm ever made.

Trouble is, I don't really like any pistol that has an external safety, and the traditional 1911 has two. I'm a revolver guy. If I need to shoot in a hurry I don't want to have to turn, squeeze, flip or otherwise monkey with any safeties.

An advantage of DAO pistols is they have digital safeties. To go on safe you extract your finger--your digit--from the trigger guard. Not only is the task of taking off the safety eliminated when you fire, so is remembering to put it back on when you are done.

I like the Glock, a lot, but it feels like you are holding Tupperware. The new Colt is metal and wood. That's going to count for a lot with some people.

Something else the new Colt has going for it is the 1911 lineage. The gun it's based on has been in use a long time. As a result there are many aftermarket parts available for it, and we know very much about tuning it up and modifying and maintaining it. I would think there is little you can't do with, or to, this new version. The lockwork is different. So far as I know (again, not having gun in hand yet) the rest is as it was before. You can use the existing caliber conversions, I would think, and various other custom parts, and the holsters, and magazines, and so on, but with the advantages of the updated lockwork.

Well done, Colt. I'll shoot it when I get a chance and post about it here.

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