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THE 1990S

If interest in the 1911 had increased in the 1980s, it can be said to have exploded in the 1990s.

At the beginning of the decade, Colt carried out a plan to get back into the basic 1911 market. Its enhanced offerings had become fancier, and the market for basic “wartime” pistols had grown. By 1991, the Colt 1991 A1 was introduced, actually continuing the serial number range of the company’s 1911 A1 pistols of World War II. With a matte finish and simple features, the new Colt was competitive in its niche. Commander (4-1/2-inch) and Compact (3-1/2-inch) variants were offered in 1993.

By 1998, Colt introduced an even smaller pistol with a 3-inch barrel, the Defender. The 23-ounce .45 used a cone-barrel system to orient the barrel in the slide.

Early in the decade, in 1991, a new name, Norinco, was added to the list of 1911 companies. The Chinese entity made a surprisingly good copy of a 1911. The Norinco got good reviews until president William J. Clinton prohibited importation of firearms from China in 1995.