POTD: An Unfortunate 1911 Relative – Colt Model 1971
Sam.S 04.21.23
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have the son or grandson of the M1911 pistol. This is the Colt Model 1971. The Colt Model 1971 was meant to be Colt’s improvement over the design of the M1911. They produced this since the M1911’s time in military service was coming to an end. It was extremely outdated by the standards of the 1970s. The Model 1971 was touted as a more accurate, safer, easier-to-maintain pistol. It was possible to draw and ready the pistol one-handed since it is double action. Apparently, despite these being well-liked they were nothing compared to what would pop up soon (cough cough Beretta).
“Colt’s obvious intentions with this pistol were two fold; it to introduce a new and modern DA semi-automatic pistol for the market to help boost Colt’s sagging, world wide commercial sales and to get ready to compete for any future U.S. or Foreign Government military contract sales with a new and very modern double action pistols. The original Colt “Model 1971” nomenclature remained for several years after being manufactured and was not sold or developed further, until the early 1980s when the Dept of Army issued the first solicitation for a new modern pistol to replace their huge stocks of aging Model 1911A1 pistols. When it was submitted to the U.S. Army in the late 1970s, for evaluation against the solicitation requirements, it failed against those requirements, along with all the other candidates and the solicitation was canceled in 1980/81. However the U.S. Army revised it handgun specification requirements and in 1984, reissued a solicitation for a new candidate handgun designated the XM9. At this time Colt again resubmitted the Model 1971, however renamed it the “SSP” as it was an all “Stainless Steel Pistol” and was chambered in 9mm incompliance with the US Army solicitation. It was during the second series of tests that the Beretta 92F pistol won out over the Colt SSP and all other candidate weapons and was selected to become the new US Army’s M9, 9mm military handgun. This scarce, excellent example actually predates the later “SSP” that was later submitted as a Colt candidate pistol in 1984, as noted previously. It is estimated that less than 50 total pistols were produced with this one as noted chambered in the 45 ACP cartridge.”
Lot 1609: Colt 1971 Pistol 45 Acp – Rare Colt “Pre-Ssp” Model 1971 Prototype/Experimental Semi-Automatic Pistol in 45 Acp. (n.d.). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/63/1609/colt-1971-pistol-45-acp.
