by B.B. Pelletier
The 1911 Colt semiautomatic pistol is a handful! I used to swear it couldn’t hit a barn wall if the shooter was on the inside, but then I met a member of the 2600 club (NRA High Master rating) who taught me how to shoot the .45. After that, I knew what millions of shooters have learned – the M1911A1 Colt is one of the all-time best handguns ever made.
What’s good about it?
Many of the reasons for the firearm’s greatness do not transfer to a pellet pistol. The .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) is one of the top manstoppers in military history; the 1911 action is virtually unstoppable in the field and maintenance is a breeze. But the accuracy, the grip and the training value of the Colt M1911A1 Tactical pistol are worthy reasons for buying one.
What makes it different?
All the pistols Umarex makes have similar features and performance. Most use the 8-shot circular magazines, all are powered by 12-gram CO2 cartridges, and all have similar accuracy, velocity and the ability to mount accessories. What makes the Colt M1911A1 different is that the design of the gun copies the original Colt pattern so faithfully. A shooter can actually derive training value from this pellet pistol because it mimics the weight, the sights and the special hold required for the firearm. It has a real functioning grip safety that I tested. It works! Unlike the firearm, the hammer falls on the pellet pistol when the trigger is pulled without the grip safety being depressed, but the gun does not discharge CO2.
Double-action
This is an 8-shot repeater that fires with each pull of the double-action trigger. The firearm has a single-action trigger, and the recoiling slide cocks the hammer for each new shot besides loading the chamber with a fresh round. The pellet pistol has no recoiling slide, so a double-action trigger is required for rapid fire capability. The trigger-pull is very light and smooth – especially after you get used to it. It makes the rapid engagement of targets such as Daisy’s Shatterblast as fun as a practical pistol match. That’s where Walther’s Multi Dot Sight really shines.
Walther Multi Dot Sight (MDS)
The MDS is different than other dot sights, in that you can adjust the SIZE of the dot as well as the brightness – that’s the “multi” in Multi Dot. Shooters find that different lighting situations call for flexibility in the illumination of the dot, and the MDS is one of the most flexible sights in its price range. It comes already mounted on the pistol, so everything is ready to shoot when you get it. I found this sight very useful on the different ranges where I tested the Colt. Even in bright afternoon summer sun, the dot was always visible outside. As an acid test, I sighted on yellow flowers and bright clouds in a sunny sky and, with the largest dot set on the brightest intensity, I could still see it easily. This sight is part of what makes this a tactical gun.
There is the adjustment for dot size under the MDS module. It’s a feature not often found in this price range.
Silencer
It really doesn’t silence the gun, but the tactical silencer spins on the muzzle, just like the real thing. It’s quite light and does not change the balance much. The foam-lined hard case is cut to house the silenced gun with dot sight mounted without any disassembly.
Tomorrow, I’ll give you some performance data and discuss shooting.
You recently reviewed the CP 99, and 88 as well as the S&W in the past. Could you compare their triggers and note which is best for rapid shooting versus the single shot mode?
couldn’t find that multi-sight on the once over thru the pyramyd site, is it sold seperatly BB?
bb, i bought some daisy max speed (presicion?) pellets, and they seem badly deformed and too small for the bore (the gun bucks so much more with small pellets, you can SEE the difference). i exchanged the unopened boxes for some of the kovohute/cz pellets, and they seem sto shoot veeery smoothly. even more so than the gamo pellets. my question is, can i still shoot the daisy pellets? or will it have the same effect as dry firing? is it okay to shoot them in my pneumatic, which can be dry fired?
The S&W trigger is many times better than any of the pistols. The CP99 and 88 triggers are about the same.
The S&W is also superior for rapid fire. Not only is the trigger lighter and smoother, the revolver holds 10 rounds!
B.B.
The MDS dot sight is not listed separately, however it is new with the tactical models, I believe. Give it some time and I bet it will be available.
B.B.
dm20,
Any time you have rough shooting like you describe, stop using those pellets. Use them in other guns if you have them. You don’t mention which gun is giving these results, but it must be a springer.
Yes, a pneumatic or gas gun is the perfect place to use small pellets.
B.B.
Hey B.B.,
Just got this Colt Tactical, looks and feekls awesome, have not yet shot it. I removed the mount and red dot scope, I want to get accustomed to the gun “bare” before I tackle the add on stuff.
My question is, after removing the mount, I replaced the rear sight with the “normal” one as it was included, but there is now, a screw hole exposed in front, where the second screw held the mount in place. Is this normal on the other, non tactical Colts 1911’s? Should there have been included in the kit, a small screw to replace this hole? It’s not a major deal, I just wanted to have some info on the topic. thanks.
I’m pretty sure the screw hole is normal. I will ask Umarex if you like.
B.B.
if you get a chance to ask it would be appreciated.
Yes,
The small screw hole is normal and, no, they do not provide a screw to fill it when the base is off.
B.B.
this is an old thread but i’ve been searching for info on this 1911A’s grip to no avail. can this model’s grips be replaced w/ any 1911A series grips for the real fire arm without any major modification?
thnx
Yes,
Genuine Colt grips will fit this gun.
B.B.
Hi.
I own a umarex Colt Govt. 1911 A1 CO2 air pistol. The gun is great, however after approx. 10000 shots the hammer falls too soon nad does not put anough pressure on the co2 valve to release the gas. I have disassembled the gun and found wear of the grip safety. I corrected the problem but the hammer problem remains. I found in the Umarex manual of the gun that there is an accessory called the speed hammer (including new hammer, new grip safety and beavertail). now umarex said that the option is no longer in production so I need to know if there is any chance to get it somewhere else before starting to machine new parts on my own. Thank You.
Call Pyramyd AIR and ask the tech folks. Maybe Stacey will know.
B.B.
i would also like to know where to get the speedhammer set for the colt 1911 a1 co2 pistol, i have seen other pistols on some german sites but as im scottish i find it hard to get a clear answer as to locating these parts. thanks you. pad
Paddy,
You have asked a question on a blog report that was posted three years ago. Few people other than me will ever see it.
On this blog you don't have to stay on topic. You can ask anything anywhere. So come to the current blog at this address and ask your questions:
/blog//
B.B.
Hi! I have the S&W 586-6 from Umarex, and I love it alot! However, im looking for a more modern CO2 pistol, and I have recently come across the Colt 1911 and the Beretta 92fs, both being made by Umarex. I was wondering which one you would get in terms of gas efficiency, power, and longevity. If i get the beretta, id be getting the xx-treme version.
Hi again, just wondering, if i were to buy this gun, could i install wooden grips from the real 1911 onto this air gun replica? specifically this: https://www.amazon.com/Rhyno-Commando-Premium-Checkered-Commander/dp/B003TDHSFU/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_16
thanks for your help!
JR01,
Both guns give about the same performance, so 50-60 powerful shots per cartridge.
Yes, firearm 1911A1 grips will fit a CO2 1911A1.
B.B.