Legacy of Freedom: Col. North Colt Commander .45 1911 Pistol

by
posted on March 1, 2019
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
north_gun_22.jpg

When NRA President Lt. Col. Oliver North’s Winchester Model 12 shotgun became disabled by shrapnel during battle in Vietnam, it was his .45-cal. Colt 1911 pistol he turned to in order to save his life. “I used the .45 as it was advertised to be used, and I’m alive to tell the story,” he said.

Now Lt. Col. North has lent his signature for use on a Limited Edition run of 100 Colt Commander pistols in .45 caliber, his name engraved in 24k gold on the slide. The pistol will be available to the first 100 people who select it when they sign up for a Friends of NRA Sponsorship at the “Legacy of Freedom” level ($3,500).  

All proceeds will benefit The NRA Foundation which, to date, has awarded more than 45,000 grants to local, state and national programs through funds raised by the Friends of NRA program, totaling more than $369 million. Programs benefiting from these grants include Eddie Eagle GunSafe, Youth Shooting Sports, Women On Target, National School Shield, Youth Education Summit, Refuse To Be A Victim, Youth Hunter Education Challenge, Adaptive Shooting and Law Enforcement Training and more. This Oliver North Colt Commander pistol, Model 04940XE, features a blued finish, brushed-finish polish, and bonded-ivory grips with the NRA Eagle logo lasered on both left and right panels. Factory grips will be placed in each case. 

“[A Commander model], it’s a little lighter than what I carried, but it’s a historic firearm made by a great company … ,” North said. “The great thing about this is it’s made by the same company that saved my life in Vietnam.”

For more information about becoming a Friends of NRA Sponsor and owning this pistol, please visit FriendsOfNRA.org.

Latest

firing a musket rifle
firing a musket rifle

Today’s Makers of Yesterday’s Firearms

Original firearms from the American Revolution era are valuable and best preserved for posterity. For those who want to shoot them, several modern makers offer quality reproductions.

Left Turn (Bolt): Tikka's New Left-Handed T3x Ace Rifles

Lefties of the world unite and rejoice, as Tikka has announced left-hand versions of its award-winning T3x Ace chassis rifles.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 14, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Skills Check: Rifle Standard Delta 2

Carbine performance is all about maintaining control. The Rifle Standard Delta 2 is a drill that pressures recoil control, visual discipline and cadence as distance decreases and time compresses.

Gun Sales Up for the 7th Month in a Row in 2026

The National Shooting Sports Foundation’s (NSSF) estimate of last month’s gun sales was up 2.2 percent compared to August 2025.

Caring For & Feeding Your Cap-and-Ball Revolvers

Compared to pistoleros of the 19th century, today’s handgunners have it easy. It's not enough just to get an old-school, cap-and-ball revolver. You also need to acquire everything to shoot and clean it.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.