As the original manufacturer of John Browning’s iconic M1911 handgun, over the past century, Colt's Manufacturing has sought to strike a balance between honoring the heritage of the pistol and meeting the contemporary needs of firearms owners. While staying true to the the basic design, the company has introduced numerous innovations to the M1911 world, from compact, alloy-frame pistols for easier carry to an M1911 chambered in 10 mm Auto. With optical sights being all the rage in the handgun market these days, Colt is once again answering customers demands with the new-for-2025 Optics-Ready Competition 1911 pistol.
Like the original Competition model introduced in 2016, the Optics-Ready Competition incorporates many of the lessons learned from the M45A1 handgun that the company produced for the U.S. Marine Corps, including its “Dual Spring Recoil System.” They are full-size (5” barrel), all-steel pistols with a Series 70-type firing mechanism. Other features are what you would expect from an “enhanced” M1911 design, including an extended beavertail, an extended safety lever, an undercut trigger guard, National Match barrel, Novak front sight with red fiber-optic insert and checkered G10 grips.
The model’s optics-ready capacity reflects a trend at Colt that includes optics-ready mounting options for the company's revolvers also introduced this year. For the Competition 1911, a plate system is used. The pistol is supplied with an optics-cut slide and a coverplate that has a notched-rear sight with a serrated face mounted in a Glock-compatible dovetail. Optics-compatible plates will be available as accessories.
Plates with provisions for a rear sight have the same Glock-compatibile dovetail and allow for the iron sights to have a 1/3-lower co-witness with optics. Initially, three plates with compatibility with the RMR, RMSc/507K and DeltaPoint Pro will be offered. Plates are made of stainless steel with a black anodized finish and have an MSRP of $99 each.
Recognizing the importance of the 9 mm Luger cartridge in the M1911 world these days, the Optics-Ready Competition 1911 is offered chambered in both that cartridge and the classic .45 ACP. While the non-optics ready versions of the Competition 1911 are offered in both matte black and stainless steel finishes, the optics-ready version will only be offered in stainless steel at this time.
The Colt Optics-Ready Competition 1911 has an MSRP of $1,399 for models of either chambering. Guns are scheduled to be available in April 2025. For more information, visit the company's website here.
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