ONE WEEK TO SHOT SHOW: COLT'S NEW 1911S

We're one week out from the legendary SHOT show - that's Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoors Trade Show - and as we gear up for the largest hunting, law enforcement, and shooting trade show on the planet, we're taking a look at some of the gear that's got our attention and distracted us from packing for the annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas. The event is shaping up to be incredibly exciting and we cannot wait to see all the trade show displays featuring the latest developments in hunting, law enforcement and shooting. So, what can we expect to see next week?

First up: new 1911s from Colt! Yes, we know we're fanatics for 1911s. Yes, we love seeing those four letters stamped on a gun. But this year is a little different: Colt has really been paying attention to consumer demand and the new guns are really promising.

The Colt Competition Pistol™, which is available in .45 ACP or 9mm, offers several features that competitive shooters will appreciate, including Colt's innovative Dual Spring Recoil System™ developed for the M45A1 in order to reduce recoil and help keep shots on target at critical moments. "This pistol is competition grade," said Mark Redl, Team Colt sponsored shooter and Product Manager for Colt. "We designed a pistol that you can buy on the way to a match." Other features include Novak's new adjustable rear sight and fiber optic front sight, competition ergonomics including an undercut trigger guard and upswept beavertail safety, and a National Match® barrel. The Colt Competition Pistol™ carries an MSRP of $899 USD. The low Canadian dollar is going to make that sting a little by the time they arrive here in the great white north, but still, we're looking forward to these.

The Lightweight Commander®, offered in .45 ACP or 9mm, affords enthusiasts the ability to concealed-carry a real 1911 platform pistol comfortably. With a shorter profile and lower weight than a traditional full size Government Model®, the Lightweight Commander® offers the Dual Spring Recoil System™ and custom Colt G10 grips, among other enhancements. "We wanted to offer something special to the concealed carry enthusiast who wants that authentic Colt experience in a package that can add both confidence and comfort," said Spitale. The MSRP of the Lightweight Commander is $949 USD, and we'll cross our fingers for a landed Canadian cost somewhere around $1500 CAD.

Less widely reported is the new Colt Combat Unit Rail Gun, designed with input from world renowned trainers Ken Hackathorn and Daryl Holland and features Colt's Dual Spring Recoil System™, Novak Night Sights, a National Match barrel, and a beavertail fitted to Colt's near-custom standards. Perhaps most exciting, however, are the factory frame modifications: in a marked departure from past Colt tendencies, this one is shipping with an undercut trigger guard and front strap checkering. For consumers this is huge: sending your 1911 out to get undercut and checkered is expensive and time consuming, and necessitates a re-finish afterwards. Given Colt's excellent factory finishes, we're glad to see all the machine shop work getting done ahead of time. MSRP is $1499 US, so this won't be cheap, but we're betting it will be worth it.