Posted by BayGlock: Lets us be even more clear [than "if it ain't .45 ACP it ain't no 1911", as stated by HKGuns]. That is a silly sentiment indeed. Tell that to Colt who started producing the who made the Commander 1911 first chambered in 9mm.
Let's be more perfectly clear. I believe that HKGuns is technically
almost correct.
The Model 1911, Model of 1911, and Model of 1911A1 pistols, whether manufactured by Colt, Remington, Singer, United Switch and Signal, or whomever, were all chambered in .45 ACP,
except for the 1911 British Contract pistols for the RAF, which were chambered in .455. The Norwegian Model 1912 and 1914 and the Argentine Model 1927 pistols were also chambered in .45 ACP.
Commercial Colt automatic pistols in .45 ACP were marked "Government Model" in the old days. I do not know if that is true of the Gold Cup National Match.
I do not think that the .38 Super Automatic was properly called a Model 1911, and the Colt Lightweight Commander of 1950, which was chambered in 9MM, .38 Super, and .45 ACP, was neither a Model 1911 nor a Model 1911A1. Nor was the Rock Island developed General Officer's Model in .45 ACP.
Many of today's Colt .45 pistols have later model designations such as "1991".
It is true that these guns and the compacts of today all trace back to the original 1911 that fired the .45 ACP cartridge. Yeah, I loosely refer to my shorter STI .45 Guardian as a "Model 1911", but I know that I'm incorrect when I do so.
Perhaps one of our historians can expand on this.