Colt Combat Elite
Colt's Manufacturing Company, LLC · Pistol · In Production · 1992
Also known as: Colt 1911 Combat Elite, Colt Combat Elite Government
Overview
The Colt Combat Elite is an enhanced, semi-automatic, single-action pistol built on the M1911 platform and chambered in .45 ACP. It is Colt's factory-customized 1911, blending the classic Government-Model layout with refinements long associated with custom gunsmiths: a National Match barrel, Novak LoMount tritium night sights, a dual recoil spring system, an extended ambidextrous thumb safety, a beavertail grip safety, a checkered frontstrap, and a Series 80 firing-pin block. The full-size Government model carries a 5-inch barrel, while Commander and Defender variants offer shorter, more concealable configurations.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1247 g (44.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 216 mm (8.50") |
| Barrel Length | 127 mm (5.00") |
| Height | 146 mm (5.75") |
| Width | 32 mm (1.26") |
| Sight Radius | 165 mm (6.50") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Trigger Pull | 22 N (4.9 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 260 m/s (853 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 477 J (352 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1500 m (1640 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 406 mm (15.98") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Stainless Steel |
| Slide Material | Stainless Steel |
| Barrel Material | Stainless Steel |
| Stock Material | G10 |
| Finish | Black Ionbond With Brushed Stainless Flats |
Calibers
- .45 ACP · primary — also known as .45 Auto, 45 ACP, 11.43x23mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Thumb Safety, Grip Safety, Series 80 Firing Pin Block, Half Cock Notch
- Features: National Match Barrel, Novak Lomount Tritium Night Sights, Dual Recoil Spring System, Extended Ambidextrous Thumb Safety, Beavertail Grip Safety, Checkered Frontstrap, Lowered Flared Ejection Port, G10 Grip Panels, Angled Rear Cocking Serrations, Skeletonized Trigger
Variants
- Colt Combat Elite Government — Full Size
- Colt Combat Elite Commander — Compact
- Colt Combat Elite Defender — Subcompact
Base model
Production
Production years: 1992-present
Part of Colt's commercial 1911 lineup; the modern Combat Elite series remains in production across Government, Commander, and Defender sizes.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: John Browning
Notes
Originally introduced in the early 1990s, the Combat Elite line was revived and expanded as a modern series spanning Government, Commander, and Defender sizes, distinguished by its two-tone black Ionbond finish over brushed stainless flats and black G-10 grip panels.
Background
The Combat Elite carries forward the lineage of John Browning's M1911, the U.S. military sidearm adopted in 1911, repackaging it as a factory race-ready 1911 with the kind of accuracy and ergonomic upgrades shooters once paid custom gunsmiths to install.