IMBEL M973 GC
Industria de Material Belico do Brasil · Pistol · In Production · 1973
Also known as: Pistola .45 M973, Pst .45 M973, IMBEL M973
Overview
The IMBEL M973 GC is a Brazilian single-action, semi-automatic pistol chambered in .45 ACP, built on the classic Browning M1911 short-recoil pattern by Industria de Material Belico do Brasil. Adopted by the Brazilian Army as the Pistola .45 M973, it served for decades as the standard military sidearm before later 9mm models. The GC commercial variant retains the full-size Government layout with a 127mm barrel, single-stack seven-round magazine, exposed hammer, manual thumb safety and grip safety, and an all-steel frame and slide. Faithful to the original 1911 design, it offers the heavy-hitting terminal performance of the .45 ACP cartridge with the rugged simplicity Brazilian armed forces relied on for general-issue duty.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1100 g (38.8 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 1300 g (45.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 216 mm (8.50") |
| Barrel Length | 127 mm (5.00") |
| Height | 135 mm (5.31") |
| 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 | 7 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 | 200 m (219 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 406 mm (15.98") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
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: Manual Thumb Safety, Grip Safety, Half Cock Notch
- Features: Single Action Trigger, Exposed Hammer, Browning Short Recoil, Checkered Grips, Fixed Sights
Service history
Operators
- Brazilian Army · adopted 1973 · as Pst .45 M973
- Brazilian Military Police
Production
Production years: 1973-present
Long-running general-issue production for the Brazilian Army and the domestic commercial market. Exact totals not publicly disclosed.
Origin
Country of origin: Brazil
Designer: John Browning (original M1911 design)
Notes
The M973 is IMBEL's licence-derived production of the Colt M1911A1 pattern, with the year of Brazilian adoption (1973) giving the model its designation. The commercial GC version was offered to civilian and police markets in Brazil. IMBEL went on to develop the related MD1 GC and 9mm variants from the same tooling.
Background
The M973's designation comes from 1973, the year the Brazilian Army formally adopted IMBEL's domestically produced .45 ACP pistol as its standard sidearm, ending dependence on imported Colt 1911s.