Kongsberg Colt M1914
Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1919
Also known as: Pistol m/1914, 11.25mm Automatisk Pistol M/1914, Kongsberg Colten, Pistole 657(n)
Overview
The Kongsberg Colt M1914 is a Norwegian license-built copy of the Colt M1911, chambered in .45 ACP and manufactured by Norway's state arms factory, Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk. Norway formally adopted the M1911 in 1914 and was the only European nation to standardize on the .45 ACP cartridge. The M1914 differs from the American 1911 chiefly by its enlarged, extended slide-stop lever, which lets the user release the slide without breaking firing grip.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1100 g (38.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 216 mm (8.50") |
| Barrel Length | 127 mm (5.00") |
| Height | 135 mm (5.31") |
| Width | 30 mm (1.18") |
| Sight Radius | 165 mm (6.50") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 7 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 244 m/s (801 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 500 J (369 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Left 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
- 11.43x23mm (.45 ACP) · primary — also known as .45 ACP, .45 Auto, 11.25mm, 11.43x23mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Grip Safety
- Features: Enlarged Slide Stop, Serial Numbered Parts, Year Stamped Slide
Variants
- Kongsberg Colt M1912 — Early Production
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Norwegian Armed Forces · adopted 1914 · as 11.25mm Automatisk Pistol M/1914
- Nazi Germany (Wehrmacht) · adopted 1940 · as Pistole 657(n)
Conflicts
- World War II (1940-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 32,874 · Production years: 1919-1947
Commonly cited total ~32,874. About ~22,000 made before the 1940 German invasion; ~8,200-10,000 additional during the 1940-1945 occupation (sources disagree); a modest postwar run assembled from remaining parts through ~1947-1948
Origin
Country of origin: Norway
Designer: John Browning
Discontinued: 1947
Notes
Under German occupation (1940-1945) Kongsberg continued production for the Wehrmacht, making the M1914 essentially the only .45 ACP pistol formally used by the German military, designated Pistole 657(n). German-accepted guns bear a Waffenamt acceptance stamp (E/WaA84); this marking was applied only in 1945 to a small batch (fewer than ~1,000, serial range ~29261-30523), of which only about 75 have been reported observed, making them highly prized by collectors. Norwegian parts are serial-numbered and the year of production is stamped on the slide.
Background
The Kongsberg Colt is the rare case of an Allied nation's pistol kept in production for the enemy: Norway's own state factory, under German occupation, built Colt 1911 clones stamped with the Nazi eagle. The collector's grail is the tiny 1945 Waffenamt batch (E/WaA84), of which fewer than 1,000 were ever marked and only about 75 are known to survive.