Talyn
SAINT
Only produced for a single year by the Army’s Rock Island Arsenal, the RIA-marked National Match “GI Custom” 1911 .45 is a rare gun.
laststandonzombieisland.com
Early Colt National Matches, such as this circa 1932 model in the Guns.com Vault, were little more than standard 1911s with a tuned trigger and better barrel. Only about 3,000 Colt NM pistols were made before World War II (Photo: Guns.com)
Why National Match?
So-called “National Match” 1911s date back to custom-fit target guns made to compete in the U.S. National Matches held annually, first in New Jersey and Florida and then at Camp Perry, Ohio. Modifications made by military armorers and famous Colt rep Henry “Fitz” FitzGerald to GI guns led Colt to introduce a specific National Match 1911 model in 1933, with lessons learned from the event guns. Except for the gap between 1941 and 1957, Colt National Match 1911s continue to be produced, in small numbers.
Ahh, the Mystery of the RIA National Match 1911
Only produced for a single year by the Army’s Rock Island Arsenal, the RIA-marked National Match “GI Custom” 1911 .45 is a rare gun. Why National Match? So-called “National …
laststandonzombieisland.com
Early Colt National Matches, such as this circa 1932 model in the Guns.com Vault, were little more than standard 1911s with a tuned trigger and better barrel. Only about 3,000 Colt NM pistols were made before World War II (Photo: Guns.com)
