Where are they made?

[Colt1911A1]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but a search hasn't answered the question...

Is there a website or page that shows where the various/numerous 1911's (and aftermarket parts, frames, etc.) are manufactured (Country of Origin)? If you visit a manufacturer's website, and the weapon is not made in the USA, there is no indication as to where (same goes for car lifts, tools and most other mechanical pieces). Most (all) websites of USA manufacturer's make it quite clear on their home page "MADE IN THE USA"! (I'm also disappointed as to how little most gun-shop employees know...shouldn't they be educated on what they're selling?!?)

So...who/where? :confused:

[garrettwc]

Para Ordnance = Canada
Rock Island, Armscor, Charles Daly (?) = Phillipines
Taurus = Brazil
Colt, Kimber, Springfield and pretty much every one of the other builders are "Made in the USA". One caveat on Springfield is that some of their slides and frames are from Imbel in Brazil and final assembly is here in the US.

As for individual parts, most manufacturers regardless of whether they make guns or something else closely guard who their component suppliers are.

[Colt1911A1]

Great info, thanks.

Has anyone published a letter or website (or page) with a "master list"? I'd like to have something to print/carry as I shop (can't remember everything as I get older...).

Are there any (major) quality issues with non-US manufactured pistols?

[Hawkmoon]

Add:

Firestorm = Philippines
Shooters Arms Manufacturing (S.A.M.) = Phillipines
Norinco = China
Dlask = Canada

[MoneyTree]

Add :

Nighthawk Custom = USA
Kimber = USA

[KY NIMROD]

Hey y'all forgot S&W and DW are USA made also.
along with Auto Ordinance, AMT, Randall. There is even a 1911 made in Israel but I don't recall the name. Oh and don't forget Sigs are USA made also.
Jim

[Hawkmoon]

Bul-Transmark = Israel

[garrettwc]

Are there any (major) quality issues with non-US manufactured pistols?
Para Ordnance is top notch. I would rank them up there with Springfield.

The Armscor/Rock Island guns are a great value. Folks in the Rock Island section of this forum constantly rave about theirs.

Taurus seems to be hit or miss. You either get a great one or a bad one, no middle ground.

Norinco guns are on the original Colt format and have always been good quality project guns, just like the Sistemas. Firestorm has always had a good rep.

Not familiar with any of the other "non-US" brands.

There is no "master list" as far as I know. The best way to do is spend some time here in the brand forums and read all you can. Like any major purchase, the more you read up on it ahead of time, the better your buying experience.

P.S. - add Tangfolio of Italy to your list

[Jolly Rogers]

Springfield 1911s have all frames and slides made by Imbel In Brazil. High end custom shop guns are finished and assembled in the U.S. Lower cost 1911s up to Loaded models may be finished in the U.S or built completely in Brazil. Per Springfield representatives.
(Not that there's any thing wrong with that :D )
Joe



This comes straight from Deb/Vicky at Springfield... if > 50% of the work is done on one of their pistols in Brazil, then somewhere on that pistol it will be marked "Brazil". Should > 50% be done in Geneseo, IL, then it does not require a "Brazil" marking.

That is where the "MADE IN BRAZIL" rollmarks come from... placed above the serial number. That is one variety of markings that will show up on Springfield's G.I., Mil-Spec and Loaded pistols.

Another is the "Geneseo IL USA" found just above the serial number. There's essentially two common variants of this... for example, in the Mil-Spec line, if it has a N serial number prefix, you will find "IMBEL BRAZIL" or "FI BRAZIL" laser etched in two places. The locations are the bottom side of the dustcover and underneath the right grip panel on the frame. If you find a NM serial number prefix, those markings are usually always absent and the "GENESEO IL USA" rollmark still appears above the serial number on the frame.

Understand this part- ALL Springfield Armory 1911A1 pistols start their life in the forge presses of IMBEL in Brazil. There the frames, slides and barrels are forged... regardless of what markings are later applied or where the majority of the work is done.


From a sticky in the Springfield forum.

[clughog]

Welcome to the Forum, Colt1911A1. Excellent subject for your first post! Nice info to know.

[garrettwc]

Thanks for the follow up Jolly, I didn't know they were doing some final assemblies down there too.

[GingerKid]

Appreciate the info... Add S&W to the American Made.

[Colt1911A1]

Welcome to the Forum, Colt1911A1. Excellent subject for your first post! Nice info to know.

Greetings from West Texas...

[EchoBravoKilo]

Is there any truth to the rumor that Colt's, while ostensibly made in Connecticut are often perfected near a dog kennel in North Carolina?

[Jolly Rogers]

Yup. I hear a primary ingredient is turbo coffee.
Joe ;)

[clughog]

Greetings from West Texas...LOL! Now, THAT covers a lot of territory! Anywhere from El Paso to Lubbock to Amarillo...and beyond. If you're ever in the DFW area, look me up!

I'll bet there's a web site somewhere that lists all the manufacturers by country of origin, but I haven't seen it. May be harder to limit it to just 1911 models, though.

[ranburr]

A shocking number of higher end after market parts and barrels are made in Italy, (Nowlin, Wilson, McCormick, etc).

ranburr

[Joni Lynn]

Italy is also the country of origin for the Valtro.

[MoneyTree]

Tangfolio's are made in Italy too .