(GunReports.com) — Friends of NRA has announced its 2011 Gun of the Year: a custom-made Colt 1911 that honors the firearm’s 100 years of service in the United States Armed Forces.
Offered only at local Friends of NRA events, each pistol has a 5-inch barrel, carbon steel polished blued finish, 7+1 capacity, standard grip safety, spur hammer and custom rosewood grips with an NRA medallion recessed on both panels. Every specially produced Colt commemorative pistol in this limited edition is individually serialized in sequential order from “1911NRA0000” through “1911NRA1150.” Each is encased in a Colt Blue Custom Shop box with white sleeve.
“It was an honor working with two respected, American-owned companies to develop this exclusive pistol for Friends of NRA events,” said John DaSilva, National Manager of Events and Marketing. “We know our volunteers are very excited and pleased with the opportunity to feature the Colt 1911 pistol at fundraising events beginning in 2011.”
The 2011 Gun of the Year is custom made with a 24-karat-gold-plated barrel bushing and screws on the grip panels and ornate embellished slides. The serpentine Colt logo and “2011 Gun of the Year” text is featured in a 24-karat-selective gold fill on the right side of the firearm’s slide with sculpted-roll engraving boasting a scrolling banner with the phrase “Military U.S. Standard” alongside the names of every major war it participated in. The left-side slide features the rampant Colt horse and “Colt 1911 100 Years” embellished in 24-karat-gold fill and sculpted-roll engraving showcasing four military vehicles used by the U.S. throughout wartime.
The Colt 1991TM Series is a direct descendent of the original 1911A1 and after more than nine decades many consider it the standard which has often been imitated, but never duplicated. The pistol serves as a staple of the military and as an iconic symbol for it. The 2011 Gun of the Year follows two years of development and is offered in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the 1911 model. It is the combined effort of Friends of NRA, Colt Manufacturing and Baron’s Engraving.
Friends of NRA is a grassroots fund-raising program that fosters community involvement, raises money, and gives 100 percent of the net proceeds to qualified local, state, and national programs. Working with the NRA’s field staff, thousands of volunteers nationwide participate in the program by organizing committees and planning events in their communities. Over the course of its history, more than 12,000 events have been held with more than two million attendees. Monies raised at these events go to The NRA Foundation.
Visit the Friends of NRA website at www.FriendsofNRA.org.
