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I admit it… I have a “thing” for 1911s, especially the old-school .45 A1 variety. I own more than one 1911, and I think my 1911A1 copies in .45 ACP are my favorites. I have owned many 1911s over the years, some fancier than others. I also own the modern interpretation, the 9mm 2011, in more than one brand. If you want a no-frills, crisp single-action trigger, accurate, reliable pistol, then you look at a 1911. This has been the way since the platform appeared in 1911… hence, its name.
A Quick Look Back at The .45 ACP and the 1911
I’ve written this story so many times I don’t need any references… the Colt M1911/.45 ACP saga is truly interesting to this gun guy.
The 1911 and the .45 ACP cartridge came about because of a failure. In 1898, the indigenous Moro tribe of the Philippines revolted. Our Army was sent to quell the rebellion. They were armed with, among other guns, an anemic .38 revolver round that quickly gained the reputation of getting the soldiers who fired it at the tribesmen killed. The Moros were, as my dear departed mother-in-law might put it, “hopped up on bennies.” They were “chemically altered” via natural stimulants in order to minimize pain/expand their consciousness, and had bound themselves with “natural” armor… long grasses were wrapped tightly and thickly around their torsos. You might say they were motivated to the max. The slow .38 bullets didn’t cut the mustard. There are records of tribesmen taking 4, 5, or even 6 bullets but still being able to come in with their bladed weapons and kill soldiers.
What did the Army do about it? They took original 1873 single-action Armys out of mothballs along with .45 Colt ammo. That did the trick. The old “cowboy gun” put the tribesmen down with one shot. So, Army officer John Thomson (father of the submachine gun that bears his name) and a medical officer named LeGarde did some experimentation. They compared 10 different calibers in a variety of venues, including the Chicago stockyards and human cadavers. Their recommendation, when the smoke cleared, was that the Army needed a cartridge of no less than .45 caliber, with a heavy bullet, fired from a semi-automatic pistol – no revolvers. (Remember, the German Luger had captured the attention of militaries around the world when it was adopted in 1908, so semi-autos were starting to be in vogue.)
Enter John Browning
At this point, legendary gun designer John Browning stepped in. He came up with the cartridge, first. The Army requested that it be of .45 caliber. Originally, it was a 200-grain round-nose FMJ .45 bullet, but later was upped to 230 grains, at 860 fps. Then he got busy with designing the pistol to shoot the new round. Long(er) story short, his Model of 1905 pistol was the basis for what became the 1911 we know and love. I find it interesting that, in the final trials between pistols from Colt and Savage, the Colt fired 6,000 rounds without one failure… they had to dunk it in a bucket of water to keep it cool enough to handle. The Savage stopped 37 times. Winnah, and new cham-peen… the Colt, Model of 1911. The Colt M1911 was officially adopted on March 29, 1911, by the American military.
So, dat’s the name of dat tune, as ‘70s TV detective Baretta would say (you had to be there).
This Pistol
The Centurion 11 is a Turkish-made pistol modeled after the 1911A1. It exhibits the traits that made the original M1911 the A1, adopted in 1923. Changes that resulted in the A1 version included:
– A shorter trigger and relief cuts in the frame behind the trigger to allow folks with smaller hands easier access to the trigger.
– The mainspring housing was arched to improve pointability and raise the front sight (some will say that was not necessary, but it’s what they did.)
– Another change was what came to be known as the beavertail… it was lengthened a bit to prevent hammer bite.
– Another “bite” fix was to shorten the hammer spur.
– One last change was the front sight… it was made a bit taller and wider, to improve the sight picture.
Here are some photos I took. This pistol was the second that I received from Century Arms… The first one, a black-finished 1911, had a problem with the trigger, so it went back, and then they sent me this chromed version. Interestingly, this silver-finished pistol is not shown on the Centurion 11 website… just the dark one. You can find the lighter-finished one on Gunbroker or similar sales sites. I’m not sure why Century Arms doesn’t show it on their site.
Here is the case. You get one eight-round magazine, but extras are super easy to source. Cleaning tools and a lock round out the accessories. Accessories and magazines abound for a .45 ACP 1911… You can stock up!
Construction, Etc.
The Centurion uses a steel frame and slide, and a cold-hammer-forged barrel. I couldn’t determine whether the frame and slide are forged… everything I found just says “steel” … but all the other Turkish 1911s I’ve reviewed did use a forged slide and frame, and I see no reason why this one wouldn’t use forged parts.
Fit and finish are decent. You have to bear in mind that the MSRP this pistol carries is $399.99, and allow that to temper your expectations. Given that price point, the gun is exceptionally well put together. Controls all work as expected, and the gun doesn’t rattle when you shake it. That says something, right there. Sharp edges have been addressed, which really helps.
The sights, as you will see below, are decent. They are not what you’ll find on a more expensive model, but for what they are, they work well.
You get a decent plastic case that holds the pistol, the lone magazine, the lock, and some cleaning tools.
The sights are your typical A1 style and are not easily adjustable.
This chrome version has what the black one I had before lacked… double-diamond wood grips. That is a very nice, welcome touch.
All in all, this is one nice-looking pistol. To my eye, it punches above its weight class in terms of looks. We have a very even, satin chrome finish with black accents like the mag release, grip safety, hammer, trigger, and slide release. This pistol presents itself much better than its predecessor, with its matte black finish.
Here are a few specifications from the Centurion 11’s web page…
- Action: Single-action
- Caliber: .45 ACP
- Capacity: 8+1
- Finish: Chrome
- Length: 8.6 inches (219mm)
- Height: 5.31 inches (135mm)
- Width: 1.37 inches (35mm)
- Weight: 2.19 pounds / 35.5 ounces (1.00kg)
- Barrel Length: 5.01 inches (127.5mm)
- Magazine: One 8-round with base pad
- MSRP: $399.99
Shooting The Centurion
Typically, I will try “military grade”, non-CCW 1911s with .45 ball ammo – that’s what they were designed to shoot. So, I grabbed some S&B 230-grain ball ammo.
I will admit we had a bit of a glitch with the first Centurion 11 Century Arms sent… the trigger was really heavy. Like 20 pounds. There was obviously something out of kilter. Neither my sons nor I could get much accuracy out of the gun, with its extreme trigger pull. I mentioned this to my Century Arms rep, and he promptly sent another one out.
So, it was the second, chrome-finished pistol that we took to my backyard range and set some targets up at 20 yards. I stuck with the S&B ball ammo, as that was what I had quick access to.
Here is a representative target. This one shows six holes. I shot this particular target with seven rounds in the included 8-round magazine; the last hole was a bit lower. All in all, not bad for the very first shots out of a street-priced, $350 1911. It certainly makes me want to experiment with more factory and hand loads.
It seems that this load shot a bit low and right, but ALL of my pistols shoot to the low and right, at least… that’s something I deal with, being left-handed and right-eyed. Anyway, my mosquito-infested yard cut my shooting session a bit short. I will be anxious to try some Black Hills ammo in this gun – it shows potential, with its 5.5-pound trigger and typical 1911 ergonomics.
Conclusion
I will direct this to our younger readers out there… you really need to try a 1911 if you haven’t done so. The single-action trigger typically puts a smile on the face of a shooter who has not experienced that type of trigger on striker-fired or double-action guns. You don’t have to carry one of these concealed in order to appreciate the way it fits your hand and its appeal to pistoleros. There is a reason that the 1911 is still going more than a century after its introduction. Just take it to the range every so often, and you will become a member of the 1911 Club. And, if you are looking to add a 1911 to your gun safe but don’t want to spend a pile of Benjamins on one, give the Centurion 11 a look. With a real-world price around $350, you’re getting a representation of a piece of American history, not to mention a nice-shooting pistol. That will surely get you into that 1911 Club… give it a try! You may decide that one is not enough. Add another one in .45, 9mm, 10mm, .38 Super, .22LR… the list goes on. Our military carried them for 74 years – some still do – and many did not want to switch. Is it time you tried one? After all, this Centurion 11 is a great way to dip your toe into the 1911 pond without getting soaked.
Could it be improved? Of course. My main gripe is that you get one magazine with it, but I guess, given its price point, that explains – if not excuses – it. At least 1911 magazines are available out there by the thousands.
Also, the finish on some of the black parts is a bit uneven. That should be easily addressed.
I asked, in the title, if a $400 pistol could be a good buy… After much thought on the matter, I think, in this case, I can say that it is. Just remember that it is a $400 gun, and don’t expect a $4000 Night Hawk. If you go into it with your eyes open and have realistic expectations, you will have an everyday .45 that’s fun to shoot and should last you for years… that’s not a bad thing.
Links To Items Used In This Review
- Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro Radar Chronograph, $500
- Birchwood Casey Filled Shooting Bags, $40
- Caldwell E-Max Low-Profile Hearing Protectors, $33
- Caldwell Ultimate Target Stand, $33
- Clear Ballistics Gel, various prices
- GPS Medium Range Bag, $150
- MTM Case-Gard High-Low Shooting Table, $160
- Wheeler Trigger Pull Gauge, $88
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