Do you consider all non colt 1911's replicas?

James1873

James1873

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I'll use Winchester for example. Other companies make a replica of a Winchester 1886, like uberti. Winchester recently reintroduced the 1886, made in Japan by miroku. Yet people still consider them replicas of the original production run? As far as I'm concerned, if it has Winchester on the barrel, it's a real Winchester. So if anything wouldn't it be a reproduction?

So would that make all non colt 1911's replicas of a colt? Obviously there is a lot of 1911 flavors, but there all a copy of the original 1911.

Just got me thinking, what are your thoughts?
 
More of a 1911 Pattern pistol than a replica, I think I'd categorize them. I don't know if any are really trying to copy Colt, but rather some are certainly going for the replica m1911a1 look.
 
Looking at the use of theses words, replica concerns discontinued famous/antique(-ish) models and applies to the 1911 (not A1) and the Python. Resuming production apparently doesn't disqualify replicas of the original run.

I would expect a clone to have the same, mostly interchangeable, innards as its contemporary/modern model and a copy to take liberties, in and/or out.
 
The reason a 1911A1 is never considered a clone, whereas a PTR-91 is considered an HK91 clone is simple.

That the biggest use of the 1911A1 was in WWII a time where many manufactures were producing the design to meet wartime demand. It could be argued that at this point it was not Colts design but the US governments. The HK91 or the Winchester during the period when it was at the height of its use, HK and Winchester was the sole manufacturer of the design. After the design fell out of favor was only when other people began to clone it.

I guess it isnt that simple. But it makes sense to me?
 
John Browning came up with the original design & patened it or sold the patent rights to Colts or a bit of both. An original design.
The key is patent rights that protect the designer. it is the same today. A new idea is pattened and protected from others who copy the same design.
When the patent expires, other manufacturers can copy the same design & sell product. The second key is the time before the patent expires. Patent holders can maximize sales of the protected design. Copy-caters get sued for patent infringement.
The third key is the rule of law. Rule of law countries protect patent holders until the patent expires.
If the design is successful and the market likes the product sales will soar and persons will want the original design not a copy.

Copiers must improve the design to achieve sales, or not. Colts 1911 & 1911A1 set the pace even after the patent expired so most wanted the original. With the exception of the 1911A1 design, Colt ruled the roost until others felt their product equal or better. That happened in the 1960's. The basic design is still Colts, but others have improved the design and now compete with Colt. These designs are not clones, but copies.....
 
Not many current production Colts bear much resemblance to the original. I don't think it has so much to do with the name on the barrel - as the design and execution. Even JMB was OK with design change and evolution of the product. (1911A1). "Replica" seems a somewhat derogatory term. It's hard to be derogatory about some of the amazing 1911s being produced today. Wonder if JMB is smiling? :)

Rob!
 
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I think because the military used several contractors to produce the "colt 1911", all of which were considered "genuine" military guns, variants of the 1911 don't carry the same stigma as, say winchesters.
 
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