Guncrafter Industries Model No. 1

Caliber .50 GI, Model No 1.
A Model No. 1 handgun with a spare magazine and two .50 GI rounds
TypeSemi-automatic pistol
Place of originUnited States
Production history
DesignerAlex Zimmermann
ManufacturerGuncrafter Industries
VariantsModel No. 2, Model No. 3, M1911
Specifications
Mass2.5 lb (1,134 g)
Length8.5 in (216 mm)
Barrel length5 in (127 mm)

Cartridge.50 GI
ActionLocked breech, semi-auto
Rate of fireSemi-automatic
Muzzle velocity875 ft/s (267 m/s)
Effective firing range75 yd (69 m) (FM 23–35 of 1940)
Feed system7 rounds (standard-capacity magazine)
SightsHeinie, fixed, 3-dot Trijicon

The Guncrafter Industries Model No. 1 (Or M1) is a variant of the widely popular M1911 handgun, modified for the .50 GI cartridge. John Browning's 1911 .45 ACP has been used for many cartridges over the past century. In every instance the cartridge used a bullet with a diameter that was the same or smaller than the original .451". Both the Desert Eagle and the LAR Grizzly have been offered in cartridges of .50 caliber. Both are large cartridges requiring a large, heavy pistol.

The Model No. 1 is basically an M1911 with external dimensions the same as a standard 1911, however it fires a .50 GI round. Although the Model No. 1 is the same size externally, the slide will not fit on a standard 1911 frame as other modifications have been made to accept the .50 GI barrel and slide. However, it is possible to convert the Model No. 1 to .45 ACP, as a .45 ACP conversion unit is available for the .50 GI frame.

The .50 GI is not in the magnum class and works at the same pressures as the .45 ACP. The cartridge uses the same rim size as the .45 ACP and a .45 shell holder can be used for reloading. This new brass is made by Starline Brass and is slightly shorter than a standard .45 ACP. The magazine well in the grip frame has thinner walls than a standard M1911 to accommodate the .50 GI's wider magazine, and the frame feed ramp is contoured with a more open radius for the larger-diameter .50-caliber bullet. Both are machined from heat-treated forgings, and the Model No. 1's hammer and sear are machined from tool steel.