In April, the Ohio Gun Collectors Association (OGCA) displayed a historic "Colt's Path to the 1911" exhibit at the NRA's April 24-27 Annual Meeting in Atlanta. Conceived as a "once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity," this chronicle of the Colt semi‑automatic military pistol marked the finest presentation of its kind ever assembled, featuring guns that had never been seen or displayed to the public.

Colt's Path to the 1911

The 30‑foot OGCA "Colt’s Path to the 1911" exhibit presented a living timeline in arms technology that traced the journey of the iconic pistol from the earliest Browning prototypes to some of the first M1911 pistols ever produced. For attendees, this event represented a monumentally rare chance to witness the entire developmental progression in a single, compressive display.

Just as the iconic Colt wheel display presented at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia came to symbolize Colt’s dominance in the American revolver market, OGCA "Colt’s Path to the 1911" exhibit showcased the company's influence on American semi-automatic pistols in the early 20th century. After the acceptance of the Dragoon revolver, Colt became the US Army's leading supplier of American military sidearms. Browning's 1911 design continued that tradition, and OGCA's event highlighted each pivotal step in the developmental journey of one of history's most significant models.

The Collaborators

"Colt’s Path to the 1911" was an event that brought three distinguished collectors and decades of combined knowledge together. “We had three advanced collectors who had different aspects of the display and were very cooperative,” OGCA President Sean McCarter said. “It was a group effort with several others contributing in organization and development of the display.”

OGCA members Joel McCuaig, Doug Wirt, and Len Antaris each spotlighted a different chapter in the progression of the Colt semi-automatic pistol. This visual compendium presented some truly defining examples of the genre as well as rare holsters, boxes, advertisements, and accessories.

Dr. Leonardo M. Antaris, who has authored several books and articles on early semi-automatic pistols and provided content for numerous videos on the topic, contributed some of the earliest Browning pistol designs to the OGCA exhibit.

"We thought it was very important to present the developmental pathway of the most important semi-automatic in U.S. history, both military history and commercial history," Dr. Antaris said. "We've got every single variation going from 1899 to the final selection of the 1911."

Dr. Joel McCuaig brought a wealth of knowledge to the project and was also the principal architect and builder of this display. McCuaig's collection tells the story of the Colt US Military Trials pistols and the resulting adaptations Colt made in response to these rigorous torture tests.

"When we talk about the quality of the guns in the display, a lot of these guns are pictured in William H.D. Goddard's book," Dr. Joel McCuaig said. "We have prototypes, we have preproduction guns, we have production guns, we have presentation guns. We were able to put the three of us together and have a really compressive display that I think rivals any museum in the country."

Doug Wirt showcased some of the rarest Colt .45 ACP pistols, the final stepping stones to the 1911. Highlights included the seldom-seen Model 1907, Model 1909, Model 1910, the 1911 "Special Army" plus several early first-year examples of the iconic M1911.

"We worked as a team to assemble the display, we finally got all our guns on the board and all of our hard work really came together.” Mr. Wirt said. "This is probably the first time and possibly the last time all of these guns will be all together in one spot."

Colt's Path to the 1911

In the early 1890s, with the advent of smokeless gunpowder and jacketed bullets, the stage was set for the rise of the semi-automatic pistol. John Moses Browning received a US patent for a large frame recoil-operated semi-automatic design on April 20, 1897 that would lay the foundation for the Colt lineage. Two years later, on March 21, 1899, Browning obtained another patent for a blow-back pistol that would become the FN Model 1900.

OGCA "Colt’s Path to the 1911" highlighted every aspect of Browning's recoil-operated design starting from 1898. The example below, a preproduction pistol from the collection of Dr. Antaris, was tested in 1900 and includes several rare features, including a slide marked with a hand inscribed pen legend.

Much of Colt's driving goal was to produce a design capable of garnering military contracts to replace the service revolver. That required accuracy, reliability, and sufficient strength. John Browning delivered the first prototypes for testing on November 11, 1898.

Browning’s Colt Automatic Pistol, a gun that would become known as the first production Colt Model 1900, began with prototype pieces like Colt 1899 serial number 2, one of the rarest guns in early semi-automatic pistol design. John Browning continued to develop the platform in response to feedback from U.S. Army testing, including the slide lock prototype pictured below.

"Browning had an ingenious device that he designed that holds the slide open after the last round is expired," Dr. McCuaig explained. "Then you're able to remove the clip, put a fresh clip in, release the slide lock, and the slide goes forward and loads the pistol. We're all used to that today, virtually every gun has it. Put that was his invention patented in 1902. He had the design presented to Colt. They built it on this particular gun."

After the mixed results of the Colt Model 1900 and two small Army contracts (First and Second Contracts) and the Navy contract, both Colt and the U.S. military saw the need to improve the design. The Model 1902 made the pistol more robust and suitable for military and commercial use. Though its power and durability was ultimately called into question by the Ordnance Department, the 1902 was a critical intermediate that proved the locked-breech system was viable in semi-auto combat pistols.

The U.S. military asked for a more powerful cartridge, so Browning set about developing the .45 ACP and redesigning his pistol to accommodate the new round. Union Metallic Cartridge Company (UMC) assisted with the cartridge, which went on to become the standard U.S. military pistol round for most of the 20th century. As the first pistol designed around .45 ACP, the Colt Model 1905 represented a major milestone in the journey toward the legendary Colt Model 1911.

Mr. Wirt recently acquired one of the finest examples of these rare pistols, a clear highlight of the OGCA display. "In special cases, these guns were engraved and presented," Mr. Wirt said. "This one was given to a [West Point Cadet] Alexander G. Pendleton."

Pendleton was discharged by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903, then later reinstated in 1905. His original classmates through so highly of him they gave him this exceptional presentation Colt in 1906. The extraordinary pistol is factory engraved and gold inlaid and features special grips and Colt early blue, an stunning combination that won a Silver Medal at the 2025 NRA Annual Meeting.

Another treasure displayed at OGCA's "Colt’s Path to the 1911" event and one of the rarest and most historically significant prototypes in the development of the Colt M1911, the Model 1907 was never mass-produced for general use. Features included an improved grip safety, a spur hammer, and a modified ejection port and ejector, a lanyard ring, and a loaded chamber indicator. 200 Colt Model 1907 pistols were ordered for extended troop trials.

Even more elusive is the Colt 1909, more of a prototype series than a truly separate production model. The load indicator was eliminated, and the Model 1909 featured smoother feeding and ejection compared to earlier models, an improved grip safety, a repositioned and redesigned magazine release for easier operation, and the slide release was modified as an integral part of the link pin.

The Colt Model 1910 Automatic Pistol was one of the most important transitional firearms in American military history and directly led to the adoption of the M1911. The 1910 served as John Moses Browning’s final prototype to meet the U.S. Army’s stringent requirements for a .45 caliber semi-automatic sidearm, and the OGCA's "Colt’s Path to the 1911" display featured two of these monumental examples.

After extensive trials, the Colt M1911 was approved by the U.S. Army Ordnance Department on March 29, 1911. The gun was officially adopted as the "Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911" on May 5. Two years later, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps would also select the pistol, solidifying its role as America's standard-issue military sidearm for decades to come.

The OGCA's "Colt’s Path to the 1911" exhibition stands as a testament to the Ohio Gun Collectors Association’s dedication to preserving firearms history, offering a rare glimpse into the evolution of Colt’s semi-automatic pistols. This extraordinary display, featuring the finest and rarest variants of the genre, presented a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration of elite collectors seeking to inspire the historic arms community by celebrating the developmental journey of America's longest-serving sidearm.

Legacy of the OGCA

Known today as the granddaddy of US gun collector associations, the OGCA was founded in 1937 by Miller Bedford in New London Ohio. The Ohio Gun Collectors Association quickly established itself as a group committed to preserving firearms history. During the Second World War, OGCA attracted a variety of arms experts and military members like actor and Army Air Corpsman Captain Clark Gable and ballistic forensics pioneer Lt. Col. Calvin.

In 1949, the OGCA incorporated as a non-profit with more than 1,000 members. Today, that number has swelled to 15,500. OGCA members have earned top honors in a host of firearms exhibitions, including winning the NRA Gun Collectors Committee Trophy 11 times. Members of the OGCA have authored over 100 firearms books, showcasing the organization's deep expertise and passion for the field.

In 1998, the OGCA launched its Annual Display Show Committee to organize a yearly event showcasing exceptional firearms from all genres and eras. Although these events are not open to public walk-ins, members' guests are welcome with advance passes and each Annual Display Show draws thousands of attendees.

Thanks to an immersive atmosphere, hands-on exhibits, and the expertise and camaraderie of this fantastic collecting community, each event hosted by the OGCA is a memorable experience for anyone interested in history, engineering, craftsmanship, and rubbing shoulders with some of the most experienced arms collectors in the world.

For those who were unable to attend "Colt’s Path to the 1911" exhibit, the OGCA has provided an electronic compendium that depicts and expounds upon the firearms and accouterments from this historic display, a truly complete overview of early Colt semi-automatic pistol design made possible by the nation's oldest and largest gun collecting organization.