General Custer Classics

About the General Custer Classics

The General Custer Classics copies the proportions of the original piece: the same length, the same grip angle and the same weight in the hand. The frame is cast in zinc aluminium, hand fitted and finished in standard, and the grips follow the original screw pattern so they can be replaced with a period set if you want a different look.

Semi automatic replicas are judged on three things: the profile, the finish and the weight. The 1911 pattern is the most requested because it is instantly recognisable on camera, and the same frame is offered in government, commander and compact lengths. A full size 1911 with wood grips reads as a service pistol from the 1940s; the same gun in nickel with black grips reads as a 1980s movie prop.

Handle it the way you would the real thing: muzzle away from people, and in a case when you are in public. Wipe the metal with a dry cloth after handling, because fingerprints are acidic and will mark a standard surface within weeks. Do not polish the finish, which is a thin surface treatment and comes off long before the tarnish does.

Specifications at a glance

• Finish: standard
• Type: non-firing replica
• Use: display, costume, reenactment, film