Colt M1911 / M1911A1 vs Glock 17

1911–present

1982–Present

Millions

12,000,000+ units (estimated worldwide across all generations and variants)

216 mm

204 mm (8.03 in)

127 mm

114 mm (4.49 in)

1,100 g

625 g (1.38 lb) empty, 905 g (1.99 lb) loaded

7+1 or 8+1 rounds

17 rounds standard; 19, 24, 31, 33, 45 round options available

short recoil

Short recoil, locked breech, striker-fired with Safe Action trigger system (trigger safety, firing pin safety, drop safety)

SAO

Consistent ~2.5 kg (5.5 lb) pull, single‑stage Safe Action trigger

Fixed or adjustable

Fixed polymer front post, fixed polymer rear notch; optional tritium night sights or aftermarket rail‑mounted optics