102 years and untold billions of rounds of .45ACP after its introduction, American shooters, law enforcement and elite military units the world over still rely on the immortal 1911 to get the job done. In the mid 1980s, the US military began the process of retiring their old warhorse. In 1985, Springfield Armory in Geneseo, Illinois first offered newly manufactured 1911s to the gun buying public. The next 28 years firmly established Springfield Armory as the leading manufacturer of 1911s, and the standard by which all other 1911s are judged today.