Admiral: A New Name Enters the 1911 Game

Cue the hype guy and ring the bells as a new line of 1911s was just announced last week from (wait for it) budget gunmaker Palmetto State Armory.

Written By

Michael Crites

Licensed Concealed Carry Holder

Reviewed by

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Updated

Sep 2023

In 1911, Colt began production of their now-iconic Government Issue Model pistol, which was of course adopted by the U.S. Army that year as the Model of 1911. Other than licensed production by a few companies– North American Arms and Remington Arms – UMC– as well as production by the Army-owned Springfield Armory during the Great War, the company maintained all the patents and remained the home of the “M1911.”

Post-war came some more licensed production overseas in Norway (by Kongsberg) and Argentina (Esteban de Luca Arsenal) for limited military contracts, but Colt remained caretaker of the model, which was upgraded to the M1911A1 after 1924, for another decade and a half.

Then came World War II, where Colt once more was forced to allow competitors (Ithaca and H&R) and other manufacturers new to the gun market (typewriter maker Remington Rand, railway signal maker US&S, and the Singer Sewing Machine company) as well as the Army’s arsenals to produce their vaunted .45 ACP hardballer for Uncle Sam.

Colt reverted to the status as prime 1911 maker after 1945 and remained on top until the late 1970s when a few small companies (AMT, Essex, Auto-Ordnance, etc.) started horning in on the action, which led to Colt securing new patents for “80 Series” guns in an attempt to retain market share.

By the late 1980s, though, all bets were off, and more companies started making custom 1911s (Caspian, Clark, Wilson Combat) while overseas guys like Llama and Star in Spain made a ton of budget near-clones.

And so on until today when it seems most of the largest pistol makers– such as Browning, Dan Wesson, Kimber, Ruger, Savage, Smith & Wesson, Springfield Armory, SIG Sauer, and Walther– are all in the game.

Meanwhile, even though Llama and Star faded away, they have been replaced by a very eager (and particularly good for the money) Rock Island/Armscor from the Philippines, EAA/SDS/Tisas in Turkey, Taurus in Brazil, and Cimmaron in Italy.

Meanwhile, several top-shelf 1911 makers have opened shops in the past 25 years– guys like Nighthawk Custom, Ed Brown, Les Baer, and Cabot– who specialize in the bespoke and truly eye-catching.

It is a wonder that Colt still makes 1911s at all with all the competition.

Well, cue the hype guy and ring the bells as a new line of 1911s was just announced last week from (wait for it) budget gunmaker Palmetto State Armory.

Priced between $399 (on sale) and $649, PSA’s new Admiral line is available in a Standard (.45 ACP, GI sights, trigger, and hammer), Tactical (.45 ACP, railed frame, extended beavertail, combat trigger and hammer) and Ultra (10mm, fiber optic sights, G10 grips) models.

PSA 1911 Admiral in Standard, Tactical, and Ultra

The problem is, that the models are rebranded Rock Islands, as noted by the folks over at ARFcom, meaning the pricing is about the same as offered on the PI-made guns.

PSA also notes in the description that the “Admiral Series is a line of 1911 Handguns exclusively made for PSA by Rock Island Armory. This handgun blends timeless aesthetics with contemporary functionality, catering to both firearm enthusiasts and collectors seeking a reliable and versatile sidearm.”

So why did they go with the “Admiral” name for the series? Maybe because they came over here on a ship from Asia? Maybe because boomers love Yacht Rock and 1911s? Who knows?

The main thing is that America’s love for the 1911 has another suitor.

Well now, Springfield has introduced two new variants that share every feature and only change with the barrel length and type.

The new models include an 18-inch and a 20-inch, the latter with a ribbed forward section for enhanced cooling as well as an integrated bayonet lug (with the company promising compatible bayonets on the way). Springfield points out that the 20-inch model sports a similar configuration to that of the Croatian Army’s VHS-D2, a super accurate designated marksman version of the VHS-2.

Spec	Hellion 16	Hellion 18	Hellion 20
Barrel Length:	16 inches	18 inches	20 inches (includes bayonet lug)
Overall Length:	28.25 - 29.75 inches	30.25 — 31.75 inches	32.25 — 33.75 inches
Weight:	8 pounds	8 pounds 3 oz	8 pounds 6 oz
MSRP:	$1999	$2016	$2031

The neat thing is that the price point is practically the same, and, while some other Springfield platforms (looking at you, Prodigy) have gotten some downright mixed to bad reviews, it seems like everyone kind of likes the Hellion.

Time will tell.

Meet the Experts

Written By

Michael Crites

Licensed Concealed Carry Holder

Michael Crites has served as executive editor of AmericanFirearms.org since 2016 and previously held positions as associate editor and range correspondent dating back to 2000. He discovered his passion for precision shooting at age 12 during his first visit to his grandfather's shooting range, eventually earning an Expert classification in three different shooting disciplines before age 18. During his studies at University of Wyoming, he earned four varsity letters on the collegiate rifle and pistol teams, serving as team captain for three consecutive years. He became the first UW student to complete the NRA Range Safety Officer certification while maintaining full-time student status. He graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Communications. His diverse career has included roles as Range Safety Coordinator for the National Rifle Championships in Camp Perry 2001; editor-in-chief, Precision Shooter Quarterly; series editor, Modern Firearms Handbook collection; managing editor, National Shooting Sports Foundation Newsletter; editor, Competitive Shooter Magazine; operations director for Western Arms & Ammunition Co.; senior editor for the Shooter's Reference Annual (Cheyenne); content director for The Firearms Report, published by the American Shooting Coalition in Billings, MT; firearms correspondent for Hunting & Shooting, produced by Outdoor Sports Media Group in Jackson, WY; and publisher for Wyoming Shooting Sports Journal in Casper. He has contributed as a regular columnist for American Rifleman (NRA Publications), technical editor for Precision, a publication of the National Bench Rest Shooters Association (Phoenix, AZ); and as firearms specialist for the Gun Owner's Annual. As a digital content creator, he has written more than 400 articles on AmericanFirearms.org, developed shooting technique coverage for the Brownells Shooting Blog (Montezuma, IA) and Federal Premium "Range Notes" platform (Anoka, MN), and served as lead content strategist for International Defensive Pistol Association (Berryville, AR). Beyond Tactical Firearms, his current endeavors include content development for the Wyoming State Rifle Association (Cheyenne, WY) and technical manual production for High Plains Publishing of Laramie, WY. He has contributed to the 12th, 13th, and 14th editions of Modern Sporting Rifles Guide and edited The Complete Guide to Tactical Shooting and Competitive Shooter's Reference Manual (Gun Digest Books).