DoubleStar’s first handgun … or not
DoubleStar has issued a press release announcing their “first-ever handgun”. From the press release (emphasis mine):
Accuracy, reliability and American pride. They are qualities DoubleStar builds into each of its many AR-15 offerings. Now, the Kentucky-based manufacturer is bringing those same attributes down to size by building them into its first-ever handgun.
The new DoubleStar 1911
All very well and good except this is not the first DoubleStar handgun. The pistol below is on listed at BudsGunShop.com as a “Doublestar 1911 5″ Govt 45acp made in Winchester Ky.”. THe DoubleStar logo is clearly visible on the slide. Searching Google for “doublestar 1911″ comes up with many forum postings mentioning the DoubleStar 1911 Government model pistol since at least 2006.
Innocent break down in communication between management and PR? Rewriting history? Outright deception? I don’t know.
Anyway, the specs for the new pistol are:
Caliber: .45 ACP
Finish: Parkerized
Weight (unloaded): 38 oz.
Length: 8”
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights: Novak white Dot
Capacity: 8 + 1 rounds
Grips: Buyer’s choice (Ergo, Stryder, walnut, other woods)
It features 1913 rail, National Match stainless barrel, Greider trigger, Ed Brown’s Memory Grip Safety and choice of a square or round trigger guard. It will retail for under $1200.
Double Star never MARKETED a complete “DoubleStar 1911,” but you could in fact get them, if you made the trek down to Winchester, KY and got one from the factory, or from one of the employees/reps at a gun show. This new 1911, and the few, more traditional, 1911s on sale at Bud’s (the “market testers” that Tim mentioned), are the first widely marketed, complete handguns from DoubleStar. Aside from the marketing confusion, this is actually a really nice shooter, but I am biased towards DSC as a whole, their factory being practically in my backyard.
You’re right. They did produce a few handfuls of pistols to “test the market”. They didn’t have them in production until this year. Sorry for the confusion on my statement.
I purchased a complete 1911 .45 from DoubleStar in December 2007. I went to the factory and picked it up. Don’t know if they went full production on it or not, but they did sell complete guns.
DoubleStar manufactured pieces and parts for 1911 shooters, but never produced a factory production complete, ready to shoot, 1911 until now.
Completed 1911 slides had their logo/name. The sold forged frames. Just never a complete .45 until now.
Hope this helps clarify the matter.