The Colt OHWS (also known as Colt SOCOM) was a
semi-automatic pistol
A semi-automatic pistol (also called a self-loading pistol, autopistol, or autoloading pistol) is a repeating firearm, repeating handgun that automatically ejects and loads cartridge (firearms), cartridges in its chamber (firearms), chamber afte ...
created by
Colt to compete for the
United States Special Operations Command
The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) is the unified combatant command charged with overseeing the various special operations component commands of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force of the United States A ...
(US SOCOM) Offensive Handgun Weapon System (OHWS) tender. The winner of this competition would become the standard-issue handgun for most US
special forces
Special forces or special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
groups. The OHWS contract was awarded to
Heckler & Koch for their
MK23 Mod 0 pistol, and Colt scrapped the project.
The Colt OHWS was based on the
M1911 frame and carried a single-stack 10-round
magazine
A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...
. The handgun was designed to carry a removable
sound suppressor
A silencer, also known as a sound suppressor, suppressor, or sound moderator, is a gun barrel#Muzzle, muzzle device that suppresses the muzzle blast, blast created when a gun (firearm or airgun) is discharged, thereby reducing the sound inten ...
and a
laser aiming module (LAM).
The handgun was chambered for the
.45 ACP cartridge.
Colt developed their OHWS handgun during the early 1990s to compete for a contract under the US SOCOM Offensive Handgun Weapon System (OHWS) program. The Colt OHWS was produced to fire .45 ammunition, but was capable of firing most .45 ammunition designed, including SOCOMs intended primary round, .45 ACP +P. At the time Colt's pistols were not capable of handling +P ammunition consistently, Colt decided that instead of modifying the previous SOCOM weapon, the M1911A1, to meet SOCOM's current needs it would be more cost-effective to produce a brand new handgun.
The Colt OHWS was a compilation of combined top features from other Colt firearms including the M1911A1, Double Eagle and All American 2000. Colt used the rotating barrel locking system from the All American 2000—one of the strongest locking systems designed for handguns; a double-action trigger with de-cocker, and hammer from the Double Eagle; and the manual safety and firing mechanism from the M1911A1, though adjustable and producing much less recoil. The design was modified from the M1911A1, except mostly machined, and the slide was made of stainless steel. Colt added a slide lock, to stop cycling of the mechanism and slide in sound-sensitive cases. To promote reliability Colt decided to use a single-column 10-round magazine instead of a double-column. An interesting feature of the Colt OHWS was mounting muzzle attachments was done through the frame instead of moving barrel; they did this by adding an extension rail and toggle switch. The problem was the silencer could not be attached without the muzzle brake in proper place. Colt added in an additional rail under the dust cover to attach tactical lights or LAMs.
SOCOM found the Colt OHWS to be too bulky, not as durable as expected and the accessories to be too meticulous to use and fit, leading to a loss in the competition for SOCOM's contract to the
Heckler & Koch Mark 23.
See also
*
List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces
References
External links
Modern Firearms
.45 ACP semi-automatic pistols
Colt semi-automatic pistols
Semi-automatic pistols of the United States
Trial and research firearms of the United States
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