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MoH recipient Dakota Meyer helps develop new 1911

Author:James K. Sanborn  ComeFrom:marinecorpstimes.com Date:2014/10/30 2:34:47 Hits:2164
Anyone with $3,500 to spare can now own a pistol befitting a Medal of Honor recipient.

Akai Custom Guns, a Florida firearms manufacturer that outfits some of the world’s top competitive shooters, recently released a pistol created in partnership with Marine MoH recipient Cpl. Dakota Meyer. With his input, they manufactured the Dakota Meyer Special Edition 1911 in .45ACP.

The new .45-caliber 1911 pistol is accurate enough to shoot in competition and rugged enough for self-defense or concealed carry said Shay Akai, the company’s owner.

“It was important that it was nontraditional, more aggressive, more modern,” Akai said. “Dakota had some very specific requests. It had to be the kind of gun you would be proud to carry in the sandbox.”

The M1911 is an American icon, in service since before World War I and carried by troops until the introduction of the 9mm Beretta M9 in the 1980s. It has a storied history, but many have an old-school look about them with wood handles.

Meyer, who was awarded the nation’s top valor award i for heroism during a 2009 battle in Afghanistan, was consulted on the design. He told Akai he wanted something that belonged on the modern battlefield.

The end product was a no-nonsense-looking pistol that — unlike its predecessors — would look at home on the hip of a fighter carrying a black M16. More traditional 1911s are a better match for rifles with wood stocks, like the M1 Garand or M14.

On one side of the sleek new pistol’s slide, it reads: “For Those Who Gave All.” On the other side, it reads: “Dakota Meyer, Medal of Honor Recipient.”

Still, looking the part wasn’t enough. Meyer, who is credited with making several trips into the line of fire to recover wounded and killed Afghan and U.S. troops when his embedded training team was ambushed by more than 50 enemy fighters during a patrol, wanted something that could also function in battle. Often high-end guns, especially those crafted for competition, are sensitive to dirt, carbon buildup and adverse conditions. They sacrifice reliability in favor of speed and accuracy. But Akai worked high performance and the reliability expected of a service weapon into the design.

“Reliability is extremely important, but we also expect accuracy,” Akai said. “It will go 1,000 rounds before a cleaning and still function. It is not going to be a Glock, but it will have accuracy that no Glock can achieve.”

A great deal of thought went into cutting the slide with aggressive serrations that allow an operator to grip and cycle the slide, even when it is muddy or wet. There are also no sharp corners that would catch on gear or clothing, and it was designed for use with either hand. An ambidextrous safety means an injured gun fighter could remain in the fight, shooting with the off hand. To zero in on target in any condition, the pistol features night sights.

Other features include a tactical rail frame for affixing lights and an integrated mag well for faster magazine changes; A KART National Match bull’s-eye barrel made from 4150 mil-spec steel, the same used to construct M16 barrels; Wire electrical discharge machining-cut trigger group that breaks at 3 pounds;. IonBond Diamond Like Carbon finish, one of the most durable on the market.

When they finally delivered the pistol, Akai said Meyer was ecstatic.

“He called up and said, ‘I didn’t know you were going to send me a pistol more accurate than my sniper rifle,’ ” he said. “You can compete with it, carry it, it can be a nightstand gun — it is extremely shootable. It is a heavier gun, but the feel of it is very soft shooting.”

For $3,500, the package includes a case emblazoned with a Dakota Meyer logo, a special challenge coin and a magazine.

Akai said he hopes to work with Meyer again in the future. He is discussing the creation of AR-15 rifle and concealed carry pistol lines.

MoH recipient Dakota Meyer helps develop new 1911

Dakota Meyer Special Edition 1911 in .45ACP (Courtesy Akai Custom Guns)

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