Cabot Guns 80th anniversary D-Day Tribute pistols
Cabot Guns commemorates the 80th anniversary of Operation Overlord with the launch of two totally custom, completely hand-made 1911 pistols: one will be put on permanent display, the other is to be auctioned off for charity
Cabot Guns 80th anniversary D-Day Tribute pistols
On June 6, celebrating the 80th anniversary of Operation Overlord – the biggest amphibious assault in history that brought Allied forces on the shores of Normandy and marked the beginning of the end for the nazi occupation of Europe – Cabot Guns, a specialist in bespoke and limited edition 1911 pistols, announced the launch of the Cabot Guns D-Day Tribute pistols.
This pair of commemorative .45 ACP 1911 pistols is manufactured with the collaboration of renowned blacksmith and Vietnam veteran Ray Rybar, who crafted damascus billet for the slides using the smelted sand from Omaha and Utah beaches, assorted metal artifacts from D-Day, and the same 100-year-old forging hammers that American workers used during World War II. This unique damascus was forged and reforged into 49 to 70 layers.
Legible sections on the slide read "All gave some, some gave all", "6 June 1944 - D-Day", and feature the logos of the Ranger batallions and the silver parachute and wings badge of paratroopers. The same damascus, with the same legible sections, is used on the grip panels.
It’s important to note that the legible sections aren't engraved, but obtained as an elemental aspect of the steel itself. The fact that they appear reversed on one side of the slide but are clearly legible on the other demonstrates how they are an integral, embedded feature of the steel’s composition. On the other hand, the Damascus used for all four grips was forged so that the words and icons would be clear and legible for each panel.
Both pistols are built on stainless steel frames, featuring the words "Never Forget" engraved on the left side and the flaming sword emblem of SHAEF (Supreme Headquarter Allied Expeditionary Forces") engraved on the hold-open lever.
Each D-Day Pistol is contained in a one-of-a-kind custom mahogany case crafted by retired US Navy SEAL Jimmy Hintzke, featuring metal plaques containing maps and images created using intricate controlled explosive techniques.
The interior of the mahogany case is inscribed with the names of 24 U.S. and Allied divisions that participated in D-Day, along with an invasion map of the five Normandy beaches stormed by the troops.
The presentation tray for the pistol is flanked by the insigna of US Paratrooper and Ranger regiments, and by miniature reproductions of the "Czech Hedgehogs", iconic tank obstructions that defensively lined the beaches of Normandy. A pocket on the interior lid of the case includes three booklets: the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States of America, and The Bill of Rights.
The Cabot Guns D-Day Tribute pistols are not available for direct sale: of the two made, one – the "D-Day Trial pistol" – will be put on permanent display for educational purposes; the other, dubbed the "D-Day Final pistol", will be auctioned off with one hundred percent of the proceeds contributed directly to veteran charities in the US.