In what year was the M1911 pistol designed?

The story behind the answer

1911 is correct because the “M1911” designation marks the year the U.S. Army officially adopted John Moses Browning’s .45 ACP semi‑automatic pistol (March 29, 1911). While Browning developed earlier prototypes and the Army held trials as early as 1907, the finalized design entered service in 1911—hence its name.

Context: The M1911 became one of the most iconic sidearms in history, serving U.S. forces through World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, prized for reliability and stopping power. It influenced countless later pistols and, despite being replaced by the