LAR Grizzly
| Grizzly Win Mag | |
|---|---|
L.A.R. Grizzly Mark I in .45 Winchester Magnum with 6.5" barrel
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| Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Perry Arnett |
| Manufacturer | L.A.R. Manufacturing Inc |
| Produced | 1983-1999 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | |
| Length | 267 mm (10.25 in) with 6.5 in barrel |
| Barrel length | 5.4 in, 6.5 in, 8 in & 10 in |
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| Cartridge | |
| Action | Short recoil (swinging link and locking lugs) |
| Rate of fire | Single action semi-automatic |
| Muzzle velocity | 457 m/s (1,500 ft/s) (.45 Win Mag 230gr bullet from 5.4 inch barrel) |
| Feed system | Detachable box magazine: 7 round |
| Sights | Fixed ramped blade front, fully adjustable rear |
The Grizzly Win Mag pistols were conceived, invented, designed, engineered and developed in the 1980s by the sole inventor, Perry Arnett, who licensed his patent for an interchangeable caliber automatic pistol to L.A.R. Manufacturing Inc. The L.A.R. Grizzly was the most powerful semi-automatic pistol ever commercially produced (the Mark V was chambered in .50 AE to compete with the IMI Desert Eagle).
The LAR Grizzly pistol was a modified Colt M1911 style pistol with oversize components designed to handle larger, more powerful cartridges than could be used in the standard size 1911 pistol. The original prototype built by Perry Arnett was made from two Colt 1911 frames and slides cut and welded to accommodate the 45WM round, with two steel doubler plates welded to the slide flats to retard the action and increase strength.
Between 1983 and 1999, approximately 15,000 guns were produced in four versions capable of firing 6 different cartridges. All guns were hand fitted and capable of high accuracy.
The Grizzly is an oversize of the Colt M1911 design, and most parts are interchangeable with those of the standard size pistols of other manufacturers. The Mark I and Mark II models, offered in the mid 1980's were developed to fire the powerful .45 Winchester Magnum round. At various times, conversion kits were sold allowing the pistol to fire other rounds, including .45 ACP, 10 mm Auto, and .357 Magnum. Later, the Mark IV model was designed specifically to handle high pressure .44 Magnum loads, and the Mark V was designed to chamber the still more potent .50 AE. The 357/45 Grizzly WinMag .357-.45 GWM was a powerful wildcat round designed for the LAR Grizzly pistol.
The standard Grizzly models had a 5.5" slide, most often seen fitted with a 6.5" barrel which extends one inch beyond the slide, and less commonly with a 5.5" barrel in combination with a factory fitted bushing style recoil compensator. Special models with 8" and 10" barrels for hunting and silhouette competition were also produced (in small quantities).
A Grizzly caliber conversion kit typically included a barrel, a magazine, an ejector, an extractor, a barrel bushing, and a recoil spring. Some also included a bushing type recoil compensator and a wrench for use with the compensator.
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Wikipedia