From the Vault: Sokolovsky Automaster Target Pistol

It kind of resembles a 1911, maybe a future descendant of Ol' Slabsides from the 23rd Century. But the Sokolovsky Automaster .45 ACP pistol is built for bullseye target competition through and through. It's extremely rare and unlike any Forty-Five you've ever seen. Brownells Gun Techs Steve Ostrem and Keith Ford got their gloved hands on this Sokolovsky during a recent visit to Rock Island Auction Company. The Automaster's sleek, elegant-lined exterior is completely FREE of pins or screws. Even the clean, parallelogram Walnut grips are retained by hidden fasteners. The manual safety and magazine release are INSIDE the triggerguard, snugged up on either side of the trigger. It looks like the Sokolovsky has three triggers! This setup would take a some getting used to.

Despite the .45 ACP chambering, the Sokolovsky has a straight blowback operating system, with a stationary 6" barrel and a heavy slide. This is one hefty hunk o' beautifully machined stainless steel! "The sights and the barrel will be aligned for Eternity, perfectly," says Steve. With its weight and excellent balance, you can hold the Sokolovsky steady on a bullseye target as long as you need to.

The Automaster is striker-fired, and there are safety and striker status indicators on the back. Click the safety "trigger" once and the safety is engaged, click it twice and safety off. Not a good configuration for a daily carry gun, but better under the control conditions of bullseye target competition.

The magazine appears to be a standard 1911 mag modified with a unique floorplate. The adjustable rear sight looks like a Millet handgun sight. In keeping with the minimalist theme, markings on are sparse: "Sokolovsky .45 Automaster" and "1st Edition No. 2 of 50" on the right-hand side, and the patent number plus "Sokolovsky Corp., Sunnyvale, Ca., U.S.A." on the other side. A Sokolovsky sell sheet that came with the Rock Island gun indicates the original, ca. mid-1980s, sale price was $3,333.

Steve's Take: If you balance your load carefully with that hefty slide, the Sokolovsky Automaster would be one super soft-shooting bullseye pistol. Folks still DO shoot bullseye target competitions. Would these competitors trade their Les Baer and Wilson Combat 1911s for an Automaster? We'll leave that question open for the Comments section!

Видео From the Vault: Sokolovsky Automaster Target Pistol канала Brownells, Inc.