Caraville Arms Double Ace
Designed by Clarence A. Raville, the Caraville Arms Double Ace was an aftermarket kit for the 1911 platform which converted the gun from a grip safety design to a squeeze-cocking design, in the same vicinity as that of the Heckler & Koch P7 pistol. The obvious physical differences between these two designs is that while the H&K P7's squeeze cocking lever is activated at the front and top of the grip, the Caraville Arms Double Ace conversion is activated at the back and bottom of the grip of a 1911.
While advertised and marketed as a double-action conversion, the Double Ace is a type of squeeze-cocker design, although not exactly the same as the one in the H&K P7. There are multiple operations capable with the Double Ace, but only two that I am aware of:
"So what's the point?" you might ask. Well, consider it an exercise in "why not?". While I do not consider the Double-Ace to be considerably more advantageous than the tried-and-true "cocked and locked" method of carrying a 1911, it does eliminate the extra, more-complex movement required to flip off a thumb safety, and can theoretically be fired faster, since you can be pulling on the trigger as you draw, and squeezing when you acquire your target and are ready to fire (using the first above-mentioned operation). Alternatively, you can use it in a "cocked and locked" variant by cocking the hammer past full-cock (using the second above-mentioned method) and activating your thumb safety (not necessary), then dropping it, squeezing the backstrap, and pulling the trigger to fire. Either way, I'm a fan of the unique design and do not carry and qualms against carrying it, with the practice needed to get used to the slightly different draw and shoot techniques the design offers.
While advertised and marketed as a double-action conversion, the Double Ace is a type of squeeze-cocker design, although not exactly the same as the one in the H&K P7. There are multiple operations capable with the Double Ace, but only two that I am aware of:
- Using the first operation, the Double Ace adds an additional cocking position between half-cock and full-cock, which Caraville Arms calls the "Standby" position. This new Standby position acts in place of the thumb and grip safety, in that you cannot fire the gun by simply pulling the trigger. To fire the gun from the Standby position, you pull the trigger while you squeeze the backstrap of the Double Ace into the grip of the pistol. When squeezing, the hammer gets pulled back to the full-cock position, and if your finger is pulling the trigger back, the hammer will fall all the way to the firing pin and fire. If you are not pulling the trigger when you squeeze the backstrap in, the hammer will reach full-cock, but then fall back to half-cock - a safety feature that does not allow the gun to fire unless the trigger is being pulled while squeezing.
- When using the second operation, you cock the hammer back past full-cock. At this point, pulling the trigger does nothing, and you can utilize the thumb safety if you so desire, in a more traditional "cocked and locked" variant. To fire, drop the thumb safety (if you have it engaged), then squeeze the backstrap, followed by a trigger pull to fire. The backstrap squeeze and trigger pull using this operation is considerably lighter than the backstrap squeeze needed in the first method.
"So what's the point?" you might ask. Well, consider it an exercise in "why not?". While I do not consider the Double-Ace to be considerably more advantageous than the tried-and-true "cocked and locked" method of carrying a 1911, it does eliminate the extra, more-complex movement required to flip off a thumb safety, and can theoretically be fired faster, since you can be pulling on the trigger as you draw, and squeezing when you acquire your target and are ready to fire (using the first above-mentioned operation). Alternatively, you can use it in a "cocked and locked" variant by cocking the hammer past full-cock (using the second above-mentioned method) and activating your thumb safety (not necessary), then dropping it, squeezing the backstrap, and pulling the trigger to fire. Either way, I'm a fan of the unique design and do not carry and qualms against carrying it, with the practice needed to get used to the slightly different draw and shoot techniques the design offers.
Patents:
US Patent 3,656,249
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US Patent 3,901,125
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US Patent 4,031,808
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Publications:
"Installation, Use, & Care of the Double Ace Double Action Conversion"
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"Information Bulletin: Double Ace 45 Auto Double Action Conversion Unit"
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"Double Ace by Caraville" by Greg Moats
American Handgunner, May/June 1982
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