Unfired LAR Grizzly Alabama Special Edition 45 Win Mag Serial #022

The Grizzly WinMag pistol had been developed during early 1980s by L.A.R. Manufacturing Inc. (L.A.R. stands for names of company founders - Larisch, Augat and Robinson). This pistol has been designed around the very powerful .45 Winchester Magnum (.45 WinMag) ammunition, which generates muzzle energies in the 810 ft-lbs. region. The prime intended niches for that round and Grizzly pistol were hunting and silhouette shooting, as the massive pistol was way too heavy for defensive carry, and .45 WinMag ammunition was overpowered and generated plenty of recoil. Despite (or because of) merits of .45 WinMag ammunition, the Grizzly pistol was designed as a multi-caliber platform. Standard Grizzly Mark I pistols were sold in .45 WinMag chambering, but patented factory conversion kits were available for conversion of said pistol into one of many popular calibers, including .45 ACP, 10mm Auto, .357 Magnum and several others. Such kits included new barrels, barrel bushings, springs, magazines, as well as "multi-caliber" extractors and ejectors which replaced the dedicated ".45 WinMag only" extractor and ejector of the basic weapon. Later on, L.A.R. Manufacturing also introduced two slightly enlarged versions of the Grizzly, known as the Mark IV and Mark V. Mark IV pistols were chambered for popular .44 Magnum revolver round; the Mark V was chambered for very powerful .50 AE ammunition, in an obvious attempt to catch up with competitors such as IMI/Magnum Research's Desert Eagle or the AMT Automag. However, for various reasons, manufacture of Grizzly pistols has ceased by the turn of 21st century, and today these pistols are no longer made. L.A.R. Manufacturing Inc. is no longer in business and these great pistols can only be found in online auctions or at local gun shows.

     Grizzly pistols are known for good accuracy, high quality and fierce recoil, especially in Mark V .50 AE version; these pistols required replacement of return springs quite often, about every 1000 rounds or so (in more common calibers return springs can serve ten or twenty times more with not a single problem). Pistols were available with different barrel lengths (6.5 inch barrel being the standard), with optional muzzle brakes and/or compensators.

     Technically, L.A.R. Grizzly pistols were scaled up copies of eternal Colt M1911 pistol, designed by John Browning. Grizzly used the same locked breech, short recoil operated action with tilting barrel and swinging link. The trigger was of single action type, with exposed hammer, automatic grip safety and frame-mounted manual safety. Magazines were single stack. Standard sights were of target type, with fully adjustable rear.