Gunmaker's Bizarre War Relic Secret

Cabot Guns doesn't just build 1911s, it builds backstory, and a recent sitdown on Colion Noir's channel digs into just how far that goes. The headline project is the America 250 series: 50 limited-edition pistols with triggers forged from Damascus steel made out of an actual Revolutionary War British cannonball pulled from Lake Champlain, timed to the 250th anniversary of the country.

Key points

• The source: Cabot sourced a six-pound British cannonball recovered from Lake Champlain, site of key Revolutionary War battles, rather than breaking down intact swords they considered too historically significant to melt down.
• The process: the cannonball was converted into Damascus steel and used specifically in the triggers of the 50 America 250 guns.
• The timeline: according to the video, the idea started two years before release, back in 2024, showing how long these concept-to-production runs actually take.
• Not a one-off: Cabot also built two guns using sand and artifacts tied to the 80th anniversary of D-Day, with Damascus steel again, though the company stresses the material wasn't personally pulled from Normandy's beaches.
• The philosophy: Cabot's team frames these builds as turning firearms into historical and artistic objects, not just mechanical tools, a point Colion Noir echoes as what got him into guns in the first place.

Quick take

This isn't a range-performance review, it's a look at how a boutique 1911 maker turns history into a selling point. If commemorative builds with a real story and real materials appeal to you, this is worth the watch before the run sells out.

Watch the full video: Colion Noir