An Art Gallery in Your Hands! Cabot’s $99,000 1911 – SHOT Show 2018

Every year at SHOT Show the Cabot booth is abuzz. No mystery on why that is. Rob Bianchin, Cabot’s Founder and President, consistently puts out the cat’s pajamas.

I mean that figuratively, of course.  Displaying feline nightwear at a firearms industry tradeshow would be weird.



We’re talking about the most stunning (you’ll-quickly-run-out-of-superlatives-to-describe-’em) 1911s on the market.  And these pistols aren’t just shootable works of art.  Built to aerospace tolerances, they are real shooters.  One-and-a-half-inch groups at 25 yards.  Guaranteed.

Caution: What you are about to see may induce drooling.  Have a rag handy.

The Icon

Starting off with my favorite of the bunch, the Icon.  Cabot took Old Slabside and gave it a modern industrial makeover.  What some might call a new twist on an old classic.

The result is a monochromatic pistol with hyper-clean lines that is as concerned with functionality as it is with form.  A truly beautiful gun.  But not too pretty that you’d be afraid to carry it or shoot it on the regular.

Purchasers can order the Icon in .45 ACP or 9mm.  They also have a choice between the Commander model with a 4.25-inch barrel and the Government model with a 5-inch barrel.  Ships with two flush-fitting 8 round mags and an Italian-made black box.

To kick it up another notch, you can order a black Alligator Holster for an additional $500.

The MSRP on the Icon is $4,995.  This is the most budget-friendly option of the three.

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The Damascus Ladder Deluxe

Next up is the Damascus Ladder Deluxe, a collaborative project from the artisans at Cabot (#TeamCabot).  I imagine that this pistol is for an individual who wants a little more style and flair on their sidearm.

Don’t be fooled though, the etching that characterizes the Damascus steel slide isn’t just a decorative touch, it also adds to the tactile feel of the gun.  Racking the slide, gripping when wet, and running the gun all become a become easier with the enhancement that sculptural texture provides.

There are oodles of upgrades and options available on this model.  Base price depends on the grips.  Sonoran Desert Ironwood Grips: $7,995.  Morrissey Damascus Grips: $9,995.

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The Sixth Commandment

Cabot’s Sixth Commandment is, as Rob says in the video, “An art gallery in your hands.”  It’s gorgeous! The most beautiful gun I’ve ever seen in my entire life!!!

Master Engraver Otto Carter created the artwork on the Sixth Commandment by hand.  No computers.  No machines.  Just a chisel and his vivid imagination.

What I love about this pistol is the narrative it offers the viewer.  Like all great art, it seeks to tell a story.

“In my previous work for Cabot I focused on making a beautiful decorative yet functional object, something to delight and please the eye,” Carter says. “This time ‘round I wanted the gun to make a statement. To tell a story.”

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The artwork on the gun fits two distinct themes.  The top half of the gun features heavenly figures like angles, spirits and contains a golden cathedral window.  The bottom half of the gun contains chthonic creatures like demons, tormented souls, a moonlit Grim Reaper and the devil himself.

“The engraving process was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time,” Carter says. “But there’s not a single part of the gun I’d change. I’m fully satisfied that it represents my best work.”

Oh, and as for the name of the pistol, “The Sixth Commandment,” (which is, Thou shalt not murder).  It’s meant to leave you thinking.

“Is it a warning?” Carter asks. “Is it ironic? That depends entirely on your point-of-view.”

The MSRP for the Sixth Commandment is $99,000. For more information on any of the pistols mentioned, visit CabotGun.com.