1943 US Army 1911A1 transferred to Canada under Lend-Lease

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varifleman

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ere for your perusal is my US Army Colt 1911A1 1943 pistol serial number 935712 transferred to Canada under the Lend-Lease Program. It has the Canadian C-Broad Arrow property mark on the slide; Birmingham Proof House marks and "Not English Make" on the frame and slide. Clive Law's book Canadian Military Handguns, 1855 to 1985 states that the 1515 Canadian 1911A1 Lend-Lease pistols were part of a 4000 pistol order shipped to the Springfield Armory on 24 May 1943. Clive Law's book Canadian Military Handguns, 1855 to 1985 states that the 1515 Canadian 1911A1 Lend-Lease pistols were part of a 4000 pistol order shipped to the Springfield Armory on 24 May 1943. The Colt Archives letter confirms that this pistol was one of 4000 shipped to the Transportation Officer Springfield Armory on 24 May 1943. The Colt Archives letter confirms that this pistol was one of 4000 shipped to the Transportation Officer Springfield Armory on 24 May 1943.
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Outstanding example. Not often seen. :cool:

Pretty much 'unissued' condition. Must've spend the war in a drawer or footlocker & delicately stored ever since.

Are you going to shoot it?

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NAA.
 
Yes I will shoot it eventually and will post range report. I have several boxes of this repacked 50 rounds 45ACP sent to the Soviet Union under the Lend Lease Program; head stamps are mostly 1941/1942 Western Cartridge Company; Remington Arms and Winchester. Should perform well with this period ammo.

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If it was me I wouldn't shoot the WWII surplus ammo in 'er. I'd be worried about corrosive primers. Or give it a thorough cleaning afterwards if you do.

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NAA.
 
beautiful pistol

maybe a silly question but i always wondered about those land-lease guns, stamped “US Property”, does that mean that a US government may reposes them when, let’s say crossing border, or somehow getting their hands on it?
 
rhino519 said:
beautiful pistol

maybe a silly question but i always wondered about those land-lease guns, stamped “US Property”, does that mean that a US government may reposes them when, let’s say crossing border, or somehow getting their hands on it?
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All Colt 1911 and 1911A1s made for and issued to US armed forces were stamped "United States Property" on the slide, As I understand it, until the pistols became available as surplus items the only way you could legally own a US property marked 1911 was if you were an officer who purchased one from the military as your personal sidearm. Another way to get one was to steal it from the military, many of these that were stolen had the USP marking removed in the belief that by doing so its origins would be concealed. Colt "Government Model" 1911s and 1911A1s with serial numbers marked with a C before the serial number were produced from 1912-1950 were sold on the commercial market and various quantities of Colt Government Model .45 ACP pistols were sold to Canada (5000), France (5000) Great Britain (about 16000 or so both in .45ACP C-serial number series and .455 Webley with W-serial number series) and Russia (about 60000) during WWI. So once the pistols are surplus the US Government would not repossess them.
 
Dominion Arsenals (DA) produced .45 acp during the war because the majority of handguns in Naval Service at that time were either S&W or Colt revolvers.
 
varifleman said:
All Colt 1911 and 1911A1s made for and issued to US armed forces were stamped "United States Property" on the slide, As I understand it, until the pistols became available as surplus items the only way you could legally own a US property marked 1911 was if you were an officer who purchased one from the military as your personal sidearm. Another way to get one was to steal it from the military, many of these that were stolen had the USP marking removed in the belief that by doing so its origins would be concealed. Colt "Government Model" 1911s and 1911A1s with serial numbers marked with a C before the serial number were produced from 1912-1950 were sold on the commercial market and various quantities of Colt Government Model .45 ACP pistols were sold to Canada (5000), France (5000) Great Britain (about 16000 or so both in .45ACP C-serial number series and .455 Webley with W-serial number series) and Russia (about 60000) during WWI. So once the pistols are surplus the US Government would not repossess them.
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thank you
 
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