1914 Colt 1911 Commercial

Bittermansbro

Bittermansbro

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I am looking at a 1911 Commercial from 1914 with a serial number in the 10000 range. I know that of like 11,000 made in 1914, 5000 went to Canada for a military order.

Does anyone know or have more info on specific serial groups that were included in this 5000? Am just interested to see if I can get any more info.

Thanks in advance.
 
There was not a continuous serial number block in the 1914 purchase. From "The Government Models" Goddard C465 1 pistol, C5750-C8865 298 pistols to M&D, C3077-C8412 999 pistols, C3134-C9512 300 pistols, C8000-C13500 3800 pistols, to John Wesley Allison for Cdn Govt.
 
.455" pistols should have an "E" (English) stamped in the top of the frame between the interuptor and hammer as well as a W prefix.
 
Mine is c7### Blue finish. Carried by a canadain army officer in WW1.

I was told he bought it. How did this work? Buy anything you want? Buy from a list of "approved" guns? Buy one of several available form a specail source?

With a c7### serial number, does this make in an early production gun? Seems like a low number.

is the "c" a part of ther serial num,ber, was there also an a, b and d series, etc? or does it mean "commercial"?

It is in good shape and I was shooting it last weekend.
 
'C' meant commercial. I guess the governmen couldn't buy directly from the US for our military so had to guy commercial bulk through a couple of 'fronts' one in Ontario and one in Quebec in order to get the required arms.

I have also heard of and seen other 'private purchase' arms of Officers. I assume because of the big shortfall of sidearms in the WWI buildup, some folks with the means had to buy their own, hence the half-and-half.
 
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NAA said:
The ones discussed above were found over a 10 year period but still some time ago now. The one in the pic above I acquired via another collector that was paring down his 1911 collection, within the past 2 years. The magazine is even 'C broad arrow' stamped on the base.

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Click to expand...

Sweet. If you ever want to sell it......I want it ;)
 
"C" prefix in the serial number indicates a pistol intended for commercial sale used c1912-60s.
"W" prefix indicates .455" Webley auto cal.
"No" prefix on US govt contract.
Special serial# range on certain foreign contracts,ie Argentina, Norway IIRC.
 
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I'm quite lucky I just got one, its been on my 'Colt wish list' for quite a while.

Does anyone have a Colt 1903 Hammer to show? Not the hammerless in 32ACP or 380, but the 1903 Hammered in 38 ACP?

That's my next list item.
 
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