Mysterous 1911A1...

[CanadianNorth]

My friend just recieved a 1911A1.

The right side of the slide says "Model of 1911. U.S. Army"

The right side of the frame has the serial number " No. 292994"

The left side of the slide says "Patented Apr 20, 1897. Sept 9, 1902. Dec 19, 1905. Feb 14 1911. Aug 19 1913"

Also "Colt's PT. F. A. MFG Co., HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A."

The left side of the frame is worn, but says "UNITED STATES PROPERTY"



When searching the serial number online it shows a 1911 model, but it has the 1911A1 safety grip (beavertail), and the 1911A1 main spring housing. T
There is also no 'colt' emblem on the gun.

Could someone with some knowledge about the Colt's tell us why this is, and give us some history on the gun?


Thanks.

 

[tiriaq]

Offhand, I would say it is just an old, well used, M1911 pistol with a few A1 parts added over the years.

 

[NAA]

By the serial number it is a 1918 mfg Colt USGI 1911. The only non correct parts are the grip safety & main spring housing that you have already picked out. The rear site on the slide is also not correct. And the grips appear to be typical WWII era brown plastic issue grips. [They look to be "Keyes" mfg grips, if you remove them you should see a "K" inside of a small star with a number beside it on the inside of the grips].

The slide should have the "rampant Colt" between the patent dates on the left side of the slide. On slightly earlier slides it will be on the left side at the rear just behind the slide serrations.

The "United States Property" mark is on the correct spot on the frame but the script is very worn. Sometimes it was deliberately defaced or removed but on your example it looks just to be from wear. The frame should also have the military inspector's mark on the left side frame between the mag release button and the slide stop. It should be a monogram style with the initials "JMG" in a circle [JMG = J.M. Gilbert found on Colt 1911s from 1917 to 1918 SN 230,001 to 302,000] but sometimes frames from that era could have also had what looks like a tiny eagles head with the letter S and a number over it instead. Also, the frame should have the Colt "VP" or "view proof" in a small inverted triangle, usually found on the side of the left side trigger guard bow.

This pistol looks like it has had a long ago refinish/reblue to it at least once. The 'give away' to that is the sharp edges appear to have been somewhat rounded which comes with refinishing. That may explain why some of the correct markings - rampant Colt, United States Property mark, inspectors initials or proof, Colt view proof may be not there or very faint.

There is a million reasons why or how this pistol could have ended up with the non-correct parts on it. If it was me I'd judicioiusly clean it it up [full detail strip & reassemble] but NOT refinish it. I'd hunt around for the proper grip safety [short tang] and mainspring housing [should be flat with the lanyard loop on the bottom] and some repro double diamond checkered walnut grips [good luck finding affordable real/period/correct walnut double diamond grips they are seemingly made of 'unobtainium']. Other than that I'd leave it as is and enjoy it for the piece of history of the find.

And lastly, it's correct designation is "1911" as it predates the 1911A1's....

 

[Farmboy0123]

What would this 1911 as is be worth if re-sold?

 

[NAA]

What would this 1911 as is be worth if re-sold?

$450-$575 ball park in this climate. It's pretty much a "shooter" not a "collector", although it isn't too far off. Personally, I'd sooner have a 1911A1 as a "shooter". I think the steel is better in the WWII era Colts.

I've heard if the WWI era Colt 1911's get shot too much the breech face starts to collapse around the firing pin hole causing issues with the firing pin not being able to push thru and strike the ctg primer to fire. I have seen examples of this. I believe it's caused because the steel in the oldies is 'softer' than the latter ones. And I've seen cracked frames & slides on the oldies, too.

If it was me I'd just clean it up, and use it as an occasional shooter. It might just make a good platform for a .22 conversion unit. 'Course from what I can see it looks like it needs a new front site on the slide, too.

 

[slicknick]

Where the hell is the front sight?

 

[Farmboy0123]

The gun was bought sight unseen and arrived with the sight unseen.......and I was not intending to be funny. I assume it's not to hard to ram another one in after I locate one. Is it?

 

[NAA]

The gun was bought sight unseen and arrived with the sight unseen.......and I was not intending to be funny. I assume it's not to hard to ram another one in after I locate one. Is it?

It's an after market rear site so whatever front site you locate for it has to be the correct height so that everything will line up and shots be on target.

BTW, this pistol looks like one of many that were being offered for sale outta Lever Arms in Vancouver, B.C. circa 1990. Lever obtained two or three crates of, for the most part, well worn 1911 and 1911A-1's that looked a lot like this example. They were being sold off there "back in the day" for $99 each. Most didn't have grips or were missing other small parts. But mismatched parts and nickeled parts [like the grip safety and mainspring housing here] were quite common as well.

Here's one of the Lever Arms guns that came my way:

And how it looked after I had it "redone":

Note: I was not concerned about "refinishing" it as it had lost virtually all of it's markings before it came to me. Yes, it originally was one of the $99 "specials" but it was a fully functioning pistol in .45ACP....

 

[Gibbs505]

Nice gun there!!!