Old 1911

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Ganderite

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I have the 1911 a friend of the family carried in the Canadian Army. I was told that he had to buy and supply his own sidearm. I have always assumed he carried it WW1 because of the pistol vintage, but maybe it was WWII.

It is a commercial gov't model. Serial number is C7### Does the C mean "commercial" or were there a A and B series? If it means "commercial" then I have to assume it is a real early one.

The magazine has a loop on the end of it. Was this for a lanyard? I would have thought a lanyard would attach to the frame, not the mag.

I am not posting a picture of the pistol because in my youth I had new sights installed. I now regret bubbaizng this piece, but there is no point in getting more of you upset by posting a picture.

The rampant Colt on the rear left of the slide does not have a circle around it. On the right frame. just behind the stop pin, it says GOVERNMENT MODEL and under that the serial number
C 7###. on the right frame, forward of the port, it is marked:

COLT AUTOMATIC
CALIBER 45

1911magloop1.jpg
 
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The lanyard loop on the magazine was a feature of the Original 1911. Assuming the magazines and gun were bought at the same time, this would make your gun very old indeed.
 
I just found this on Google:

http://www.sightm1911.com/1911Production.htm


Colt Commercial Production: Govt. Model: 1912 to 1981

Model 1911
Serial Numbers Date Number Made

S/N C1 to C1899 1912 1899
S/N C1900 to C5399 1913 3500
S/N C5400 to C16599 1914 11,200
S/N C16600 to C27599 1915 11,000
S/N C27600 to C74999 1916 47,400
S/N C75000 to C98999 1917 24,000
S/N C99000 to C105999 1918 7000
S/N C106000 to C120999 1919 15,000
S/N C121000 to C126999 1920 6000
S/N C127000 to C128999 1921 2000
S/N C129000 to C129999 1922 1000
S/N C130000 to C133999 1923 4000

The serial # C7### suggests it came from the batch of Colt Commercial production in 1914. I have always wondered if the 4 digit serial number meant it was old.

The Canadian contract pistols also had a C prefix, according to the same web site, but I don't know if they had a nice blue finish and were amrked "commercial".

I wonder if I can change it back to original configuration?
 
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Hmmm. I, too, have a "C" 1911 or A1. I'll have to dig it out and check the serial number. It was much "tricked out" when I bought it back in the 1980's.
 
The C prefix does mean commercial.

The lanyard loop was so that the mag would not get lost & turn the gun into a single shot. In those days they were still riding on horses.
 
I am feeling even worse about making this into a shooter. Hopefully there is a little plastic bag in the shop with the original sights, original barrel bushing, etc. If the rear dovetail was not enlarged, maybe I can change it back.
 
C7###X

Commercial model Colt Government 1911 mfg in 1914.

About 5,000 early commercial models were purchased from Colt for WWI use by Canadian military personel.

Lanyard magazine is correct for that era.

Too bad you bubba'd it as it seriously detracts from is collector value.

I've had a couple in that serial number range: C7265 and C7358.
 
The parts changed for shooting are the safety and slide stop lever and bushing. These can be changed back. Hopefully I have the origal parts somewhere.

The new front sight is staked on. No dovetail was cut, so that can be changed back. The rear dovetail appears to be around a quarter inch. I don't know if that is original width or not.

I have just bought a Norinco. I can transfer the new parts to it and make that my shooter and put the old Colt in the museum, where it belongs.

If I have the old parts.
 
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Here's my current oldie Colt Commercial Government 1911, sn. C8,###, which also is a 1914 mfg:

2008-09-27_221041_1914COMM640a.jpg


2008-09-27_221101_1914COMM640c.JPG


Lanyard magazine is Cdn marked on the base:

2008-02-12_231228_LanMagProofC1.jpg
 
I'm in the same boat....i have a 1913 mfg that I used in Standard Div. IPSC untill I recently purchased a CZ Shadow.

I too am guilty of "Bubba-cide". New sites, beavertail, grips & magwell.....the worst thing I did was to chop the hammer. I know, I know.....it was 1986, I paid $1.00 for it from my dad, and I didn't know any better.

So now the piece is officially retired, the old parts have been located (except the orig hammer), and if Gunnar wasn't so busy, it would be in his shop.

Need to find another Pistolsmith and another hammer.
 
NAA and 1881, great looking guns. Do you still shoot them? I heard something about the old ones having softer metal or were prone to frame cracks with todays ammo?
 
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