My collection is starting to go very WWI. I'd like to have a WWI type 1911, with the long trigger and flat mainspring housing, to represent the 1st Contingent's sidearms. I can't afford an original, so I wonder if anyone's attempted to make his own with a Norc or something like? I'd love to hear the stories and see some pics.
Canadian Contract 1911s
- Thread starter Kirk1701
- Start date
live4therut
CGN frequent flyer
I know nick at Vulcan refinishing made a singer copy out of a norc, looked really nice. I believe it was done for pocketfisherman here on the forum. You can pretty much copy anything these days or perhaps one of the tier III colt commemorative's may be in your price range.
I just buy the originals, have 4 Canadian Contract Colt's at home now, Canada Post will deliver #5 by the end of the week and I'm dealing on number 6 now. Only 4994 more to go, but I don't think I'll get the one from the National War museum, the Citadel, or The museum of the Regiments.
That's a real tough one!
I think it would actually be easier to replicate a Singer than a Canadian contract 1911 because the bluing was of such high quality during those early years of production, and the Colt has many more rollmarks.
You could probably wipe a Norinco of all markings like suggested above and work from there. As live4therut suggested, Pocketfisherman is the expert on this sort of thing.
The key part in pulling this off would be to use a really high blue for the slide/frame and then some other method of bluing for the small parts to simulate the "smokey blue" that Colt used for them on the originals.
You'll also need a nice set of wooden double-diamond grips.
If you were really into it, you could have your name or your favourite WWI Canadian Officers name engraved on the slide, that would really give the 'look' from a distance.
Here's what you're going for:
Good luck - it will be a long road ahead to pull this off so please keep us posted and if you really do a sweet job on it don't forget to add 'replica' under the grips or something for when it changes hands many years from now.
And don't give up finding an original, they are out there! Not everything is priced the same way as on CGN, you never know where you will find one of these, maybe even at the local gunshow or grandmas closet
-Steve
live4therut
CGN frequent flyer
Wow nice colts as usual Steve, I'm truly jealous. As Steve mentioned the hardest part would be to replicate the bluing.
Good luck
Good luck
student of history
CGN Regular
Please refrain from doing that. You're free to do as you please with your property but c'mon... they're nearly 100 years old! If you want something with perfect bluing just buy a Colt Series 70.
Anywhere from $300 to beyond $3000....
It will all depend on condition, originality (check the barrel - they are often replaced!) and provenance.
If you find one you can post it here or drop me a PM and I will take a look over it. I have a bit of experience with these pistols.
-Steve
Strongly agree!
Please leave the original finish as it is - that is history! Re-finishing will hurt the originality AND value of the pistol. It would be crazy to mess with that old Canadian war dog.
I also have one with worn finish also, nothing wrong with it, the officer carried it at Ypres to the end of war, of course it has some bluing loss!
The mint condition examples I posted above did not see much action. A.C. Garner never even fired the pistol because he was rear echelon, and the other pistol belonged to a Surgeon named R.H. McGibbon who was badly wounded evacuating wounded from Ypres at the beginning of the war. The ones with lots of combat history SHOULD have worn bluing!
-Steve
- Location
- Georgetown Ontario
Then mine must have seen alot of combat. Unfortunately the barrel on mine is not in great shape either. Got some pitting going on.
When it comes to the barrels in these old collectible 1911's some pitting is really not a big deal.
The old corrosive .45 ACP caused pitting to a lot of them. Don't worry about it too much!
Just be happy if it even still has the original barrel! Most of the Canadian Contract 1911's the original barrels were lost or replaced a very long time ago....
-Steve
On Canadian contract 1911's....
Personally, I prefer the WWII era Colt & contract 1911A1's.
Here's my 1914 mfg Colt Government model, though.
I bought it on a whim because it has the earlier patent date slide, that you don't often see.
That and the low serial number: C 81xx. Certainly not mint condition. If she could only talk, eh?
Still, I'd consider trading it for a original/correct/matching '43 or '44 mfg "GHD" inspected Colt 1911A1, though.
-----------
NAA.
Personally, I prefer the WWII era Colt & contract 1911A1's.
Here's my 1914 mfg Colt Government model, though.
I bought it on a whim because it has the earlier patent date slide, that you don't often see.
That and the low serial number: C 81xx. Certainly not mint condition. If she could only talk, eh?
Still, I'd consider trading it for a original/correct/matching '43 or '44 mfg "GHD" inspected Colt 1911A1, though.
-----------
NAA.
Last edited:
That's a real tough one!
I think it would actually be easier to replicate a Singer than a Canadian contract 1911 because the bluing was of such high quality during those early years of production, and the Colt has many more rollmarks.
You could probably wipe a Norinco of all markings like suggested above and work from there. As live4therut suggested, Pocketfisherman is the expert on this sort of thing.
The key part in pulling this off would be to use a really high blue for the slide/frame and then some other method of bluing for the small parts to simulate the "smokey blue" that Colt used for them on the originals.
You'll also need a nice set of wooden double-diamond grips.
If you were really into it, you could have your name or your favourite WWI Canadian Officers name engraved on the slide, that would really give the 'look' from a distance.
Good luck - it will be a long road ahead to pull this off so please keep us posted and if you really do a sweet job on it don't forget to add 'replica' under the grips or something for when it changes hands many years from now.
And don't give up finding an original, they are out there! Not everything is priced the same way as on CGN, you never know where you will find one of these, maybe even at the local gunshow or grandmas closet
-Steve
What's a Singer?
I was just hoping to have something that gives me the shooting experience of one. I had thought about the high-gloss blue being an obstacle, as well as the roll marks. I just don't see many affordable replicas of this era of pistol around. Even Colt's recent reissue of the 1918-era 1911 is a little pricey for my liking.
But I can always dream, can't I? Maybe someday I'll be at a gun show and the stars will align.
By the time you spend the money to source a Norinco, then have it scrubbed, and markings applied to make it look like a 1914-1918 vintage Colt Government model you might as well just put the money towards a real one.
Just for nostalgia purposes though... circa 1998 you could get a vintage Colt Government from the Cdn contract range in nice shape for $550 to $650. Minty ones were a bit more but not too much. And they seemed to turn up quite frequently. At least out here on the west coast anyway.
I've owned several different ones over the years, including a couple 4 digit serial numbered ones & ones with providence.
----------
NAA.
Just for nostalgia purposes though... circa 1998 you could get a vintage Colt Government from the Cdn contract range in nice shape for $550 to $650. Minty ones were a bit more but not too much. And they seemed to turn up quite frequently. At least out here on the west coast anyway.
I've owned several different ones over the years, including a couple 4 digit serial numbered ones & ones with providence.
----------
NAA.
A Singer mfg 1911A1 is the holy grail of the 1911A1 contract pistol world. They only made 500 of 'em. Singer, as in Singer Sewing Machine Co.
Most serious collectors of WWII era Colt & contract 1911A1's will have one [or more] of the big four: Colt, Remington Rand, Ithaca and Union Switch & Signal.
Everyone hopes to stumble across an original Singer. Just like the little old lady who sells the 1958 Chevrolet with "low miles" for $500. And it turns out to be an original Corvette...lol...
----------
NAA.
By the time you spend the money to source a Norinco, then have it scrubbed, and markings applied to make it look like a 1914-1918 vintage Colt Government model you might as well just put the money towards a real one.
Just for nostalgia purposes though... circa 1998 you could get a vintage Colt Government from the Cdn contract range in nice shape for $550 to $650. Minty ones were a bit more but not too much. And they seemed to turn up quite frequently. At least out here on the west coast anyway.
I've owned several different ones over the years, including a couple 4 digit serial numbered ones & ones with providence.
----------
NAA.
Ooo, I wish I wasn't 8 years old in 1988. I need a DeLorean.
I just remembered Cimmaron makes a Wild Bunch 1911. This should scratch the itch, if I can choke up the scratch.
Just add 1911 parts to a Norinco and shoot it. Don't bother bluing. There are new made 1911 parts and some American Gunsmith's restore Colt 1911's and offer good advice on making one. I have been buying military colts, inglis and browning high powers for years. Mostly Inglis Highpowers.
okcorral1881
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East of Toronto
My contribution.....2, 1914 Canadian contract!
