1918 British Contract .455 Eley Government Model Pistol

[varifleman]

Here for your viewing pleasure are photos of my WWI RAF Britishicon military proofed Colt 1911. It was one of 400 pistols shipped to Captain Sir Connop Guthrie, Pier 60, North River NY NY on March 12, 1918. Guthrie was the Special Representative for the British Ministry of Shipping in the U.S. and a member of the U.S. Shipping Commission in 1918. It has the view mark for G.W.R. Steadman, British Inspector at the Colt New Haven Factory and the British Broad Arrow and Crossed Pennant military acceptance marks. Serial number is W 100744. It eventually wound up in R.A.F. service.

 

[9.3 Hunter]

nice!

 

[JasonGTA]

Great looking handgun you have, you are bery bery lucky!

 

[lister]

Has it been converted to ACP or is it still 455 Eley?

 

[varifleman]

Has it been converted to ACP or is it still 455 Eley?

It's still in original .455 Eley; I've got some close-ups of barrel and will post them when I can locate them.

 

[lister]

Cool. Have you found any ammo or are you not shooting it?

 

[varifleman]

Cool. Have you found any ammo or are you not shooting it?

I was fortune to get about 250 round of .455 auto ammo a few years ago in mostly the 7-round WWI Royal Navy packets and some loose rounds. I fired a full mag in the 1917 Contract pistol (6 of 7 went off so not bad for almost 100-yr old ammo) but have not fired the this pistol yet nor the Webley & Scott 1913 Royal Navy Pistol; I want to get a replacement mainspring for the 1913 pistol before firing. If the current mainspring broke while firing the 1913 pistol I'd just have a heavy paperweight!!