Canadian Contract 1911s

Steve1987 said:
I have the complete 1914 Mills Gear rig as well as another mysterious Canadian WWII holster with double mag pouch I've never encountered before. I'll try to get some pics done of those as well should anyone be interested in seeing them.
-Steve
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I, for one, would certainly be interested in those pics Steve.

And great history on your Canadian issue Colts guys.
I have been trying to research mine, but have not had much luck.
The Officers name is written on the inside flap of the holster, as above in several instances, a captain with the 72nd highlanders.
My Colt pales in comparison to the beautys shown in this thread tho....




 
Steve 1987 I have a 45 holster just like your's in mint condition. I also have a complete ww1 US 45 holster/belt/magazine pouches The stuff that people have with
these ww1 canadian 45 pistols
 
Garand said:
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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.
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Wow why so many? I'm pretty jealous of you I must say. I wish I owned a real 1911 like one of yours. Sell me one? Just kidding :p that's some good stuff you got!
 
Hello GrantR

A couple of pictures of the holster that came with my 'Private Purchase' 1916 Colt that served in the 19th Lincoln Regt.
They look similar.

take care

jpc

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I have 2 at the moment, I sold a third 6 years ago when I was raising money to buy a house. The 2 I have are in the 8600 serial number range, about 50 serial numbers apart (which I think is cool) 1 is all original with a fair amount of holster wear, but there are some spots where the bluing looks great. Unfortunately the second came to me after having being modified at some point, dovetail sights, aftermarket barrel/grips/trigger just about everything and zero finish left on it, I mean, the gun was brown. Since that was the case I stripped it and parked it black.

I am at sea at the moment but I will post pics when I get back in a few weeks. Some nice looking pieces here.
 
This thread is evolving into probably the best photography of Canadian Contract 1911's ever.

Garand said:
Just received my 5th Canadian Contract with a rather unique holster
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Congrats on another fine purchase! It looks like you did well. This type of holster according to my notes was a private purchase item sold in Toronto.

I saw one on e-bay with the double mag pouch about 8 months ago. I decided to pass because it's not an officially acquired item but sort of regret it now.

Here's the complete set of the officially purchased 1914 Mills Gear.

Lots of fake put together sets out there. Be careful and always check for the Mills 1914 logo/date on every part and every part marked with C Broad arrow. Collectors Source recently sold a fake put together set for $1500 - buyer beware!



This set was part of the CWM Collection at one point, it was traded off to a Montreal collector who passed away and I just happened to be at the right place at the right time. The holsters are scarce but do surface usually with large price tags, but the complete rigs have become basically impossible to find :(

This next holster is private-purchase but it's so badass with the double mag pouch I had to pick it up. From a local gunstore owner who got it a very long time ago with a CC 1911 inside. I have never seen another one --- would be VERY interested to see if other members have encountered this one?





The mags with and without C Broad arrows are an important accessory as well. I was lucky to find approx. 50 of this type of mag as well as another approx. 50 WWII style mags in Montreal sitting in an old box at a gun show. Since that discovery other collecting friends have bought a bunch off me so my 'extras' are not such a ridiculously large stash anymore ;)



I'm also always looking for more Canadian 1911 related items or pistols ;)

Cheers,
-Steve
 
Detail cropped from a photo of C Company, 31st Battalion, C.E.F. on a route march before leaving Alberta. Good illustration of the fact that officers purchased their own kit, including weapons, privately ..... and had leeway in their choice of handgun. The officer on the right clearly has a revolver, whereas the one on the left has a Colt Government Model pistol, with magazine pouch affixed to the front, like Canuck's holster shown in post #41 -

ltmotherwell_ccompany_31stbattal-1.jpg


And here is a candid shot taken in France, 1915 - Cpl. John Jackson and Lt. John Tipton, 19th Alberta Dragoons -

CplJohnJacksonandLtJohnTipton_19thAlbertaDragoons_1915_850.jpg
 
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What a great thread!

While not a Canadian Contract, here is my recently acquired Officer Purchase Government Model, manufactured in 1916 and carried by Capt. E.H. Mclean. Pistol delivered to a hardware store in Ottawa in a shipment of 3 in May 1916. My thanks to Steve for his assistance in authenticating and acquiring this piece from another collector. Pictures don't do the finish justice, still some very nice blue left on it in places.

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Another Nice Colt!
And with the history you've got on it, all the better.

I've got another Government Model here which I should be researching - I think its in the serial number range (9185) but I don't believe its it the 5000 shipment (I should take my own advice and order the Colt letter :redface:)





Someone on here once mentioned, in another thread, that the mark on the rear left of the slide (crown over a V), behind the pony and below on the frame, indicated Brit. issue/use but I am not sure.

 
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My #3 Pistol belonged to Capt(later LCol.) AR Robertson 2nd Canadian Engineer Battalion. With some very expensive digital camera equipment at work we were able to bring up the writing inside the holster. The second photo of the inside of the holster is a tracing done by the camera, no tampering with the holster took place.





 
Congrats on bringing up the writing!

I once had a P38 holster with writing inside that I was enver able to read, I wish I still had it to do this trick!

-Steve
 
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