Check out my WW1 US 1911

[Vimy Ridge]

Just wanted to know what you guys think of this old girl. The handgun was manufactured in 1913 (I thought but was wrong), the holster in 1914. Both US marked. The finish is obviously quite worn but considering the age and how many wars in may have been through... I'm not interested in selling it, but I would like to know what it would be valued at??? It was my first gun ever, I paid $450 back in 1998. It was on consignment from an old veteran. Also I'd like to know if it is all original, I'm not certain if the sights and the magazine are or not. Still shoots well, but I don't shoot it often due to the age of it. If anything isn't original I'd like to aquire what I need to make it so. I think the original mags had a lanyard ring on the base.
Don't know how to resize the pictures to make them smaller.
Mods please resize if you can.
Any info appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[eos]

Your holster is an original 1914 RIA. Magazine is a later replacement as the originals had a steel loop on the bottom and were "two tone: i.e. bottom half blued with lighter top half. Done during the process to heat treat the lips. Your grips are replacements as the originals should have the large "diamonds" at each ferrule.
Rear sight does not appear to be original. Can you take a more detailed pic of that along with the front sight?

More info to be found here:
http://www.coltautos.com/

 

[Vimy Ridge]

sights

Thanks EOS, here ya go...

 

[tiriaq]

When the rear sight was installed the slide was altered beyond salvage. To restore the pistol to original service configuration, you will need a two tone magazine with loop, a pair of period grips, and a slide of the correct vintage with comparable wear. With patience, this should be possible. Whether your total investment will exceed the value of the pistol after restoration is hard to say. Early 1911s have been escalating in value, but one with little finish and major parts replacement would be less desirable from a collector's standpoint. Having the holster is a plus, of course.

 

[NAA]

It would be interesting to see pictures of both sides of your 1911 pistol. [To see what other markings, if any, are on it] And if you could provide the serial number [i.e. 12XX] then the year of mfg of the frame could be verified.

Your pistol has the "United States Property" stamping above the serial number on the right side of the frame. This is something that is more commonly seen on very late 1911 pistols [i.e. 1919'ish] and the 1911A-1 pistols. If your pistol [frame] was made in 1913, as your post suggests, then the "United States Property" stamping should be on the other side of the frame forward of the trigger quard. Like this:

In one pic, the left side of your frame appears to have an "A" stamped just above the trigger guard. Is there an "A.A." stamp there? [This might indicate a frame/pistol refurbish at Augusta Arsenal - which would not be uncommon for a vintage USGI pistol - and it might even explain the later 1911A-1 style stocks on it].

Have you taken the grips off.... if so does the slot on either side of the grip have the "heart cuts" in it?

This would certainly confirm a later mfg frame [later than 1913] probably 1919.

Too bad the sites have been added to the slide. Best to leave it as is, though.

I'd say if you paid $450 in 1998 for this pistol in it's present condition you aren't far off the mark now.

 

[Vimy Ridge]

Yes it does have a "AA" on it. So it must have been refurbished, wonder why the finish isn't in better shape then??? So you think the sights/grips are from the refurbish? And I took the grips off, it does have the heart shape cut-outs, so then it must be a later model...hmmmm. Good to know. As for the serial number it fits into this series:
Colt: S/N 450,000 to 629,500 = Oct. 24, 1918 to April 10, 1919
So you were right NAA.

 

[NAA]

Yes it does have a "AA" on it. So it must have been refurbished, wonder why the finish isn't in better shape then??? So you think the sights/grips are from the refurbish? And I took the grips off, it does have the heart shape cut-outs, so then it must be a later model...hmmmm. Good to know.

The "AA" stamp would indicate a refurbish at Augusta Arsenal [a military arsenal]. Perhaps it was a 'long ago' refurbish, which would explain the current condition. Also, if it was arsenal refinished later [as in the WWII era or post] the pistol would've been parkerized. Yours looks like it was blued. The sites are not arsenal refurbished. The military arsenal would've put military sites on it. The one's on your slide are not military, albeit they look like they were put on long ago.

The 'heart cuts' in your frame make it a 1919 era frame. Most probably late WWI Colt production. Serial number range for 1919 frames [made by Colt] would be 580,601 - 717,836.

To verify if it's a Colt frame, does it have a Colt "view proof" stamp on the left side trigger guard bow? Should look like a little inverted triangle with a VP inside of it. Also, if you take the slide off the frame and look down at the frame from the top, at the rear, there should be an "H" [and possibly a "G"] where the disconnector sticks up.

 

[Vimy Ridge]

1918 - 233601-580600 Colt
Another website narrows it down a bit more.
It's starts with a 57###X
So it must be a 1918.

 

[richardoldfield]

Neither the front or rear sight are original and not part of an arsenal refurbishment in WWII. Did this effect the value? Absolutely, but a collector would still kill to own an early example. The attached 1911 belonged to a friend of mine before his demise; his son now owns this historical object. Regards, Richard