Colt 1914 Government Model .45 ACP WWI Canadian

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varifleman

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Here for your perusal is Colt .45 ACP 1914 Government Model Pistol serial number C9591 which was 1 of 20 shipped to Remington Arms-UMC Company Bridgeport CT on October 5 1914. The Canadian C broad arrow property mark is stamped on the magazine floor plate and British Birmingham commercial proofing on the slide and barrel. Remington Arms-UMC acted as purchasing agents for Britain and Canada during WWI.

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That is a nice one. Canada made leather holsters for them, the leather is about the same colour.
as a Webley holster.
 
I think a few of them were bought and went home.
I have seen a few mint one's that were brought home with leather etc
The one's I have were used.
 
Thanks for the comments; It would be nice to see any other of the WWI pistols which also served in WWII. If memory serves many of the WWI British Contract Colt Government Model .455 Webley pistols survived and were refurbished for use in WWII.
 
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I received the following reply from the Imperial War Museum in London:
"During the autumn of 1914, the Canadian Government purchased 5,000 Colt M1911 pistols to equip its military forces. These were issued to officers, NCOs and cavalry troopers, but could also be purchased by officers wishing to acquire their sidearm permanently. Unfortunately, apart from a few pistols that received unit marks on the grip-strap, or were inscribed with the name of the officer who purchased them, there is no way of ascertaining which unit or formation they were issued to.
I can’t see very clearly from your photos, but it appears that the proof mark on it post-dates the First World War. This would imply that the pistol was put through proof at Birmingham at some point after its First World War military career – and prior to it re-crossing the Atlantic." I sent out a few other inquires and will post results as received.
 
I have two WW1 Colt Government models, both obviously used/carried, one of which I have the letter from Colt indicating Canadian purchase.
This gun came to me in a holster, inside of the leather flap is written the original soldiers name - a captain in the 72nd Highlanders CEF. When I bought this gun, I was told by the seller that he had purchased from a vet who had carried it through his service in WW2. I have tried but can not confirm that story.
The other Colt in my possession has British markings on it, it came to me in a ratty old, modified Webley holster. I really should send away for the Colt letter for this one.
Sorry I can’t post a pic, I’m on vaca and posting from my phone.
 
canuck said:
I have two WW1 Colt Government models, both obviously used/carried, one of which I have the letter from Colt indicating Canadian purchase.
This gun came to me in a holster, inside of the leather flap is written the original soldiers name - a captain in the 72nd Highlanders CEF. When I bought this gun, I was told by the seller that he had purchased from a vet who had carried it through his service in WW2. I have tried but can not confirm that story.
The other Colt in my possession has British markings on it, it came to me in a ratty old, modified Webley holster. I really should send away for the Colt letter for this one.
Sorry I can’t post a pic, I’m on vaca and posting from my phone.
Click to expand...

Canuck, Thanks for your remarks; enjoy your vacation and I look forward to photos when you return.
 
The Colt 1911 pistols,

How many were purchased in .45 ACP and how many in .455 Webley Auto Mk I cartridge ?

https://revivaler.com/webley-automatic-pistols/
 
Firstly, its a very nice pistol.
A couple of points worth mentioning are that Remington Arms Co/UMC was never an agent for the UK for Colt handguns, only Smith & Wesson. In fact Wilkinson Sword were still importing S&W's concurrently with Remington until April 1915, at least.
As far as I know Remington were not the agent for Colt for the Canadian government. Colt GM's were imported by companies such as J. Westley Allison & H.W. Brown. Other company's also imported into Canada such as Lewis Bros.
It may be that the order for 20 pistols of which C9591 is part was for ammunition testing by Remington UMC or perhaps a small order that Remington were handling for a third party - but not Canada. The magazine is marked the same as pistols that were part of the serial number range that went to Canada, but I think it was not in your pistol when it made the trip.
There is nothing to suggest that the pistol saw British service in either war.The proof marks are commercial and I believe applied after 1954/55. All that can be taken from the proof marks is that the pistol was in the UK and sold within the British guntrade from or after 1954/55.
As an aside and hopefully without confusing the issue I have seen a WW1 vintage GM that was part of the Canadian government order that had the Released by British Government marking and a date in the early to mid 1950's. This is a marking normally seen on WW2 vintage Remington and Ithaca made M1911A1 pistols, but this bears no relevant to your pistol.
Personally I would be happy to have a pistol from a small order to a well known U.S. gunmaker, rather than a pistol that was part of an order of 5,000. Just depends on how you look at things I guess.

Regards
AlanD
 
Here are the barrel markings on my 1914 Canadian Colt; looks like it's a military-marked WWII barrel with the Birmingham proofs; I've seen many of the WWI 1911s updated with WWII military marked barrels. Colts from serial #710001 to serial #712349 (1937 production) will have barrels with a Gothic “COLT .45 AUTO” marking on the chamber area, along the axis of the barrel, at about 7:30 O’clock, when the barrel is viewed from the rear, with the lug down. A “P” mark will be applied to the left lug. These barrels are blued with a semi-matte semi-reflective finish. Clawson mentions “Top of barrel chamber bright unfinished, the same as commercial barrels. Full bluing in the military style began at or near the end of 1937 production.” At this point, insufficient pistols have been examined to determine the point when full bluing occurred and the chamber area was no longer in the white. However it is likely that barrels started in the white. The "G" stamp started to appear on the bottom of the barrel forward of the lugs at serial 711,000 and represented it is a "Government" contract barrel this stamp was was present until around May 1943. At about s/n 935,000, the G mark was eliminated due to the suspension of commercial sales on January 23, 1942 by order of the United States Government thus removing the requirement to differentiate if the barrel was for government contract or commercial sales. The are three different G variant barrels; A large G, a small G, and a large G in combination (over the top of) with either an N, F or 7. Those marked with the N, F or 7 were the last ones before the G was omitted. Colts from serial #712350 to somewhere in the 2 million range number range, (1945 production,) will have barrels with a Gothic “COLT .45 AUTO” marking on the chamber area, along the axis of the barrel, at about 7:30 O’clock, when the barrel is viewed from the rear, with the lug down. A “P” mark will be applied to the left lug. These barrels are fully blued with a semi-matte semi-reflective finish. Forward of the lugs on the bottom of the barrel the "F" or "7" stamping has been observed starting at Colts produced around serial number 930,000 until the end of production. I'd like any observations from fellow forum members.
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