Inherited WWI Pistols **Updated with Sauer 1913 pics!**

faswagon

faswagon

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Just got back from visiting Granddad, and he was really excited to find out I was "in to guns" and had my RPAL... As is turns out, he had a couple of WWI pistols that had been passed down to him that he was afraid he wouldn't be able to pass onto anyone else. A Colt 1911 Government used by his uncle in the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifle Brigade, and a Sauer 1913 recovered from the battlefield. Both with original holsters and mags.
Fortunately they had been well greased for storage. unfortunately they were stored in the holster, wrapped in a plastic bag, and locked in a safe for a long time.
The colt's been cleaned up, The Sauer is next

Condition as I recieved it:
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After a long day of detail cleaning:
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Got The Sauer 1913 all cleaned up now too!
Before:
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Anyone know what this stamp inside the flap of the holster represents?
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Crown and N proof marks (also on barrel, and slide screw cap)
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After cleaning and oiling:
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An amazing bit if family history. You should talk to him more about his uncle and see if he knows some of the stories about his uncle's experiences. Then write them down to keep with the gun as a great piece of family history. This sort of stuff is all too easily forgotten.
 
couple of nice pistols you inherited, respecting the Sauer look to see if their is a small German crown /gothic letter on the right hand side of the frame just behind the lazy crown N acceptance proof close to the trigger guard. If so this is an Imperial German army accepted pistol, If not then it could either be commercial or a much later police accepted Sauer pistol depending on grip strap designation.

The green coloured goo is called vertigris which is caused from the interaction between the leathers natural oils and the metal--this is the stuff collectors look for on original goods such as yours.

no need to worry about wiping off the excess as trace vertigris still remains, you should not store firearms in original holsters due to this leaching process.
 
vasoline will take of the green and keep the holsters from "drying out". very nice piece of history.
 
wil you reblue them? im new to this buit the 1911 looks like it could use it, or will you leave it for the history look?

awsome find, a bit like a barn find lol, but more like a safe find
good job cleaning as well. there beautiful
 
Nice Colt commercial government model. :cool:

It would be cool to research the name engraved on the slide to get some providence on the pistol. And also a letter from Colt to verify if it's one of the 5,000 shipped to Canada for WWI.

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NAA.
 
Thanks all for the comments.
I'm not going to reblue the colt, I'd rather keep it all original.
I won't be keeping either gun in the holster, but rather keeping them in a proper display case, with the holsters, in my gun room.
The name engraved on the side is that of my granddad's uncle and his division (1st CMR) I'll look in to the serial number and see what more I can find out.
Granddad wrote a letter about the history of the guns and gave it to me with them, I'm going to get it printed on some quality paper, and display it with the pistols.

Anyone recommend where to get a decent display case/box ?
 
Just got off the phone with Colt, and the confirm it was built in 1914. further research indicates the S/N is in the range of the 5000 1911's contracted for Canada in WWI. I'm going to get an official archive letter from Colt.... next week, apparantly all the archive staff are at a gun show this week :)
 
for a good box, id say if you can, and its sounds like you can id say make one out of some nice wood and stain it, make a nice little window, some small brass hinges or something like that.
 
Great part of Canadian history

Congrats on a great find!!! Kudos to your grandfather for keeping these for you. I agree with one poster, get as much information as you can from him, write it down. It's a part of your history as well as a large part of our Canadian history. Thanks for posting these pics!.
Curious, did the Canadian government/military stamp or mark the .45 at all ?

Cheers,
Will
 
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Beautiful, Anyone can buy a vintage firearm, but it does not bring the same feeling as one passed down in ones family. Keep her safe and maybe you will have the same conversation with your grand kids that your grandpa had with you.

Also, good thing you are keeping it original. Never re blue/ restore a milsurp, Only exception is to a parts gun or one someone already messed with. An original like yours only needs cleaning and proper storage. Anyone who pokes their heads in the Milsurp Forum will be familiar with the term "bubba", a name given to those who alter a military firearm or item.
 
nate18, my young friend, never, never, reblue a historical piece. What ever that 1911 is worth (I'd value it at $ 1,400 at first glance but a Colt collector will be better at it) if reblued, that gun would be worth a couple hundred to a collector. Just cause it looks old and worn out ( Which this example does not) doesn't make it worthless!

Scott
 
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