My new toy (pic heavy)

fnrob

fnrob

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Just outside St.Martins, NB
I finally got all my paperwork to go pick up my first 1911, a wartime era Ithaca, that I bought a couple of weeks ago, and I figured some pics I took at the workbench would be in order.

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She's definitely seen some use over the years, and at $450, I could have bought a Norinco for less, but it just wouldn't be the same as having something with a bit of history to it.
 
There's no way that pistol is original.

WWII era Ithaca slide on a WWI era US property marked USGI 1911 frame. Only the original serial number [if it still has it] will indicate what year the frame was made. Looks like GI inspector stamp above mag release on frame has been obliterated.

Grip screws are newer replacements. Grips look to be WWII era "Keyes" or later era replacement USGI grips. Mainspring housing is WWII era arched serrated but lanyard loop has been ground off.

$450 is in the ball park for a "shooter" mis-match GI 1911 these days. I recall them going for $99 circa 1990 at Lever Arms in Vancouver, B.C. back in the day, though.

If you are happy with your purchase that's the main thing, though..... ;)

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NAA.
 
NAA said:
There's no way that pistol is original.

WWII era Ithaca slide on a WWI era US property marked USGI 1911 frame. Only the original serial number [if it still has it] will indicate what year the frame was made. Looks like GI inspector stamp above mag release on frame has been obliterated.

Grip screws are newer replacements. Grips look to be WWII era "Keyes" or later era replacement USGI grips. Mainspring housing is WWII era arched serrated but lanyard loop has been ground off.

$450 is in the ball park for a "shooter" mis-match GI 1911 these days. I recall them going for $99 circa 1990 at Lever Arms in Vancouver, B.C. back in the day, though.

If you are happy with your purchase that's the main thing, though..... ;)

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NAA.
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I'm pretty new to 1911s, so I wasn't sure what would be original on her, but like you said, it is an interesting mix of parts. The serial number is on it, but its obscured by rust, so its kind of hard to read. I'll maybe take a closer look at her to see if any other markings may be on it.
 
Get it blasted and blued or parkd.... maybe even throw a new nork barrel in it if that's pooched like the rest of it...:)
 
HeavyT said:
It would be interesting to know where this stands 3.5 years after the original post, lol
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Well, I've still got her in my gun safe, and she still sees the range quite a bit. :D

However, I haven't had much time to really consider doing any restoration on the old girl with all the other stuff I've had on the go (this year I'm hoping to throw a bit more into my M-14 and "tacticool" 870 builds/money pits). Once those and a couple of other small projects are out of the way, I'm gonna look into my options.
 
Out of curiosity - does your 1911 'rattle' when shaken?

I remember one of those Lever Arms 'beaters' that was shown to Richard Heinie at a World shoot in Virginia with the aim in mind of building it into a competition gun. He laughed, calling it a "paper weight", a curio.
He said the slide would likely prove too soft and the frame so out of spec as to make fitting a new slide cost prohibitive, labour-wise. His recommendation - minor restoration and refinishing only.
That was long before GI 1911s became fashionable enough for Doug Turnbull to be doing his magic on them.
 
This picture shows the difference between a WW1 era frame and a WW2 vintage gun. The most obvious thing being the cut out aft of the trigger.
Regardless a mix master like that would be fun to work on.

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