My US Army Colt 1911 dated to 1914

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go45acp

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Thanks Crazy

I'm Thinking about offering my first hand gun purchase up for sale but wondering how much this piece is worth.
It's a Colt MODEL OF 1911 US ARMY , UNITED STATES PROPERTY , 45 ACP

The extractor was replaced by me (I still think I have the original around) and the mag release button has been replaced by some one so I don't have the original. The finish shows wear in the usual places from holster ect. and the barrel shows wear at the end but the grooves are still quite visible. It shot flawlessly last time I shot it about 5 years ago. A couple of pins look darker than the original finish as well.
I'd say the parkerizing is fair. The barrel has no numbers on it I'm assuming it's original. But am pretty sure the mag is not as I've been told the original has a laniard ring, but doe say "Colt 45 auto' on the bottom.
What would be a fair price for this unit?

Thanks
go45acp
 
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That will depend on its serial # because I sold one similar only a couple of years ago and wished I hadn't now but water under the bridge. You can get a good idea using the Blue Book as it should give you exact dates you can reference along with condition values.
You really should check it, and that might be a surprise, but if you’re having trouble, P.M me.

Driller
 
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Your pistol looks like it has been refinished [parkerized] and it wears WWII style plastic grips. Does it have a "SA", "AA" or "RIA" military armoury refurb stamp on the opposite side of the frame on the dust cover forward of the trigger guard bow? [That might explain the refinish to a WWII era parkerizing].

The correct finish for a 1914 vintage 1911 USGI pistol should be blued. And the grips should be double diamond hardwood.
 
No military arsenal refurb stamps like an "SA" for Springfield Arsenal or "AA" for Augusta Arsenal, so likely your pistol was refinished elsewhere. On second glance your grips appear to be quite new for GI grips , probably Vietnam era replacement grips. Do they have numbers on the insides: Left grip part number is 5564062, right part number is 5564063? If so, that's what they are.

Despite the refinish, which takes away it's originality and affects value significantly, it is still a very desireable example of a WWI era USGI Colt 1911. The other small parts on it look correct [hammer, thumbsafety, slide stop, grip safety, trigger, mainspring housing, etc]. Don't give it away... ;)
 
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Just checked and the grips do have part# 5564063 on it. I guess the story I got on it about it being bought in a crate of captured arms from Germany is a load of cr*p. But it was cheap at the time. It's just takin up room in the safe at this point, but I guess the value will never really go down unless the Liberals manage to take it away.:bangHead:
Thanks for the advice, I don't want to give it away and may just keep it as ever since I was a kid playing with toy guns I've wanted a "Colt 45". There are only two digits blocked in the pics.


NAA said:
No military arsenal refurb stamps like an "SA" for Springfield Arsenal or "AA" for Augusta Arsenal, so likely your pistol was refinished elsewhere. On second glance your grips appear to be quite new for GI grips , probably Vietnam era replacement grips. Do they have numbers on the insides: Left grip part number is 5560462, right part number is 5564063? If so, that's what they are.

Despite the refinish, which takes away it's originality and affects value significantly, it is still a very desireable example of a WWI era USGI Colt 1911. The other small parts on it look correct [hammer, thumbsafety, slide stop, grip safety, trigger, mainspring housing, etc]. Don't give it away... ;)
Click to expand...
 
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C'mon Marcus, toss a $$ number out there! :p

go45acp, just for info - I sold a nicely refinshed ww11 Colt here recently.
I made a buck on it and thought I did ok, but I regreted selling it immediatly - my plan was to replace it with a nicer example but that hasen't panned out.
These guns are are not encountered often, think carefully before parting with it.
 
go45acp said:
Just checked and the grips do have part# 5564063 on it. I guess the story I got on it about it being bought in a crate of captured arms from Germany is a load of cr*p. But it was cheap at the time. It's just takin up room in the safe at this point, but I guess the value will never really go down unless the Liberals manage to take it away.:bangHead:
Thanks for the advice, I don't want to give it away and may just keep it as ever since I was a kid playing with toy guns I've wanted a "Colt 45". There are only two digits blocked in the pics.
Click to expand...

If you are on the Lower Mainland, B.C. and maybe purchased that Colt 1911 from Lever Arms circa late 1980's or early 1990's? Or from someone who did? Lever Arms had a few crates of varying condition USGI 1911 & 1911A1's in that era. Some were very nice, correct finish, matching examples and then there were some refinished ones with no grips, then there were some real dogs & 'parts guns' in the batch. One story was that they came out of East Germany & were capture pieces left over from WWII. Another story was that they came out of South East Asia. In any event Lever likely ended up with them as they could not be reimported into the USA.

Of course that was way back in a time before "Saving Private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers" and the nostalgia craze that has driven USGI militaria, particularly 1911/1911A1 pistols, M1 Garands & the like thru the roof. In that era a nice cherry, original finish, matching, correct USGI pistol sold for ~ $350. Lots got bought up and bubba'd into IPSC and target pistols.

Anyway, on the Lever Arms USGI 1911's some of the lesser finish or refinished ones that had no grips.... Mr. Lever had a box of spankin' new GI replacement grips that could be had for $5 per pair. Some of the pistols like that were sold for $99 + tax. So, for $104 + tax you could get a functional 1911 with brand new GI grips! :eek:



canuck said:
C'mon Marcus, toss a $$ number out there! :p

go45acp, just for info - I sold a nicely refinshed ww11 Colt here recently.
I made a buck on it and thought I did ok, but I regreted selling it immediatly - my plan was to replace it with a nicer example but that hasen't panned out.
These guns are are not encountered often, think carefully before parting with it.
Click to expand...

It's very difficult to put a figure on something like that in the current climate. It is refinished and without original grips [which are now scarce & hard to come by], so less valuable that an original, correct model. Yet still, they are scarce, particularly the WWI era GI models. If it was original/correct it could probably command $1,500 - $2,000 up here, maybe a tad more. Refinished with replacement grips maybe $850 - $1,000. Or a tad more to someone who was really after one.

I would agree one has one to think long & hard about parting with it. Especially, if you think that down the road you'd probably like to get another one. They are not making any more! ;)
 
Winchester-1897 said:
I have one which was made in 1916 and it has a blue finish. Serial number starts with a W. Is registered as a .455.
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That's because it originally was in the .455 auto catridge made up for export to Britain. It is a Colt commerical government model with a "W" prefix serial number instead of the "C" prefix serial number. Lots were converted later by replacing the barrel with a drop-in .45ACP barrel.

If it it correct it will have the .455 barrel and a .455 magazine.

455mag.jpg.JPG



And the right side of the slide will say:

455slide.jpg.JPG
 
NAA said:
That's because it originally was in the .455 auto catridge made up for export to Britain. It is a Colt commerical government model with a "W" prefix serial number instead of the "C" prefix serial number. Lots were converted later by replacing the barrel with a drop-in .45ACP barrel.

If it it correct it will have the .455 barrel and a .455 magazine.

455mag.jpg.JPG



And the right side of the slide will say:

455slide.jpg.JPG
Click to expand...

It is now a 45 cal but I have 2 of the mags which are two tone with the loop. Kind of neat and shooting great. I kept the grips that came with it but put a set of Packmeyers on it for shooting.
 
I appologize for the hijack. This thread has a lot of good info by 1911 Jedi Masters....i need to take advantage of their knowledge.

Where can I buy vintage 1911 parts for a restoration on a 1913 mfg. Colt .45 acp ? I need both sights & hammer. As close to vintage would be good as well.

Thanks in advance.
 
Zeb said:
I appologize for the hijack. This thread has a lot of good info by 1911 Jedi Masters....i need to take advantage of their knowledge.

Where can I buy vintage 1911 parts for a restoration on a 1913 mfg. Colt .45 acp ? I need both sights & hammer. As close to vintage would be good as well.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Well, the short answer is "good luck".... both items very hard to come by. Maybe post a WTB ad in the EE and always look in the parts boxes etc at your local gunshows. A lot of original 1911's got butchered up for IPSC & target guns with replacement parts along the way. The originals sometimes make appearances in the oddest places. I recently found an original 1914 vintage Colt brite blue commercial slide stop in a parts box at a local gunshow.... for $10! :eek:
 
NAA,
Thanks for the info! It is obvious you've done some research on 1911's. This gun has always shot well so I'm definitely leaning toward keepin it. It was purchased at Lever's and the South East Asia story might explain the Vietnam ere grips as well as barrel wear and newer bits. I'm quite sure the only part replaced after Lever's was the extractor I replaced.
Besides, it's a great reminder that the freedoms we all take for granted were quite literally paid for with blood.
I'll have to keep my eyes open for some WW1 era grips.
Thanks again
 
I love old Colts just as much as anyone but I think estimations of value on this refinished pistol are a tad high but price may not be. Only market conditions will tell. Here is what I mean by that: I believe, and many collectors I've met, that value is based not only on the pistol being correct, but also on condition and originality. Originality is something that can not be altered and can increase its value should it come from a small production lot or if it's a contract pistol with limited production or perhaps had something unique about it such as M1911 transition models or a Black Army - something like that. Then finally the pistols condition also dictates value. As I mentioned earlier, the market demand is also another variable to the equation when setting price (not value).

There are a lot of inexperienced people who would like to own an old colt and could care less or just don't know about the pistol's originality or condition or even if it's 100% correct. As long as it says "Colt" on it and was made in early production years and looks good to them they are willing to pay a premium.

To many serious collectors, this particular example has low to nil collector value due to it's unfortunate refinish. The pistol can be restored but it will never have it's 100% original finish appeal. Small parts can be obtained from places like m1911 dot com or even ebay to make it 100% correct. Nonetheless, it's a great old Colt and has probably served someone or some people very well throughout it's long life. Shoot it and enjoy it.
 
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I was just thinkin that three 45's in my crowded safe is alot. I also have a newer gen nork gvmt that is starting to shoot really well, and a nork police model on the way. But why get rid of it just for the room. Maybe I'll buy another safe.. HEHEHE.
Guess you can never have too many 45's
 
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