new Gun: 1943 colt 1911 project

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Scorpian

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Hey guys this is my first post,

Just got into the handgun world a few months ago, and bought a couple of them recently:
norinco 1911
norinco NP-22
1943 Colt 1911

I just picked up the 1911 as a parts gun, was in pieces, cleaned and degreased it and put it back together and she shoots excellent. this gun has some miles on it and is broken in excellently. it shoots significantly better than my norinco.
it was built in 1943, and has the US army stamp on it :) soo cool I have wanted one for awhile now.

however the slide is quite pitted on it and needs some restoration, anyone ever deal with this? the frame is fine, but the slide catch and safety are pretty rough too.
I think im probably going to bead blast the whole slide and frame and see how she looks after that, any suggestions?
im going to make some custom wooden handles for it out of oak and get them stained a nice dark reddish color.

will try to get pics up of it.

Cheers,

Ian
 
Your 1943 Colt 1911, may have some collector value as is.
Any bead blasting would remove any collector value, as well as the finish.

Any pictures?

Scorpian said:
Hey guys this is my first post,

Just got into the handgun world a few months ago, and bought a couple of them recently:
norinco 1911
norinco NP-22
1943 Colt 1911

I just picked up the 1911 as a parts gun, was in pieces, cleaned and degreased it and put it back together and she shoots excellent. this gun has some miles on it and is broken in excellently. it shoots significantly better than my norinco.
it was built in 1943, and has the US army stamp on it :) soo cool I have wanted one for awhile now.

however the slide is quite pitted on it and needs some restoration, anyone ever deal with this? the frame is fine, but the slide catch and safety are pretty rough too.
I think im probably going to bead blast the whole slide and frame and see how she looks after that, any suggestions?
im going to make some custom wooden handles for it out of oak and get them stained a nice dark reddish color.

will try to get pics up of it.

Cheers,

Ian
Click to expand...
 
from the looks of it someone parkerized it already and tried to give it a refinish. I already tried sanding down some of the finish on it, it definitely has a new mainspring housing on it and maybe a few other things too, also has pachmyr grips that came with.
basically the 1911 is not original, the barrel bushing is not original either... and it looks like the fittings have been parkerized as well.



IMG_1878_zpsgdpyhq8x.jpg

IMG_1879_zps4et9wf45.jpg

IMG_1876_zpszmalb6ir.jpg
 
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Oh boy. I don't think you have to worry about refinishing hurting the collector's value. Looks like a '43 Remington Rand frame with at least the mainspring housing changed. Offhand I couldn't tell you about the slide. I'd say enjoy it however you see fit.
 
heres some of the ones after a cleaning and some work, the slide is a colt, or at least it has the horse stamped on it and has the colt markings. I ran the serial number on the colt website, that's how I know the year. what would give it away as a Remington rand frame?:
IMG_1882_zps5gy7vog0.jpg

IMG_1884_zps3aocz4kx.jpg
 
Based on your pics and info the gun is obviously a "Shooter ". The mismatched parts and previous finishing negates
any downside to refinishing it. The slide pitting however is quite severe and I would carefully examine the inside of
it for any corrosion hairline cracks etc. Even in poor condition a matching numbered original finish gun should not be
messed with, but your piece will improve with a stripping.
 
Holy friggin hell you wouldn' catch me shooting that! That is EXTREMELY bad pitting. That kind of corrosion can penetrate and make a part unsound.

I'd say if you want to shoot it, it needs to be blasted to see how bad the corrosion really is. If there darker coloured and discolored areas that don't blast off or penetrate through to th einside of the slide, i wouldn't shoot i t:S If it does clean up, a re park or paint job will probably hide most of it.

*OR you could get a new slide.
 
Contact Vulcan Refinishing in Ontario. I have seen pics of their work and they can make that old girl look new again by filling in the pitting, re-heat treating and then applying a new finish as well.
 
If the frame serial number is 1,235,517 then my source says it's a 1944 mfg Ithaca frame.

If it's 1,335,517 then it's a 1943 Remington Rand mfg frame.

Both mfgs with should have the "FJA" inspector's initials on the frame just between the bottom of the slide stop & the mag release button.

Frame has the "SA" [Springfield Arsenal] refurb proof on the right side of the frame above the trigger guard bow. May or may not explain why it has a Colt slide on it.

1CanadaFlag.gif

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NAA.
 
NAA said:
If the frame serial number is 1,235,517 then my source says it's a 1944 mfg Ithaca frame.

If it's 1,335,517 then it's a 1943 Remington Rand mfg frame.

Both mfgs with should have the "FJA" inspector's initials on the frame just between the bottom of the slide stop & the mag release button.

Frame has the "SA" [Springfield Arsenal] refurb proof on the right side of the frame above the trigger guard bow. May or may not explain why it has a Colt slide on it.

1CanadaFlag.gif

-------------
NAA.
Click to expand...

I read it as 133###x, but it's difficult to tell with the condition and the pics.
 
mwjones said:
Holy friggin hell you wouldn' catch me shooting that! That is EXTREMELY bad pitting. That kind of corrosion can penetrate and make a part unsound.

I'd say if you want to shoot it, it needs to be blasted to see how bad the corrosion really is. If there darker coloured and discolored areas that don't blast off or penetrate through to th einside of the slide, i wouldn't shoot i t:S If it does clean up, a re park or paint job will probably hide most of it.

*OR you could get a new slide.
Click to expand...

My first thought when I saw that.
 
Wow, I think I may be tied for the most pitted slide on a shooter class semiautomatic pistol.
I've a mismatched 1912 Steyr - Hahn in 9 x19mm Luger that looks about like yours.
I just finished reading an article on ' Matting ' in an older 'Rifle - sporting firearms journal' penned by Gil Sengel. It looks easy enough and is supposed to be superior to bead blasting.
Post pic's if you get it blasted pls. I'm interested in how the blasting compares.
Tokguy
 
i may take parts off and use them on my norinco...i hadnt realized the frame was not an original colt.
i did only pay 150$ for it though :)
it does shoot very nice though....
 
So wear your PPE and shoot it til you can 'skunk' some high dollar competitors.
Just wear the PPE!
A shiny new one can fail, one like this...perhaps a slightly better chance of failure, lol.
I just load rounds for my ' steaming pile, looking thing' down to about 800 fps, which is really slow for the caliber.
Not so easy to do if you are stuck with running 'off the shelf' ammo of course.
Good luck.
 
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