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Colt 1911 Govt.....
we_dig_it
Member Posts: 6,614 ✭✭✭
A question for you 1911 experts. Im looking at a 1911 that has a serial # 401XXX, the last patent date on the slide is Feb 14,1911. Does this mean it is a mismatched pistol? Further it has the brown plastic grips. It comes with 3 mags. one marked c-s and the other marked c-r. The last mag has no markings. There is an old holster that holds the 2 extra clips as well as the pistol. I can find no markings on the holster, but it looks old. The right side of slide is marked Model of 1911 US Army. Im more familiar with colt revolvers and old winchester lever guns. The man is only wanting 500.00 for the pistol and holster, but I would only be interested if it was a correct configuration. I would post pics but I dont know how. Any info is greatly appreciated. If I have left anything out let me know. thanks Billy
Comments
401XXX was made by Colt in 1918. Slide and frame are both W W I vintage. Whether the finish is original and the internal parts are also W W I vintage is a question we can't answer, unless you provide quality photos and/or a very specific description of all markings.
Until I figure out how to post pics, what else can I tell you? Its definitely original finish. Has s17 over an eagle head on the left side, an H at the hammer, and the HP on the barrel, visible through the ejection port. Thanks
Plastic grips did not come in until 1940.
The magazines were made for Colt by Risdon and General Shaver during WW II.
HOWEVER: If the gun is Parkerized and if there is a small AA, A, or SA stamp on the left side, it was been arsenal refurbished and reissued. Not worth as much as an original, but a perfectly legitimate USGI service weapon and a good buy at $500 if in VG-Ex condition.
The experts need pictures and a FULL listing of markings on all locations. The layout of the HP on the barrel matters.
Looks to me like the HP is correct for the frame serial number.
If not a refurb, the other excuse given for a mismatched gun is that they were not real careful to match parts back up when the whole squad was stripping and cleaning guns. I don't know how true that may be, but it is something to consider... maybe.
But the grips and magazines are much later parts.
Coolgunsite.com has a lot of stuff to study, all I know of short of getting somebody to look in the big reference books.
The eagle head was after May 15th
as others have stated magazine and grips are wrong but no big thing However you need to check all small parts and if the slide is mis-matched this will need big $$ to correct the slide should should have Pat date of AUG 19. 1913 and the prancing pony should NOT have a circle around it.