Colt Model of 1911 U.S./1911A1 Slide .45 ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol 1919 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1525
LSB#: 210506MW90
Make: Colt
Model: 1911 frame, 1911A1 slide
Serial Number: 613511
Year of Manufacture: 1919 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine
Markings: The right of the frame is marked “UNITED STATES PROPERTY / No 613511″. The left side of the slide is marked “PATENTED APR.20,1897. SEPT.9,1902 / DEC.19,1905. FEB.14,1911. AUG. 19, 1913”, with a rampant colt and “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. / HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A.”. The left side of the frame is marked behind the trigger with eagle’s head over “S15”. The top of the frame is marked “3” to the right and in front of the feed ramp, “H” in front of the disconnector, and “G” behind. The left of the trigger guard is marked “41”. The left link-lug of the barrel is marked “P”. The top of the slide in front of the rear sight is marked “P”.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The pistol is mounted with a “U”-notched rear sight dovetailed into the slide and a short blade front sight with a serrated rear face, fixed to the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut with smooth diamonds around the grip screws. The grips have some scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Refinished, the slide is not original to the frame.
Bore Condition: The bore is gray with sharp rifling. There is light erosion scattered through the bore.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 80% of its current metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There are some scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches, some under and some through the finish. The grip areas show handling wear. There is some scattered surface oxidation, most notable in the frontstrap. There is some erosion, mostly concentrated under the grip panels, with some under and some through the finish. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings range from clear to worn, but legible. Overall, this pistol is in about Good-Very Good condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. It has both a manual and grip safety and the trigger pull is crisp. The slide has light-moderate play to the frame. We did not fire this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a single 7-round magazine, blued in the bottom portion and in the white toward the top. The floorplate has a lanyard loop and the body comes down flush with the bottom of the plate. The magazine has been refinished, showing some light erosion under the finish, intact feed lips and a strong spring.
Our Assessment: The 1911 and 1911-A1 pistols served the military of the United States from 1911 to 1985, through two World Wars and the Korean and Vietnam wars. They gained a reputation as a reliable handgun with plenty of stopping power, and are held in high regard by those who have used them. This is a pistol with a frame made toward the end of WWI in 1919 and a slide from a later 1911A1 pistol. The pistol is in about Good-Very Good condition as refinished, retaining about 80% of its new finish, retaining a fair bore and fairly strong mechanics. The frame has the heart-shaped cuts common to WWI production pistols, reducing the machine time it took to create nice, rounded corners under the grips. This should make a nice addition for the 1911 collector, either as a parts donor, host, or even to take out to the range. Please see our photos and good luck!