WWI Colt Model of 1911 U.S. Army .45 ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1918 C&R
SOLD FOR: $2253
LSB#: 210714SH02
Make: Colt
Model: 1911
Serial Number: 425491
Year of Manufacture: 1918 (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 “No 425491″, the left of the dust cover is marked “UNITED STATES PROPERTY”. The right side of the slide is marked “MODEL OF 1911. U.S. ARMY”. 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 rear of the slide is marked “H” (vertical, no serifs). The left side of the frame is marked behind the trigger with eagle’s head over “S16”. The top of the frame is marked “8” to the right and in front of the feed ramp, and “G” behind the disconnector. The left of the trigger guard is marked “14”. The top of the chamber is marked with an “H” and a “P”, the bottom in front of the link lug is marked “5”.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The pistol is mounted with a “U”-notched rear sight dovetailed into the slide and a short rounded blade front sight fixed to the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut with smooth diamonds around the grip screws. The grips have light handling wear. There are some light tool marks around the screw heads. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good-plus condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is infrequent light erosion in the bore, mostly in the grooves just in front of the chamber.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There is handling wear in the grip areas, the mainspring housing is mostly worn to white. There is some other scattered light finish wear, most notable on the top of the slide toward the front. There are some scattered light nicks and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in about Very Good-plus condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. It has both a manual and grip safety and the trigger pull is crisp. The slide has nominal 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 body comes down flush with the bottom of the plate. The magazine shows operational wear and infrequent minor oxidation, with intact feed lips and a strong spring, in about Very Good condition.
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 U. S. Government marked Colt 1911 pistol made toward the end of WWI in 1918. The pistol is in Very Good-plus condition, retaining about 80% of its late war bluing, sometimes referred to as a “Black Army” finish, due to its darker and more matte coloring than the early Colt bluing. This finish was more fragile than the earlier bluing process, typically causing the pistols to exhibit greater finish loss, though this one appears to be in quite good condition. The frame also has “heart” cuts under the grips, a feature which resulted from a simplified machining process to increase production during the war. The pistol shows wear which is pretty light for a military sidearm that’s more than 100 years old, retaining a nice bore and strong mechanics. This should make a great addition for the 1911 collector and should still make for a good shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!