Replacement X-Serial Colt Model of 1911 U.S. Army .45 ACP Semi-Auto Pistol
SOLD FOR: $1843.18
LSB#: 220516RY003
Make: Colt
Model: 1911
Serial Number: X1628 (this is a replacement serial number applied by Augusta Arsenal between 1925 and 1953)
Year of Manufacture: The frame was originally made between 1911 and 1917.
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto fed by Removable Magazine
Markings: The right of the frame is marked “X1628”. The right side of the slide is marked “MODEL OF 1911. U.S. ARMY”. The left side of the frame is marked “UNITED STATES PROPERTY” on the dust cover and “AA” above the front of the trigger guard. The left side of the slide is marked “PATENTED APR.20,1897. SEPT.9,1902 / DEC.19,1905. FEB.14,1911.”, “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. / HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A.” and behind the slide serrations with a circled rampant colt. The rear of the slide is marked “H” (vertical, no serifs) above the firing pin plate. The top of the frame is marked “H” and “R” at the disconnector. The barrel’s left link-lug is marked “P” and above the lug is “COLT 45 AUTO”, there is a poorly struck marking in front of the link on the bottom of the barrel.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a rounded blade fixed to the front of the slide. The rear sight is a “U”-notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered brown plastic with reinforcement rings around the screw heads and reinforcement ribs on their interiors. The grips have light handling wear with a few light nicks and scuffs. The checkering is generally well defined. There are some light tool marks in the reinforcement rings. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition as not original to the gun.
Type of Finish: Parkerized
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The barrel is semi-bright with sharp rifling. There is some scattered minor erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 96% of its current metal finish. The finish is generally strong throughout. There are some scattered light nicks and scuffs. The action shows operational wear. There are scattered nicks and light erosion under the finish. There is more notable erosion and pitting under the finish on the frame which is mostly covered by the grips when they are installed. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings range from clear to worn and incomplete. Overall, this pistol is in about 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 little 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 marked “R” on the top of the floorplate. The magazine has light operational wear, some minor 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. The design was the end-result of a series of developments by famous gun designer John Browning, starting with the Model 1900. The advances made by Browning were revolutionary at the time, and were so successful that they are considered commonplace today. Browning not only developed first a pivoting and then a tilting barrel to allow for a locked system, he developed the concept of “the slide”, which is now synonymous with semi-automatic handguns.
This is a U. S. Government marked Colt 1911 pistol which will be an intriguing piece for collectors. The pistol’s frame has a replacement serial number which was assigned to Augusta Arsenal. In 1924, U.S. arsenals were instructed to keep Model 1911 pistols which had missing or defaced serial numbers until they accumulated a sufficient amount to be worth re-numbering them. New numbers with X-prefixes were assigned to the various arsenals and this process continued into the 1950s. This pistol’s frame was originally made between 1911 and 1917 based on its “R” assembler’s mark and it has a quite early slide, produced before the 1913 patent was added to the slide legend. The pistol has been refinished, so it looks great for its age. This is a neat example of the U.S. Model of 1911 which will add to your collection, especially if you’ve been looking for once of these scarce replacement numbered guns. Please see our photos and good luck!