WWII Occupied Norwegian M-1914 Kongsberg Colt 11.25mm Semi-Auto Pistol, C&R

SOLD FOR: $3715

LSB#: 230308JH008

Make: Kongsberg Vapenfabrik, Norway, under license from Browning through Fabrique Nationale

Model: 1914, known as the “Kongsberg Colt”

Serial Number: 27074

Year of Manufacture: 1942, Under Occupation By Germany

Caliber: 11.43×23 ACP (.45 ACP)

Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine

Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “11.25m/m AUT. PISTOL M/1914==No 27074” and with a crowned “K” proof mark. The left side of the frame is marked “27074”. The left front of the trigger guard has a “JB” monogram inspection mark. The left side of the trigger, slide release, safety, the grip safety, and mainspring housing, are marked “.074”. The underside of the barrel in front of the lug is marked “.074 / N”. The right side of the slide is marked “1942 / B”. The top-rear of the slide has a punch-mark and “A”.

Barrel Length: 5”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is rounded blade fixed to the slide. The rear sight is a “U” notch dovetailed into the slide.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered wood. The grips show handling wear with much of their black paint finish worn off, but retain fairly well defined checkering. There are some compressions and scuffs. There is a crack at the bottom of the right panel. Overall, the grips are in Good condition.

Type of Finish: Phosphate

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright. The rifling is sharp. There is scattered light erosion in the bore, mostly in front of the chamber. In this writer’s opinion. the bore rates 7 out of 10.

Many military and C&R eligible weapons have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but to the fact that corrosive primers were commonly used in ammunition worldwide. For example, the U.S. used  corrosive ammunition throughout WWII. The U.S. military did not begin to phase out corrosive-primed ammunition until the 1950’s.

Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There are some scattered light nicks and scratches. The grip areas show handling wear. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The slide has light play to the frame. The trigger pull is crisp. We did not fire this handgun. 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.

Our Assessment: In the early 1900’s, the Norwegians were looking around for a pistol to replace their aging Nagant revolvers. They held several commissions to evaluate pistols, but they all came back recommending Colts – at first the Model 1902 in .38 ACP and finally the Model 1911. The Norwegian parliament kept refusing funding for the pistol, holding out for a “homegrown’ design. They finally gave up in 1914 and allowed the 1911 to be adopted. Norway held discussions for Fabrique Nationale, Browning’s representative in Europe, to secure a license to produce the pistols in Norway. Production finally began in 1917 with a few hundred produced. In 1918, a few slight changes were made, which resulted in a slide release that was both extended and lowered, which makes one wonder “Why didn’t we think of that?”.

The Germans occupied the Kongsberg factory in 1940 and remained there until 1945. During their occupation, production of pistols ceased in 1943 and 1944, with priorities given to rifles. Under occupation, the pistols made in 1940-1942 were inspected by a civilian inspector, Jorgen Bjornholt, who was forced into service after all of the regular inspectors at the factory refused to serve the Germans. His “JB” inspection mark and an “N” which is believed to be the mark of Oberfuhrer Neumann, the German supervisor at the facility, were marked on these earlier occupation guns and only the few hundred guns made in 1945 were marked with German waffenamts. To add further value to these guns, the Kongsberg Colt and the Argentine Model of 1927 are the only two legitimate licensed copies of the Browning designed Colt 1911 produced overseas.

This pistol was made in 1942 and is in Very Good condition, retaining about 80% of its original phosphate metal finish. It has matching serial numbers on the numbered parts. The grips have the distinctive black paint finish of the Norwegian 1914, though much of it has worn off. This is a nice find for collectors of European firearms as used during WWII, for those of Scandinavia in particular, but are also a great addition to a 1911 collection. There were only about 30,000 of these pistols made in total, and only about 8,200 during WWII, making them quite scarce today. Please see our photos and good luck!

Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud