WWII US Remington Rand 1911A1 1911-A1 .45 ACP Semi-Auto Pistol, 1944 C&R

SOLD FOR: $3267

LSB#: 230404RY002

Make: Remington Rand 

Model: 1911-A1 

Serial Number: 1748307

Year of Manufacture: 1944 (Clawson’s “Colt .45 Service Pistols”) 

Caliber: .45 ACP 

Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine 

Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “REMINGTON RAND INC. / SYRACUSE, N.Y. U.S.A.”, the rear face of the slide is marked “G” under the firing pin plate. The left of the frame below the magazine release and the top of the slide in front of the rear sight are marked with a “P” acceptance proof. The left side of the frame below the slide release is marked “FJA” (Frank J. Atwood Lt. Col., Sub-Inspector for Ithaca, Remington Rand and Union Switch). The right side of the frame is marked “UNITED STATES PROPERTY / NO. 1748307”, “M1911 A1 U.S. ARMY” and at the rear there is an Ordnance mark. The left of the trigger guard is marked “E”, the right “D” and “U”. The barrel is marked “P” on the left link-lug, “HS” on the right. The top of the frame is marked “G” by the disconnector.

Barrel Length: 5” 

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a short blade fixed to the slide with a serrated, ramped rear face. The rear sight is a square notch dovetailed into the slide. 

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered brown Keyes Fibre plastic with reinforcement rings around the screws and reinforcement ribs and a star on the inside. There is faint scattered handling wear and there are a few faint marks on the bottom faces, hardly noticeable. The checkering is generally strong and well-defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Excellent condition. 

Type of Finish: Parkerized 

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. In my opinion, this bore rates 10 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 98% of its current metal finish. The finish is thinning at some edges and corners, mostly on the leading edges of the slide but it is very light. There are some oil marks. There are a few little marks through the finish, the most noticeable are on the right edge of the trigger guard. There is a faint “idiot mark” on the left of the frame below the slide stop. The action shows minor operational wear. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are generally clear, some are a bit shallow and light. Overall, this pistol is in Excellent condition. 

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The trigger pull is crisp. There is minor play between the slide and frame. This pistol has manual and grip safeties. We have not fired 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 faint operational wear, the feed lips are intact and the spring is strong. Also included is a brown box marked “01-00040” on the top in ink and with the serial number in pencil.

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. As was the case at the outset of the 1st World War, demands of the US Military would outstrip the production capacity of Colt when the United States entered World War II. In this case, contracting pistol production out to other companies had been planned for and simplified due to educational orders and a production study, notably conducted by the Singer sewing machine company, which developed comprehensive plans and instructions for a company which had never made a 1911A1 to order materials, machinery and set up manufacturing for the pistol.

Remington Rand was the star example of this project’s success, and by the end of the war would go on to produce just about as many as all of the other maker’s combined, at the lowest price and highest quality. This example was made by Remington Rand in 1944 and is a phenomenal example of a Remington Rand 1911-A1. The pistol is in Excellent condition, retaining about 98% of its parkerized finish. The pistol retains strong mechanics and a nice bore. This would make a nice addition for a collector who wants to add a Remington Rand to a 1911 or WWII small arms collection. Please see our photos and good luck!

Some are hot, some are not, but thankfully most can be shot!
-Red