Norwegian 1914 Kongsberg Colt 11.25x23mm (.45) ACP RARE Semi-Automatic Pistol & Holster, MFD 1927 C&R

SOLD FOR: $2,575.00
LSB#: 
180110JT02
Make: Kongsberg Vapenfabrik, Norway, under license from Browning through Fabrique Nationale
Model: 1914, known as the “Kongsberg Colt”
Serial Number: 14358
Year of Manufacture: 1927
Caliber: 11.25×23 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 14358”, a crowned shield with a “7” in the center (probably an inspection mark) and a “Crown / Script K” proof mark. The left side of the frame is marked “14358”. The slide release, trigger, hammer, safety, grip safety, ejector, mainspring housing and the right side of the magazine release are marked “.358”. The right side of the slide is marked “1927” over “KK” in script. The barrel at the port is marked “.353” and the left side of the barrel lug is marked “S” and “P”, which indicates the barrel was made by Springfield Armory before WWII. The top rear of the slide behind the rear sight is marked “A” and the front underside of the frame is marked “*”.
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 checkered hardwood with smooth diamond shapes around the grip screws, and the left grip is cut-out at the top front for clearance for the slide release. Both grips are dark with oil staining in the grooves of the checkering, but the right grip is noticeably darker than the left. The checkering shows heavy wear, with no mars in the left grip and two small mars in the right. There are a few small marks in the smooth diamonds of the right grip. The grips rate in about Very Good overall condition.
Type of Finish: The pistol has a dark gray phosphate finish (parkerized). The barrel is blued.
Finish Originality: All Original
Bore Condition: The bore is a gray with sharp rifling. There is very light erosion scattered throughout the bore.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 65% of its metal finish. There are spots of pinprick surface erosion sprinkled over the slide with spots of slightly heavier erosion on the lower left side of the slide below the barrel. There is finish loss on the edges of the slide and frame, with streaks of finish loss on the underside of the slide from rubbing on the frame. The remainder of the finish shows thinning with a few shallow dings on the right side of the frame and handling marks on the left side under the slide release. The slide serrations are sharp, and the knurling on the magazine release and recoil spring plug shows light wear. The screw heads are disfigured and the markings are clear. Overall, this handgun rates in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The slide is tight 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 one 7 round magazine and a brown leather flap holster. The body of the magazine has been polished to remove its original finish. The floorplate, which has a lanyard ring on its bottom surface, has a dark gray phosphate finish with what looks like dark gray enamel which has chipped-off in places. The magazine is in about Good Plus condition. The holster is made from a single piece of soft leather that is folded over at the front and sewn around the muzzle and its rear edge, and folded over at the top to form the top flap. The top flap has a short strap sewn to it which is secured to a brass stud on the outside of the holster, but unfortunately, the stud has been pulled out of the leather. Please see our pictures. There is a thin strap sewn to the inside of the holster and the inside of the top strap to act like a hinge and there is a wide belt loop sewn to the back of the holster. The holster shows thinning at the muzzle and at the top of the belt loop and several light marks. There is some dirt and oil staining on the back of the holster. There is no finish loss to speak of and the stitching is all intact. The holster is in about Very Good overall condition.
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 German 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, and only the few hundred guns made in 1945 were German proofed. After the war, a few thousand more were assembled in 1946 and 1947 from spare parts made during the war. The Norwegian armed forces liked them so much, those surviving WWII were kept in service until they were replaced by the Glock P80 in 1985. 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 that were produced out of the country. This pistol was one of the 22,311 manufactured before 1940 with a slide date of 1927. The pistol has matching serial numbers on all of the major parts except for the pre-WWII Springfield Armory barrel. This is a very nice find for collectors of European firearms and for those of Scandinavia in particular. There weren’t that many made, making any that survived to today a rare find. This pistol comes with a period flap holster to heighten its collectability.
CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable: This C&R eligible handgun CAN be transferred as a dealer sale in California and CAN be sold as a Private Party Transfer (PPT) at our Simi Valley shop. All cartridge firing handguns (even C&R’s and antiques) sold to a California resident must be DROS’d. This does not apply to out of state residents.

Norwegian 1914 Kongsberg Colt 11.25x23mm (.45) ACP RARE Semi-Automatic Pistol & Holster, MFD 1927 C&R
Norwegian 1914 Kongsberg Colt 11.25x23mm (.45) ACP RARE Semi-Automatic Pistol & Holster, MFD 1927 C&R