WWI Colt Model of 1911 U.S. Army .45 ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1918 C&R

WWI Colt Model of 1911 U.S. Army .45 ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1918 C&R

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SOLD FOR: $1,125.00

LSB#: LSB250525MC006

Make: Colt frame, post-war Slide (see Our Assessment)

Model: 1911

Serial Number: 359561

Year of Manufacture: 1918 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)

Caliber: .45 ACP

Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine

Barrel Length: 5″

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a rounded blade staked 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 reproduction checkered wood panels with smooth diamonds around the grip screws. The grips have minor handling wear with a few scattered small marks. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Fine condition as not original to the gun.

Type of Finish: Parkerized

Finish Originality: Refinished. The barrel is a Springfield replacement (marked S and P on the lug). The slide is a post-war replacement (see Our Assessment). The recoil spring plug is an after-market alloy part.

Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore, but there is a little stubborn fouling. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 9+/10.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 94% of its current metal finish. The finish is generally strong with some minor edge-thinning. The most notable finish wear is in the grip safety. The action shows light operational wear. There are tool marks on the edge of the thumb safety. There is scattered minor erosion under the finish. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings range from clear to worn, but legible. Overall, this pistol is in about Very Good-plus condition as refinished and assembled.

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 WWII-era M.S. Little magazine. 

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 an interesting example which has been assembled with a 1918 Colt frame and an intriguing slide.

For many years, the “S” in flaming bomb marking was believed to indicate production by A.J. Savage, but this was mostly based on Savage starting with an “S”. More recent research strongly suggests that these slides were unfinished parts originally produced by Remington UMC during the war which were later sent back to Springfield Armory along with the production tooling used by Remington UMC, which was owned by the US Government. It is believed that Springfield completed the partially machined slides as replacement parts for the pistols which remained in inventory. The profile of the slide as well as the arrangement of the patent markings lines up well with that of the Rem-UMC slides and the “S” in flaming bomb marking closely matches those used on 1903 rifle barrels. While not definitive, this has become accepted as a plausible explanation for the slides’ markings and appearance.

This pistol is in Very Good-plus condition, having been refinished, showing scattered light wear, some erosion under the finish which is mostly covered by the reproduction grips, and a replaced barrel which has a great bore. This will make a great shooter if not snapped up by a collector who wants a fun research project with interesting features and markings. Please see our photos and good luck!

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

WWI Colt Model of 1911 U.S. Army .45 ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1918 C&R
WWI Colt Model of 1911 U.S. Army .45 ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1918 C&R