Colt M1911 U.S. Army .45 ACP 5” WWI Pistol Augusta Arsenal Rework 1918 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,524.00
LSB#: LSB250801KW024
Make: Colt
Model: Model of 1911 U.S. Army
Serial Number: No. 509092
Year of Manufacture: 1918 (Colt wartime production) C&R
Caliber: .45 ACP (Automatic Cartridge)
Action Type: Semi-Automatic, Short-Recoil, Single Action
Barrel Length: 5″ nominal
Markings: The left slide is roll-stamped with the patent dates “PATENTED APR. 20, 1897. SEPT. 9, 1902 / DEC. 19, 1905. FEB. 14, 1911. AUG. 19, 1913” followed by the Colt rampant horse and “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. / HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A.” The right slide is stamped “MODEL OF 1911. U.S. ARMY.” The left frame is stamped “UNITED STATES PROPERTY.” Above the trigger guard on the left is a two-letter inspection/stamp reading “AA,” and the trigger guard bow shows a small “55” stamp.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The pistol is fitted with checkered brown hard rubber grips that show age-appropriate wear, small edge chips, and light surface compressions consistent with long service life. Grip screws are period style and fit the panels. The frame and grip panels present service wear but remain sound with no visible cracks through the grips.
Type of Finish / Finish Originality: The pistol currently carries a parkerized-type finish applied over a reworked surface consistent with a U.S. arsenal refinish. The finish is overall even but shows handling marks, light surface abrasion, and wear on high edges. This is consistent with post-war arsenal rework and parkerizing rather than original Colt blue.
Bore Condition: The bore is bright, the rifling is sharp. There is no visible erosion in the bore but there is light fouling throughout. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 9.5/10.
Sights / Optics: Fixed dovetailed front sight and fixed square-notch rear, standard for wartime Colt GI pistols. Sight edges show mild rounding consistent with service carry and holstering.
Magazine / Accessories: One Magazine with the gun. No holster, or extra accessories included.
Overall Condition: 80% parkerizing retained. This pistol shows the honest, utilitarian appearance of a service Colt that has been returned to an ordnance facility and parkerized for extended service life. Metal surfaces are free of major gouges or structural damage but show service abrasion and light pitting in isolated low spots. Small parts and controls are present and appear period correct. The “UNITED STATES PROPERTY” and slide cartouche are clear and add to the military provenance. The “AA” marking and the parkerized surface strongly indicate U.S. arsenal rework (Augusta Arsenal) following initial Colt manufacture.
Mechanics: Manual checks performed on the action indicate the slide cycles and the controls operate under hand manipulation. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements. We did not fire this pistol.
Our Assessment:
This example began life in Colt’s production lines during World War I (serial ˜ No. 509092) and carries the classic GI roll-marks and rampant Colt horse on the slide that collectors expect from early military Colts. The subsequent “AA” and parkerized treatment place it in the long catalog of U.S. ordnance-refurbished pistols — these were workhorses returned to arsenals like Augusta for reissue, overhaul, or foreign aid programs. The left trigger-bow “55” and other small inspector marks are the little details that help tell that logistic story: manufacture by Colt, service use, then official arsenal attention.
This serial range places it among the last Colt-produced M1911 pistols before the Army’s 1924 transition to the M1911A1 pattern. Following World War II, many service pistols were returned to U.S. arsenals—such as Augusta, Rock Island, or Springfield—for refurbishment. The “AA” stamp denotes Augusta Arsenal, which refinished and rebuilt these pistols in the late 1940s and early 1950s for continued service and foreign military aid programs. These rebuilds commonly received a Parkerized finish, as this one displays, replacing the original polished blue.
This pistol’s appeal is twofold: it is both a genuine Colt wartime production M1911 and a tangible example of the U.S. ordnance system that kept these pistols in service long after the Great War. For a collector interested in service-history pieces, the combo of original Colt slide markings, clear U.S. property cartouche, and the arsenal rework stamps provide a compact, researchable provenance. For a buyer seeking an honest shooter, the bore rates very well and the action looks complete — though a professional gunsmith inspection and routine service are recommended before any live-fire use.
References for further reading and verification include: S. Canfield, Colt 1911 — U.S. Pistols and Commercial Variants; R. A. Hall, The Military Pistol: Colt 1911 & Variants; and authoritative ordnance/arsenal treatment references such as the U.S. Ordnance historical outlines and J. B. Williams, 1911: The First Century (these provide context on serial blocks, arsenal stamps, and parkerizing programs). We are no longer offering layaway. KF
