Colt Arsenal Refurbished 1911 .45 ACP 5″ Semi-Automatic Pistol 1918 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,151.00
LSB#: LSB260415RR001
Make: Colt
Model: Model 1911
Serial Number: 445151
Year of Manufacture: 1918 C&R / (Colt Serial Lookup)
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Single Action, Semi-Auto Pistol with Detachable Magazine
Magazine Quantity & Condition: 1x 7-round magazine. The magazine shows operational use. There is some finish loss and patina forming. There are small dings in the baseplate. The toe is marked with a “G” for the General Shaver contract. Overall, the magazine rates in Very Good condition.
Barrel Length: 5″
Sights/Optics: The front sight is a short thin metal blade fixed to the slide. The rear sight is a flat-top square notch dovetailed to the slide.
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “PATENTED APR 20. 1897 SEPT.9.1902.” / “DEC.19.1905 FEB.14.1911 AUG.19.1913” / “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO.” / “HARTFORD. CT. U.S.A.” and the rampant Colt logo at the rear of the slide. The right side of the slide is marked “COLT AUTOMATIC” / “CALIBRE 45”. The rear of the slide above the firing pin is marked with an inspector mark. The left side of the frame is marked with “UNITED STATES PROPERTY” and there is a very faint Springfield Armory inspection mark near the magazine release. The left side of the frame has the Augusta Arsenal stamps. The right side of the frame is marked with the serial number.
Stock Configuration and Condition: The grips are a two piece checkered walnut. The checkering remains sharp and defined. There are minor handling marks and compression dents. There are no cracks or chips. Overall, the grips are in Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Blued / Parkerized
Finish Originality: Refurbished
Bore Condition: The bore is bright with defined rifling. There is erosion and pitting within the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates about 7/10.
Overall Condition: This handgun’s commercial slide retains about 10% of its original. The frame has been parkerized with about 80% of its refurbished finish. Altogether, the pistol retains approximately 40% finish overall. The slide has lost most of its finish. There are handling scratches and nicks throughout. There are spots of corrosion staining and freckling. The frame has handling wear, scratches, dents, and scuffs. There is finish loss along the grip straps, trigger guard, safety, and the leading edges. The screws are sharp with light tooling. The markings range from extremely faint to legible. The lanyard loop is intact. Overall, this pistol rates in Very Good condition as arsenal refurbished. Note: The commercial slide does not match the frame.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The safeties function properly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork, and Accessories: 1x 7-round magazine, leather braided tassel holster.
Our Assessment: The Colt Model 1911 is one of the most important American military sidearms of the 20th century, designed by John Moses Browning and adopted by the U.S. military for its rugged single-action system, .45 ACP chambering, and proven service reliability. Original World War I-production pistols have strong collector appeal, and arsenal-refurbished examples tell an additional service-life story, often showing replacement parts, later military finishes, and rebuild markings from facilities such as Augusta Arsenal. This example was manufactured in 1918 and is C&R eligible, with the listing noting an arsenal-refurbished frame and a non-matching commercial Colt slide.
This Colt Model 1911 is a .45 ACP single-action semi-automatic pistol with a 5″ barrel, fixed blade front sight, flat-top square-notch rear sight, two-piece checkered walnut grips, and one 7-round magazine marked with a “G” on the toe for the General Shaver contract. The commercial slide retains about 10% of its original finish, while the parkerized arsenal-refurbished frame retains about 80% of its refurbished finish, for an estimated overall remaining finish of about 40%. The pistol shows substantial finish loss on the slide, handling scratches and nicks, corrosion staining and freckling, frame wear, dents, scuffs, and finish loss along the grip straps, trigger guard, safety, and leading edges. The grips are in Excellent condition with sharp defined checkering, minor handling marks, and no chips or cracks. The bore is bright with defined rifling, though erosion and pitting are present, rating about 7/10 in this writer’s opinion. The action functions correctly and the safeties function properly, though the pistol has not been test fired. Included are one Very Good condition 7-round magazine and a leather braided tassel holster. Overall, this is a Very Good condition arsenal-refurbished 1918 Colt Model 1911 with U.S. Property marking, Augusta Arsenal rebuild interest, service-worn character, and a clearly noted non-matching commercial slide. Please see our photos for a better understanding of the condition and good luck with your bids! -MY