Colt Commercial Government Model 1911 .45 ACP Semi-Auto Pistol, 1926 C&R

SOLD FOR: $1,825.00

WOA#: WY240530TP049

Make: Colt

Model: Government Model, Commercial 1911

Serial Number: C146859

Year of Manufacture: 1926 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)

Caliber: .45 ACP

Action Type: Single Action, Semi-Automatic, Detachable Magazine Fed Pistol

Markings: The left of the slide is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A. / PAT’D APR. 20. 1897. SEPT. 9. 1902. DEC. 19. 1905. FEB. 14. 1911. AUG. 19. 1913”. The right of the slide is marked “COLT”, “AUTOMATIC / CALIBRE .45” and with a Rampant Colt. The back of the slide under the firing pin plate is marked “146 / 859”. The right of the frame is marked “GOVERNMENT MODEL / C146859. The left of the trigger guard has “1” and a “VP” in triangle, the right has “51”. The left barrel link-lug is marked “S” and “P” (WWII-era Springfield replacement). 

Barrel Length: 5”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a rounded blade fixed 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 checkered walnut. The grips show even light handling wear with a more notable half-circle compression at the bottom edge of the right panel. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original to the parts, the barrel is a later-era replacement.

Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is scattered minor erosion and stubborn fouling in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 7+ out of 10.

Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 70% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There is handling wear in the grip areas. There is scattered minor surface oxidation and a few spots of minor erosion, most notable on the left slide flat at the front of the dust cover. There are some light nicks and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are generally clear, the rampant colt is either poorly struck or struck with a damaged die. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition as not parts-original.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The trigger is crisp. The slide has minor play to the frame. 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 a single 7-round magazine marked “COLT / 45 AUTO” on the floorplate. 

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. The design was the end-result of a series of developments by famous gun designer John Browning, starting with the Model 1900. The advances made by Browning were revolutionary at the time, and were so successful that they are considered commonplace today. Browning not only developed first a pivoting and then a tilting barrel to allow for a locked system, he developed the concept of “the slide”, which is now synonymous with semi-automatic handguns.

Having secured a contract for the US Military sidearm, Colt also offered the pistol to the commercial market as the “Government Model”. This is a Colt commercial Government Model made in 1926, shortly after the updates were applied which would result in the 1911A1. Namely, the new design had relief cuts in the frame on each side behind the trigger, a short, checkered trigger, and arched mainspring housing. During this period, Colt also serial-marked the slide, so it is nice to know that the slide is original to the frame. The pistol is in Very Good condition, showing some finish loss and some oxidation. The pistol retains a pretty good bore in its replacement barrel and has strong mechanics. All of the old 1911 Colts are collectable, and this will be a neat example to add to any collection. Please see our pictures and good luck in your bidding!

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