Colt Commercial Government Model 1911 .45 ACP Semi-Auto Pistol, 1949 C&R

SOLD FOR: $2050

LSB#: 220204JB004

Make: Colt

Model: Government Model, Commercial 1911

Serial Number: C239040

Year of Manufacture: 1949 (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 “GOVERNMENT / MODEL”, “COLT”, “AUTOMATIC / CALIBER .45” and with a rampant Colt logo. The right of the slide is marked “COLT’S MFG. CO. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.”. The right of the frame is marked with the serial number. The left of the trigger guard has “P” and a “VP” in triangle, the right has “71” and “&”.

Barrel Length: 5”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a ramped blade with a serrated rear face staked to the front of the slide. The top of the front sight appears to have been filed down a little bit and touched-up. The rear sight is a square notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide. The rear sight has some scratching and a spot of oxidation on its rear face.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered brown and black swirled plastic with rampant colt logos in circles. The right panel has a crack across the top grip screw hole extending back to the rear edge and just a little bit forward into the checkering. Otherwise, the grips show only light handling marks. The checkering is sharp. There are no chips. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore.

Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 93% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at most edges. There are some scattered minor nicks, scuffs and scratches, most on the left of the slide. There is a light “idiot mark” under the slide stop on the left of the frame. There are infrequent spots of minor surface oxidation. The action shows light operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good-plus condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The trigger is crisp. The slide has very light 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, showing minor operational wear, intact feed lips and a strong spring.

Our Assessment: The 1911 is one of the best pistols ever designed, seeing use in the US Military for the better part of a century and dominating pistol shooting sports for decades. This 1949 vintage commercial Government model is a nice example of a post-war Commercial Government model. The pistol is in Very Good-plus condition with light handling and operational wear, retaining a great bore and strong mechanics. The Coltwood grips which would have originally been installed have been replaced, likely due to shrinkage, common for this material. This is a beautiful pistol, perfect to add to any collection. Please see our pictures and good luck!