Colt Commercial Government Model 1911 .45 ACP Semi-Auto Pistol, 1968 C&R
SOLD FOR: $2125
LSB#: 211201SA10
Make: Colt
Model: Government Model, Commercial 1911
Serial Number: 324229-C
Year of Manufacture: 1968 (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 PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CONN. U.S.A.”. The right of the frame is marked with the serial number. The left of the trigger guard has “T” and a “VP” in triangle, the right has “0”. The barrel is marked “COLT .45 AUTO”.
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 rear sight is a square notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The installed grips are two-piece checkered wood panels with smooth diamonds around the grip screws. There are some light nicks and tool marks in the diamonds around the grip screws. Otherwise, the grips have minor handling wear. The checkering is sharp. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Fine condition as not original to the gun.
Also included is a set of two-piece checkered brown “Coltwood” plastic panels with rampant colts in circles. The grips have shrinkage and stretched screw-holes which is common with Coltwood grips. There are some light tool marks in the rings around the screw holes. Otherwise, there are a few minor marks. The checkering is sharp. There are no chips. Overall, the original grips are in about Fine condition, but will not be able to be installed due to shrinkage.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore, there is some minor, but stubborn fouling.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 97% of its metal finish. The balance is mostly in light operational wear. There is a minor “idiot mark” under the slide stop. There is some very faint wear in the frame which is consistent with wear caused by shrinkage of the grips. The finish is lightly thinning at some edges. The slide has a slight plum hue in the flats, the slide stop has a more notable plum hue. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Fine condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The trigger is crisp. The slide has barely perceptible 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 in a two-piece faux-wood cardboard Colt box with the serial number hand-written on the bottom, manual, the original grips as described, and a single 7-round magazine. The box has light storage wear. The magazine has light operational wear, intact feed lips and a strong spring.
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 1968 vintage commercial Government Model is a great example of a post-war Commercial Government model. The pistol is in Fine condition with light handling and operational wear, retaining a great bore and strong mechanics. The original Coltwood grips show shrinkage, common for this material, but it has been equipped with an attractive set of checkered wood grips. This is a beautiful pistol, perfect to add to any collection. Please see our pictures and good luck!