Colt Model 1911A1 1911-A1, WWII U.S. Marked, Parkerized 5” Semi-Automatic Pistol, Mags & Holster MFD 1942 C&R

Sold For: $3,191.00
LSB#: 161118SA01

Make: Colt

Model: 1911-A1

Serial Number: 798312

Year of Manufacture: July 1942 (Pg. 397 of Clawson’s “Colt .45 Service Pistols”)

Caliber: .45 A.C.P.

Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine

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” and “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. / HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A.” and with a Rampant Colt logo in the center. The top of the slide in front of the rear sight is marked “P”. The left front of the trigger guard is marked “M” and with a “VP in a triangle. The right front of the trigger guard is marked “39”. The left side of the frame is marked with a “P” below the magazine release and with a boxed “W.B” above the magazine release (Col. Waldemar Broberg, Colt M1911A1 Pistols). The right side of the frame is marked “UNITED STATES PROPERTY / No798312” and “M1911A1 U.S. ARMY”. The rear left side of the barrel lug is marked “P” and above the lug with “COLT 45 AUTO”, which identifies the bolt as being made from 1942 until the end of WWII by Colt. The top of the frame in front of the hammer is marked “8” and “G”. The rear face of the slide under the firing pin stop is marked “798 / 312”. The right groove on the underside of the slide is marked “G”.

Barrel Length: 5”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a short rounded blade. The rear sight is a flat topped square notch dovetailed into the top of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered reddish brown plastic. There are a few tiny dings in the smooth bottom edges of the grips. The checkering is sharp and without mars. The grips rate in about Excellent overall condition.

Type of Finish: This pistol has a gray Parkerized finish. The slide has a two-tone finish, with the front two inches slightly darker than the rest – caused by heat treating of slides by Colt. The mainspring housing and the front face of the trigger are knurled.

Finish Originality: The finish is original.

Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright, mottled with spots of gray. The rifling is sharp. There are spots of extremely light erosion in the grooves of the bore.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 93% of its metal finish. There is thinning on the front edges of the slide and frame, and on the edges of the safety, grip safety and slide release. There are light handling marks scattered over the finish with marks through the finish on the underside of the slide from rubbing on the frame, on the left side of the frame under the slide release and another mark below the magazine release. The slide serrations and sharp. The hammer, grip safety and magazine release knurling show light wear. The grip screws are sharp and the markings are clear. Overall, this pistol rates in about Fine Plus condition.

Mechanics: The trigger pull is crisp. The slide is tight on the frame. The action functions correctly. We have not fired this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a total of three blued magazines, a brown leather WWII M3 shoulder holster and three canvas double magazine pouches. The magazine in the pistol is blued, has no markings, and shows scratches under its finish indicating it may have been refinished. It is in about Fine condition. Two spare magazines are also blued, show minimal wear, are un-marked, and in about Fine condition. The outside surface of the holster is marked “US” in a large oval, and the rear surface with “US / BOYT” and “43”, with the “3” marked backwards. The holster has a brass stud on its outside surface used to secure the pistol via a strap sewn near the top of the holster. The black brass hardware on the strap is marked “LIFT / THE DOT”. There is a second strap sewn to the bottom of the holster that has a brass snap to secure the strap around a belt (the snap is broken). There is also a strap sewn to the back of the holster, which holds a “D” ring and a strap sewn to the top corner of the holster that threads through a brass buckle and the “D” ring, to form the over-the-shoulder strap. There is also a slot formed into the outside surface of the holster through which the front of the trigger guard can be seen when a pistol is inserted in the holster. The holster shows some water spotting and a few light handling marks. There is verdigris around the “D” ring and the snap rings. The long strap shows oil staining and light handling marks. There are no cracks and the stitching is all intact. The holster is in about Good to Very Good condition. One of the magazine pouches is of a WWI era design with a double snap closure, and is marked on its inside surface with “RUSSELL” inside an oval, with “OCT.” above the oval and “1918” below the oval. The pouch shows minimal wear, the brass closures show no verdigris and no marks through their finish. The magazine is in Fine to Excellent condition. The other two pouches are of the M1923 design with a single snap closure. Both pouches are marked “U.S.” on their front flap in large black letters. One pouch is marked “AVERY / 1942” on its rear surface and the other is marked “AVERY / 1943”. The pouches show thinning of the finish on the brass snaps and few spots of dirt. The pouches are in about Fine condition.

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. This Colt Model 1911-A1 pistol was made in July 1942, and was in the last batch of consecutively numbered pistols shipped by Colt during WWII. The pistol is correctly marked with a slide that is numbered to the frame, and a correct Colt barrel. The pistol is in about Fine Plus condition with about 93% of its original parkerized finish remaining. The bore is bright, mottled with spots of gray, and shows sharp rifling. There are a spots of extremely light erosion in the grooves of bore. With its very nice original finish, the collectors should be very interested in this pistol – but wait, there’s more! The pistol comes with a vintage WWII M3 shoulder holster by Boyt, one WWI double magazine pouch, two M1923 WWII double magazine pouches and a total of three blued magazines (all of which are unmarked). This is a fantastic package for the Colt collector, and would look great in a display with an Army Tanker or Air Corp uniform.