Colt U.S. Model 1911 .45 ACP 5″ Semi Automatic Pistol MFD 1918 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,575.00
LSB#: LSB260627TM029
Make: Colt
Model: Model 1911, U.S. Army
Serial Number: 320416
Year of Manufacture: 1918 / C&R
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Single Action Semi Auto Pistol 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”, with the rampant Colt logo and “COLT’S PT.F.A.MFG.CO. / HARTFORD,CT.U.S.A.”. The right side of the slide is marked “MODEL OF 1911.U.S.ARMY”. The left side of the frame is marked “UNITED STATES PROPERTY”, with a small inspection stamp above the magazine release. The right side of the frame is marked “No 320416”. The barrel chamber is marked with sans-serif “P” and “H” stamps.
Barrel Length: 5″
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a replacement blade fixed to the slide, shorter and wider than standard. The rear sight is dovetailed into the slide, and its notch has been widened to accommodate the replacement front sight.
Grip Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered wood panels with smooth diamonds around the screw holes. There are scattered small nicks, scratches and handling marks, with some flattening of the checkering. There is no major damage to the panels. The grip panels are in Good overall condition. The frame threads for the upper-left grip bushing are completely stripped; the bushing’s own threads are worn but present.
Magazine Quantity & Condition: One WWII-era M.S. Little detachable magazine is included. Its blued body has insertion wear, scratches and finish loss along the edges. The magazine is in Good overall cosmetic condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original to the parts. The barrel appears to be a replacement, and the front sight has been replaced. Wear inside the slide does not match the near total lack of wear on the barrel. The barrel has appropriate markings.
Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is scattered light-moderate erosion and pitting in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 5+/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 65% of its metal finish. There is edge wear on the slide, thinning on the frame and substantial handling wear on the frontstrap and mainspring housing. The exposed areas show gray metal, brown discoloration and scattered small marks. There is also finish wear on the frame beneath the grips, concealed when assembled. The grip screw slots show light tool wear, and the principal markings remain legible. The upper-left grip-bushing frame threads are completely stripped, while the bushing’s threads are worn but present. The barrel appears to be a replacement and the sights have been altered as described above. Overall, this pistol is in Fair-Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly.
We did not fire this pistol.
As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol includes the magazine described above and a 1915-dated Rock Island Arsenal M1912 leather holster with swivel suspension and leg strap. The holster shows considerable surface wear, creasing and cracking, with fraying at the upper edges and wear around the flap’s closure opening. The leather is darkened, and the metal fittings show tarnish and discoloration.
Our Assessment: Colt made this Model 1911 in 1918, when the demand for sidearms had become a major challenge for American industry. John Browning’s .45 automatic had been adopted in 1911, but supplying an expanding wartime army required production on an entirely different scale. Colt’s monthly pistol output rose from 11,000 in January 1918 to 42,300 in October. The Army also ordered .45 revolvers from Colt and Smith & Wesson to supplement the automatic pistols, and sought additional manufacturers for the M1911 itself. Producing enough of an established design had become as pressing a problem as developing the design in the first place.
The “UNITED STATES PROPERTY” frame marking and “MODEL OF 1911.U.S.ARMY” slide marking identify this Colt’s military origins. Its apparent replacement barrel and altered sights reflect later changes to that original service pistol configuration. The accompanying 1915-dated Rock Island Arsenal M1912 holster brings another part of the early M1911’s history into view: this holster pattern was developed for cavalry equipment, with a swivel suspension and provision for a leg strap. Its date predates the pistol, and no shared service history is established, but the pairing illustrates the military setting into which Browning’s automatic arrived. The Army was adopting a self-loading sidearm while still equipping mounted troops with sabers; the M1912 holster was designed around those mounted soldiers’ needs.