WWI Colt Model of 1911 U.S. Army .45 ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1918 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,300.00
WOA#: WY240406WM007
Make: Colt
Model: 1911
Serial Number: 487675
Year of Manufacture: 1918 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto fed by Removable Magazine
Markings: The right of the frame is marked “No 487675″ and “RIA”. 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” on the dust cover. 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 a rampant colt and “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. / HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A.”. The rear of the slide is marked “H” (vertical, no serifs) above the firing pin plate. The left side of the frame is marked behind the trigger with an eagle’s head over “S17” inspection mark. The top of the frame is marked “G” behind the disconnector and “H” in front. The left of the trigger guard is marked “34”. The barrel is marked “P” on the left lug, “F” on the right (WWII-era Flannery Bolt Co. barrel).
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a 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 WWII-era two-piece checkered brown Keyes Fibre panels with reinforcement rings around the screws and reinforcement ribs on the interior. The left panel has a patch of smoothed checkers in front of the top mounting screw. The grips otherwise show general light handling wear with some scattered light marks. Most checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Parkerized
Finish Originality: Arsenal Refurbished. The slide stop, barrel and mainspring housing have been replaced. Some other parts have likely been replaced.
Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 10 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 85% of its current metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There are scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. There are some spots of minor oxidation, mostly in the fronstrap. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in about Very Good condition as refurbished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. It has both a manual and grip safety and the trigger pull is crisp. The slide has light play to the frame. We did not fire 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 single 7-round magazine.
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.
This is a U. S. Government marked Colt 1911 pistol made toward the end of WWI in 1918. The pistol has been refurbished by Rock Island Arsenal which may be where it picked up some WWII-era parts such as its grips, barrel and slide stop. This is a neat example of the U.S. Model of 1911 that served for a long time. It will add to your collection, but should also make for a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
