WWII Colt Frame Remington Rand Slide US M1911A1 .45 ACP Pistol, 1944 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,377.00
LSB#: WY240807JC002
Make: Colt Frame, Remington Rand Slide
Model: M1911A1
Serial Number: 1610409
Year of Manufacture: The frame was made in 1944 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup), the slide was made ca. 1943-1945
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Single Action, Semi-Automatic, Detachable Magazine Fed Pistol
Markings: The left of the slide is marked “REMINGTON RAND INC. / SYRACUSE, N.Y. U.S.A.”. The left of the frame is marked “G.H.D.” above the magazine catch, “P”below. The left of the trigger guard is marked “1” and with a Verified Proof. The right of the frame is marked “UNITED STATES PROPERTY / No 1610409″, “SA” (Springfield Armory refurbish marking) and “M1911A1 U.S. ARMY” on the dust cover with a faint Ordnance wheel behind the grip. The left link-lug is marked “P” and the chamber above the lug is marked “COLT 45 AUTO.”.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a serrated, ramped blade fixed to the front of the slide. The rear sight is a square notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The grips are two-piece checkered brown Keyes Fibre panel with reinforcement rings around the screws and reinforcement ribs on the interior. The grips have some light nicks, scuffs and scratches. The left panel has a more notable ding at the bottom-front corner and stubborn dark residue at the bottom-rear. The right panel has some smoothed checkers toward the bottom-front. The checkering is otherwise well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Parkerized
Finish Originality: Arsenal Refurbished
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright with sharp rifling. There is some minor erosion and scattered stubborn fouling in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 7 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 85% of its current metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There is scattered scuffing on the slide and light handling wear in the grip areas. There are some light nicks and scratches. There are some spots of discoloration, mostly at the front of the slide. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear except for the Ordnance wheel, as is common. Overall, the pistol is in Very Good condition as refurbished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The slide has 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 KMT 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. Since their introduction, the 1911 has seen a number of design changes, most minor, but the 1911-A1 introduced the arched mainspring housing, shorter trigger, and relief cuts behind the trigger on the frame. In addition to these inter-war changes, Colt began finishing the guns by parkerizing them, a more durable finish than the original bluing.
This example has a frame produced by Colt in 1944 and and a slide from Remington Rand, having been refurbished by Springfield Armory, most likely post-WWII. The pistol is in Very Good condition as refurbished, retaining about 85% of its new metal finish, a decent bore and strong mechanics. It will make a good addition to a 1911 or WWII small arms collection. Of course, it could still prove to be a decent shooter, too. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
