WWII US Remington Rand M1911A1 .45 ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1944 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,475.00
LSB#: LSB260415RR008
Make: Remington Rand
Model: M1911A1
Serial Number: 1923263
Year of Manufacture: 1944
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto fed by Removable Magazine
Barrel Length: 5″, High Standard
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a short blade with a ramped rear face fixed to the slide. The rear sight is a square notch dovetailed into the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece Keyes Fibre checkered brown plastic with reinforcement rings around the screws and ribs on the interior. The grips have even light handling wear. There are a few nicks and scuffs with light tool marks in the rings around the screws. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright with sharp rifling. There is infrequent minor erosion and stubborn fouling in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 7+/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 45% of its metal finish. There is fairly evenly scattered finish wear with stronges finish on the front of the slide. The worn areas are going to a light patina. There are scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches. There is some minor surface erosion. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are sharp. The markings range from clear to worn and incomplete. Overall, this pistol is in Good condition as refinished.
Mechanics: 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 single 7-round Colt-Scovill 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. During the inter-war years, the design was further refined with an arched mainspring housing, relief-cuts behind the shortened trigger and some minor changes to other small parts, resulting in the 1911A1. This new model would be the US sidearm during WWII, and saw production by a few different companies.
As in the previous World War, Colt and American Arsenals were not able to produce everything that would be required for this war, and production would be contracted to a typewriter company, Remington Rand, a company which made switches and signals for railroads, Union Switch & Signal, and one firearms manufacturer, Ithaca Gun Co. Remington Rand was the star example of this project’s success, and by the end of the war, would go on to produce just about as many as all of the other makers combined, at the lowest price and highest quality.
This example was made by Remington Rand in 1944 and is still ticking. The pistol is in Good condition, retaining a decent bore and strong mechanics, with a new blue finish applied at some point in the past. This would make a neat addition for a collector who wants to add a Remington Rand to a 1911 or WWII small arms collection. It should also still prove to be a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
-Bud