1911 value info

[KS1911]

I love my 1911's but I am no where near being an except on the antiques. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I picked this beauty up at a gun show on trade this weekend.

Slide: Colt Pony with all the Patent marks

Frame: I believe it to be an Ithaca by the serial which is 21070XX. On the right side markings over trigger are "United States Property", "No 21070XX', "RIA", right of trigger guard "M1911 A1 US ARMY". On the trigger guard "3". There is a proof mark on the right side by the grips that is hard to make out, might be the ordnance bomb, might not.
Left side below the slide release "FA" and under the mag release "P". Trigger guard has a marking that looks king of like a goblet.

Thank you for the help.

 

[Jim Watson]

I don't know what to add. It is what is known as a "mixmaster" produced by overhaul at Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) with a Colt slide on an Ithaca receiver.

Might the FA be FJA for Frank J. Atwood, the chief inspector at Ithaca? Or FK for Frank Krack at Rock Island.
The "goblet" is a known Ithaca factory inspector's mark.
P is the general purpose proof mark for WW II.
The number 3 is kind of like the little slip of paper in the pocket of your new slacks.

There is probably a source indication on the barrel, visible out of the gun.
HS is very common, for High Standard.

More at: http://www.coolgunsite.com/

 

[billyj571]

Look at gunbroker

 

[James K]

It is a RIA rebuild. The collector value is low, but it should be a great shooting gun and one you can enjoy without worrying about decreasing the value of a rare collectible.

(Just FYI, in rebuilding those pistols, the depot and arsenals had absolutely no concern about matching parts or keeping original guns together. When guns came in for rebuild, slides went in one pile, frames in another, and so on. Then they used serviceable (not necessarily new) parts to assemble guns. Remember, they were making guns for killing people, not for collectors over a half century in the future.)

Jim

 

[BobbyT]

Eli Whitney forgot to mention that his neat little trick would destroy the value & collectability of any firearm it was used on

 

[KS1911]

Thank you for all the info. I figured that it wasn't too valuable as a collectors item. This one will be a shooter, unlike my all matching and original Ithaca.

 

[Buck Conner]

Here's a few of a dozen sites that talk about what to look for:

http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/history/rebuild.htm

http://www.coolgunsite.com/pistols/Frame and Slide Markings.htm

http://www.model1911a1.com/Colts.htm

We get 1911's in everyday that are parts guns, they usually retail in the $300.00 range - plus or minus. No real colletor value other than for parts that may be used to make another 1911 closer to a same parts manufacturer gun.