1943 Colt 1911- pics

B

BoogieMan

New member
More than anything I wanted to show this off. But at the same time I would love to hear some opinions, values, general knowledge of my newest aquisition. I have wanted a WWII 1911 for some time. My only concern with this one is the barrel, and the light 8 on the serial number. Other than that I believe that its original and in pretty good shape for a 72 y/o. Also not sure is magazine is original, numbers dont match but I wouldnt expect them to.
305db8ec-2f90-4a18-9eec-5a24156b2a6d_zpskorstnei.jpg

20150720_084708_zps4cqau3wl.jpg


20150720_084923_zpsdy5ieabl.jpg

20150720_084935_zpswef6stby.jpg

20150720_085139_zpssphmvsiz.jpg
 
Last edited:
No complaint with that venerable old 1911.
It's almost as old as me and in much better shape.
Wish it were mine.
Thanks for showing it to us.
As to value, it's worth whatever it took to acquire it and satisfy your desire.
Enjoy it.
Have you shot it yet?
 
I don't see any markings on the barrel, ought to have "Colt .45 Auto" on lower left of chamber.
Slide should be serialized under the firing pin stop.

Slide stop is a 1911, not A1.
 
I am very bothered by the idiot mark. That is the issue with buying a used 1911.
Click to expand...

Well good Lord, that gun is 72 years old, who knows where it has been since WWII.

As for the serial number. That 8 is pretty light, but there are light rollmarks on the slide too, which is not all that unusual.

#827XXX was made in 1942. Serial numbers for '42 production Colt 1911-A1 pistols went from 756734 to 857000.

WB is the inspectors mark for Waldmer Broberg- his initials will be found in the Colt serial numbers from 750000 through 845000 and 860003 through 860500.

All original Colt barrels are marked "Colt 45 Auto" on the left leg of the link lug.

As was mentioned, the magazine is from a post Vietnam contract.

All in all, that is a pretty nice 1911 you have there.
 
Love the Model 1911A1's. Shot expert the first time I fired one in MP AIT in 1966. It was the practice qualification and they used our practice scores for all of us who shot expert and would let us qualify with the rest of the guys.

Never failed to qualify expert after that. Regardless how much they rattle, they shoot. Never found a gun more reliable.

I had one in Vietnam and it served me well. Still shoot mine today.

But mine is a '44 model.

USSC%201911%20Slide%202.JPG
 
I think the mag is a fake (not USGI).
The barrel appears to be a commercial replacement.
The slide stop is an earlier, M1911 part. I've seen another, seemingly un-messed with M1911A1 with a M1911 slide stop, so maybe it was just a part that was available when needed, at some point in the gun's service life, rather than evidence that the gun is not original.
It's interesting that Colts with mismatched slides and frames (my WB-marked '42 has a slide that's three digits higher than the frame) are devalued, even if the parts appear to match, but a RR or Ithaca is treated as matching if the slide and frame appear to match.
 
I've owned and still do several different 1911A1 pistols and still have a Black Army model 1911.

Had a Remington Rand that was issued new to a fellow in a supply unit that he said he never fired.

He told me the unit he was with was so far in the rear that if he would have needed to fire the gun the war would have already been lost, so he did not know why they even issued it to him.

As a matter of fact it was still full of grease, in the original OD green plastic bag that resembled a flap holster.

After I cleaned it up I could see there was no mark on the breech face that would indicate the gun had been fired.

In 1968 on Uncle Sam's dime I too qualified expert with the 1911A1, loved that pistol right off.

Carried a Colt 1911A1 in Vietnam, it served me well, saved my bacon a time or two, once close enough I could smell the guys breath.

After my ETS I bought a civilian Colt model and have never been without some type of 1911 style pistol since.
 
FWIW, only Colt numbered the slide and from #700001 to about 1145000. So there are no "matching numbers" for other contractors. (Colt numbered the slides on commercial pistols, but those are off-topic here.)

Jim
 
FWIW, only Colt numbered the slide and from #700001 to about 1145000. So there are no "matching numbers" for other contractors. (Colt numbered the slides on commercial pistols, but those are off-topic here.)

The magazine is GI, just not from the WWII era. I checked and CAGE code 1M291 is Checkmate Industries, which provided most of the magazines used with the M1911A1 pistol in its final years of service.

Jim
 
I took a moment and checked the serial on the slide today. I am very pleased to say that they do match. I think I will look around for a Colt barrel WWII barrel and slide pin. The magazine IMO doesnt much matter. I took a bit of a gamble buying this gun as I am sure its obvious that im not a 1911 expert. I paid $1250 out the door, adding a barrel and pin can be done for less than $100 bringing total to $1350.
I would guestimate value based upon sold auctions to be in the $1900-2200 range. Would you guys agree?
 
I bid on a Remington Rand M1911A1 last year after having a chance to personally examine it. It was a great example. My bid was twenty-two hundred, and I did not even come close. The hammer dropped at twenty-seven. :(
 
I bid on a Remington Rand M1911A1 last year after having a chance to personally examine it. It was a great example. My bid was twenty-two hundred, and I did not even come close. The hammer dropped at twenty-seven
Click to expand...
.
RR tends to run a little more money in my research. Production numbers for Remington and Ithaca were much lower than Colt.
 
Colt made more guns total over 34 years of military and commercial manufacture, but Remington Rand made more WWII contract guns than anybody.
 
Does anyone have a good source for a colt barrel and link, wwii era. Numerich has them but they are a little beat up looking.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top