highpower3006
New member
Here is a somewhat unusual 1911 in that it is a license built pistol made by a foreign government.
Norway commissioned tests with the intention of possibly adopting a new service pistol from 1904 till 1911. In 1911, a commission recommended adoption of the semi-automatic .38 ACP caliber Colt Military Model 1902 pistol, after field trials with 25 such pistols. However, as the US had just adopted the Colt .45ACP M1911 pistol it was decided to conduct further tests. A pistol of the new M1911 design was received in Norway in January 1913. After the conclusion of extensive tests the M1911 was recommended for adoption.
Even though the pistol was known as the Colt Model 1911, the designer and copyright owner was John Browning who had licensed manufacturing in the US to Colt. Norway attempted to get licensing through Colt, but discovered European production was through Fabrique Nationale. So in September 1914, Norway signed a contract with Fabrique Nationale of Belgium for manufacture. The pistol would be produced at Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk in Norway. Production was slow in the best of times and by the end of production in 1945 a total of only 30,534 were made. A further 2,319 pistols were assembled from existing parts after the war until production was halted at serial number 32854 in 1948.
While not particularly rare in the US, they are also not all that common either. In the US they are commonly called Kongsberg Colts, even though the licensing was through FN and John Browning was the designer. I managed to acquire this one through a trade several months ago and it fills a neat little niche in my 1911 collection along with my other 1911's that were made by the only other two countries that manufactured the 1911 under license.
This one was made in 1922 and as you can see, even after having been adopted eight years earlier, the serial number is only 2562. Probably the most unique feature of the Kongsberg Colts is the slide release, which is very distinctive. Another unique feature is the fact the they numbered nearly every part to the gun, which does make it rather easy to determine if one has had parts changed out. The grip panels are made from a very light colored wood (Birch?) and are painted black from the factory.
Overall it is in excellent condition considering it is 98 years old. All numbers match and it still has it's original lanyard loop magazine, the same as Colt 1911's had in 1914 when these were first adapted even though by the time this gun was produced Colt had dropped the LL magazine at the behest of the US Government.
Norway commissioned tests with the intention of possibly adopting a new service pistol from 1904 till 1911. In 1911, a commission recommended adoption of the semi-automatic .38 ACP caliber Colt Military Model 1902 pistol, after field trials with 25 such pistols. However, as the US had just adopted the Colt .45ACP M1911 pistol it was decided to conduct further tests. A pistol of the new M1911 design was received in Norway in January 1913. After the conclusion of extensive tests the M1911 was recommended for adoption.
Even though the pistol was known as the Colt Model 1911, the designer and copyright owner was John Browning who had licensed manufacturing in the US to Colt. Norway attempted to get licensing through Colt, but discovered European production was through Fabrique Nationale. So in September 1914, Norway signed a contract with Fabrique Nationale of Belgium for manufacture. The pistol would be produced at Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk in Norway. Production was slow in the best of times and by the end of production in 1945 a total of only 30,534 were made. A further 2,319 pistols were assembled from existing parts after the war until production was halted at serial number 32854 in 1948.
While not particularly rare in the US, they are also not all that common either. In the US they are commonly called Kongsberg Colts, even though the licensing was through FN and John Browning was the designer. I managed to acquire this one through a trade several months ago and it fills a neat little niche in my 1911 collection along with my other 1911's that were made by the only other two countries that manufactured the 1911 under license.
This one was made in 1922 and as you can see, even after having been adopted eight years earlier, the serial number is only 2562. Probably the most unique feature of the Kongsberg Colts is the slide release, which is very distinctive. Another unique feature is the fact the they numbered nearly every part to the gun, which does make it rather easy to determine if one has had parts changed out. The grip panels are made from a very light colored wood (Birch?) and are painted black from the factory.
Overall it is in excellent condition considering it is 98 years old. All numbers match and it still has it's original lanyard loop magazine, the same as Colt 1911's had in 1914 when these were first adapted even though by the time this gun was produced Colt had dropped the LL magazine at the behest of the US Government.
