Make: Colt

Model: 1911

Serial Number: 2647

Year of Manufacture: Early 1912, as it was one of 1,000 guns shipped to the Brooklyn Navy Yard onJune 1, 1912. This was the third lot of 1911s ever shipped to the Navy.

Caliber: .45 ACP

Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine

Barrel Length: 5”, marked "H" horizontally with serifs on rear face of hood.

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a rounded blade. The rear sight is a round-top “U”-notch dovetailed into the slide.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered walnut with smooth “double diamonds” around the grip screws. The grips have even light to moderate handling wear with scattered nicks, scuffs, and scratches. The wood has darkened with age and handling. The checkering is generally well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good Condition.

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: Original. While we cannot be certain that all parts are original to the gun, the features are correct for this period of production. 

Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is scattered light erosion and some minor pitting in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 6 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 65% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. The grip areas show handling wear. Most worn areas are going to a light patina. There are evenly scattered spots of minor oxidation, small nicks, and scratches. There is a light "idiot mark" under the slide stop. There are light tool marks around some pin heads. The action shows light operational wear. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in about Very Good Condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this pistol. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with one scarce, original US Pre-WW1 Type I “step base bottom” lanyardloop two tone 7-round magazine. It retains a very good amount of the original “two tone” partially blued finish, with a fairly distinct temper line around the upper body. Type I mags were only produced until Serial Number 4500, making any surviving examples quite scarce today. Also included is an original US Pre-WW1 M-1912 Mounted brown leather “swivel” pistol holster in fine shape.

Our Assessment: The Colt 1911 .45 ACP semi-automatic pistol was designed by the legendary firearms inventor John Moses Browning, and developed for the US Army after the .38 LC revolver failed to stop charging Moro warriors in the Philippines. The US Navy also quickly adopted the Colt Model 1911, receiving their first shipment of 500 in 1912. The powerful .45 would see service aboard ship with US Navy sailors during the Great War, as four-pipe destroyers escorted large convoys across the Atlantic to deliver "doughboys" and US Marines "over there".

This 4-Digit US Navy Pre-WW1 Colt Model 1911 was made in early 1912 and is in Very Good Condition. It was one of 1,000 guns shipped to the Brooklyn Navy Yard onJune 1, 1912, which was the third lot of 1911s ever shipped to the Navy. It boasts a 5” barrel marked "H" (horizontal, with serifs) on the rear face of the hood, 65% of its original blued finish, the classic "double diamond" walnut grips, a scarce original US Pre-WW1 Type I "step base bottom" lanyard loop two tone 7-round mag, a fine original US Pre-WW1 M-1912 Mounted brown leather “swivel” pistol holster, a gray bore with well defined rifling (there’s scattered light erosion and some minor pitting), and correct early features including a mainspring housing pin which is convex on each end, long-foot guide-rod, short-spur hammer, dimpled magazine catch retainer, and not only an early “U.S. NAVY” marked slide, but an even earlier style with small lettering and serial numbers. This type is probably one of the most difficult standard issue Model 1911s to acquire. Only 15,307 of these pistols were made by Colt with the desirable US Navy slide marking, all of which were delivered before April 1915. Thereafter, all Model 1911 pistols delivered to the US Navy carried the standard US Army marking, of which there were approximately 578,463 manufactured, making any US Navy marked Colt 1911 rare and sought after today. This pistol is destined for a high-end Colt or US small arms collection.