Make: Remington Rand

Model: 1911-A1

Serial Number: 1578350

Year of Manufacture: 1943

Caliber: .45 ACP

Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto fed by Removable Magazine

Barrel Length: 5”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade with a serrated, ramped face fixed to the front of the slide. The rear sight is a square notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are post-war two-piece checkered brown plastic panels with reinforcement rings around the screw heads and reinforcement ribs on the interior. The grips have minor handling wear with only a few small marks. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Fine-plus condition as not original to the gun.

Type of Finish: Parkerized

Finish Originality: Arsenal Refurbished prior to release from British service in 1952.

Bore Condition: The Flannery Bolt Co. barrel's bore is semi-bright with sharp rifling. There is some scattered light erosion and pitting in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 6-7 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 85% of its current metal finish. The finish is thinning at most edges. There is a patch of erosion on the left slide flat, continuing onto the front of the slide stop. There are a few spots of light surface oxidation. There is a cluster of light scratching on the top of the slide between the rear sight and ejection port. There are some nicks around the rear sight, most under the finish. There some other light nicks and small scratches. The action shows operational wear, mostly on the slide and frame. The barrel shows minimal operational wear in its new finish. The screw heads are sharp. The markings range from clear to worn and incomplete. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition as refurbished.

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 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. As was the case at the outset of the 1st World War, demands of the US Military would outstrip the production capacity of Colt when the United States entered World War 2. In this case, contracting pistol production out to other companies had been planned for and simplified due to educational orders and a production study, notably conducted by the Singer sewing machine company, which developed comprehensive plans and instructions for a company which had never made a 1911A1 to order materials, machinery and set up manufacturing for the pistol. 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 maker's combined, at the lowest price and highest quality.

This Remington Rand 1911A1’s British proof markings indicate that it is one that was sold to the British government under the Lend-Lease Act in 1943, later to be sold out of service in 1952 and released into the commercial market. This Lend-Lease example is in Very Good condition with 90% of its arsenal-applied parkerized finish remaining. The bore is in decent shape and the mechanics are strong. With this pistol’s history it will also be of great interest to 1911 and WWII collectors. Please see our photos and good luck!