Make: Colt

Model: M1911A1 U.S. Army

Serial Number: 746443

Year of Manufacture: 1941, shipped October 31

Caliber: .45 ACP

Action Type: Single Action Semi-Automatic with Removable Magazine

Barrel Length: 5"

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a short, round blade fixed to the slide. The rear sight is a "U"-notch dovetailed into the slide.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered brown Coltrock with small reinforcement rings around the grip screws and without reinforcement ribs on the interior. There are mold numbers on the interior of the grips. The grips have minor handling wear with only a few light marks. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Fine condition.

Type of Finish: Parkerized

Finish Originality: Original, the slide is serial-matched to the frame.

Bore Condition: The bore is dark with generally well defined rifling. There is moderate erosion scattered through the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about 4 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 85% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges most notable on the leading edges of the slide and dust cover. There are some scattered light scuffs, minor nicks and small scratches. There is an "idiot mark" under the slide stop on the left of the frame. There is infrequent minor surface oxidation, mostly in the grip areas, with a few spots of minor erosion, most notable on the left-front of the frame. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition.

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 Colt 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. Since their introduction, the 1911 has seen a number of design changes, most minor, but the 1911-A1 introduced the arched mainspring housing, shorter trigger, and relief cuts behind the trigger on the frame. In addition to these inter-war changes, Colt began finishing the guns by parkerizing them, a more durable finish than the original bluing.

This example was produced by Colt in 1941, as the "Arsenal of Democracy" was gearing up, but before the United States had officially entered the war. The pistol has correct features for its production date with Coltrock grips, checkered slide stop, thumb-safety and magazine catch, wide-spur hammer, milled trigger, round-top front sight, and "U"-notch rear sight. The pistol has a serial-matching slide and was produced shortly after Parko-Lubrite (parkerized) finish was adopted by Colt. It will make a great addition to a Colt or WWII small arms collection, especially for those who want a representative example of each manufacturer or each year of manufacure. Please see our photos and good luck!