Make: Colt

Model: 1911

Serial Number: 25226

Year of Manufacture: 1913, shipped April 3 to Springfield Armory

Caliber: .45 ACP

Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine

Barrel Length: 5”

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

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut with smooth diamonds around the grip screws. The grips have light handling wear with some compressed checkers toward the bottom of each panel. The bottom edge of each panel has a series of notches that appear intentionally applied. There are some scattered nicks and scuffing. The checkering is generally well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: The finish is Original. The short-spur hammer, early type safety, and long-leg guide rod are correct for this period. The chamber's vertical "H" and "P" markings indicate production 1914-1918.

Bore Condition: The 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+ 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. There is scattered wear along the slide and the sides of the dust cover. There are some voids where oxidation was cleaned out and some scattered minor surface erosion. There are scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. 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 Good-plus condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire 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 two-tone magazine with lanyard-loop floorplate. The body of the magazine comes down flush with the bottom edge of the floorplate. A copy of the Colt Archives letter is included indicating that this pistol shipped April 3, 1913 to Springfield Armory as one of 2,500 guns of the same type in the shipment.

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. The design was the end-result of a series of developments by famous gun designer John Browning, starting with the Model 1900. The advances made by Browning were revolutionary at the time, and were so successful that they are considered commonplace today. Browning not only developed first a pivoting and then a tilting barrel to allow for a locked system, he developed the concept of "the slide", which is now synonymous with semi-automatic handguns.

This is an early example of a 1911, made in 1913 before the outbreak of the Great War. The pistol retains the majority of its original finish with a number of early features and a 1914-1918 production barrel installed. This early 1911 will be a nice addition to any collection. Please see our photos and good luck!