Make: Colt
Model: 1911
Serial Number: 84244
Year of Manufacture: 1914, shipped May 12 to the United States Marine Corps in Philadelphia, PA.
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto fed by Removable Magazine
Barrel Length: 5", inter-war Springfield replacement.
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a round blade fixed to the front of the slide. The rear sight is a flat-top "U"-notch sight dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut, the left panel full-checkered, the right with smooth diamonds around the grip screws. The inside of each panel has some sort of tacky residue. The grips have moderate handling wear with some smoothed checkers, more notable on the left panel. The left panel has cracking and a small loss at the top edge. There are tool marks around the screw heads, some scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches. Overall, the grips are in Good condition as, at least partially, not original to the gun.
Type of Finish: Blued Slide, Parkerized Frame
Finish Originality: The slide's finish is Original, the frame has been Refinished, likely Arsenal Refurbished. Parts not original to the frame include slide, barrel, guide rod, slide stop, recoil plunger, hammer.
Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is scattered erosion and pitting in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 5+/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 20% of its current metal finish. Strongest finish is on the hammer. There is infrequent other finish, mostly in protected areas and around raised features. Most surfaces are worn to white or gone to a light patina. There is some light surface oxidation and minor erosion, primarily on the frame. There are some scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Good condition as partially refinished and not parts-original.
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 magazine with a lanyard loop floorplate and a Colt Archives letter.
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 1914 just before the outbreak of the Great War. It is quite the find for collectors as it is a documented United States Marine Corps pistol, one of 9,950 shipped to the USMC between May, 1912 and December, 1918. Marine Corps 1911s did not receive any special markings, and about half of them were not shipped sequentially. This example is from the third shipment of 500 pistols shipped May 12, 1914.
Most USMC 1911s saw extensive service and they are frequently found having been arsenal refurbished. This example retains original blue finish on its slide, but does have a parkerized frame. The frame was produced before the 1913 patent date was added to the slide markings, indicating that this slide has been replaced. It has a few other replaced parts including an inter-war Springfield barrel, hammer with surprisingly strong blue finish, and a serrated slide stop. Included is a lanyard loop magazine, a feature discontinued in October, 1915.
Any early 1911 makes for a great addition to a collection. This USMC example is sure to take a prized place in even some advanced collections. Please see our photos and good luck!
