Make: Colt

Model: M1911A1

Serial Number: 730505

Year of Manufacture: 1941, shipped April 29.

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 flat-top "U"-notch sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered Coltrock synthetic panels with small reinforcement rings around the screws, hollow backs, and mold numbers inside the hollows. The grips have even light handling wear. There are a few light nicks and scratches, most notable on the bottom of the left panel. There are some light tool marks in the reinforcement rings. 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, the slide is serial-matching.

Bore Condition: The bore is gray. The rifling shows wear, but is generally well defined. There is erosion and light pitting scattered through the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about 5/10.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There is light handling wear in the grip areas. There is some scattered light oxidation and minor erosion, mostly along the right side. There is infrequent minor surface oxidation, most notable in the the grip areas. There are some light nicks and scratches with a thin "idiot mark" under the slide stop on the left of the frame. The action shows operational wear. The screws range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in about Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire 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 blue 7-round magazine marked "COLT / 45 AUTO." on the floorplate.

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 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, so successful that they are considered commonplace today. Browning not only developed first a pivoting and then a tilting barrel for a locked system, he developed the concept of “the slide”, which is now synonymous with semi-automatic handguns.

In the mid-1920s, the 1911-A1 introduced the arched mainspring housing, shorter trigger, and relief cuts behind the trigger on the frame. These changes were implemented in a limited order of 10,000 pistols in 1924 and the new model was approved, but further orders weren’t placed until 1937. Initial production was limited with a few thousand made each year until 1941 when production spiked to more than 34,000. This pistol shipped in April of 1941, just a few months before the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. 1942 would see production increase to more than 100,000 pistols and more firms would be tooled up for M1911A1 production during the war.

This M1911A1 was made as some interesting tweaks were still being made. This pistol has Coltrock synthetic stocks replacing the earlier checkered walnut, which would itself soon be replaced by the Coltwood plastic stocks. The brushed-blue finish is among the last of its kind. Parkerized finish was in mixed use at this time, it would be standard across all production just 4,500 pistols after this one was made. With a matching slide and frame, the majority of its original finish, a fair bore and strong mechanics, this pistol is a wonderful find for the discerning collector. Please see our photos and good luck!