Make: Colt

Model: 1911

Serial Number: 626375

Year of Manufacture: 1919

Caliber: .45 ACP

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

Barrel Length: 5”

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

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut with smooth “double diamonds” around the grip screws. The grips have light handling wear with some scattered light nicks and scratches. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good Condition.

Type of Finish: Blued frame. The slide appears to have a black enamel or paint over parkerizing.

Finish Originality: The frame finish is Original. The barrel is a post-WW1 Springfield Armory replacement. The slide is also a post-WW1 Springfield Armory replacement (see Our Assessment) that has been Refinished. Some other parts may have been Refinished.

Bore Condition: The bore is gray with sharp rifling. There is light erosion and minor pitting scattered through the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 6 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 70% of its current metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. The slide has scattered spots of finish wear, most notable on the top between the ejection port and rear sight. The frame has handling wear in the grip areas. There is some scattered minor oxidation. There are some scattered light nicks, scuffs, and scratches including an "idiot mark" under the slide stop. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in about Very Good Condition as not parts-original.

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 original US WW1 “two tone” partially blued 7-round magazine. The magazine body has scattered moderate surface erosion.

Our Assessment: The US Army sought to break the stalemate on the Western Front in WW1 with a massive proposed final offensive known as "Plan 1919". It would consist of medium tanks, heavy tanks, and infantry piercing the German lines, attacking and destroying command and control centers, and reducing strongpoints, to be followed by light tanks, truck mounted infantry, and huge cavalry formations pouring through the gaps created by the initial assault. The Battle of the Argonne Forest and the subsequent Armistice in November 1918 ended the war before Plan 1919 could be put into effect, but many of the contracts for arms and equipment let by the US government in preparation for Plan 1919 continued to be honored, as the Treaty of Versailles was not signed until June 1919, and the US needed to ensure they had sufficient weaponry to resume hostilities if the Germans continued to stall. This explains the large amount of M-1913 Patton sabers, Pedersen device equipment, and Colt 1911 pistols made in 1919.

This US Army Post-WW1 Colt Model 1911 Semi-Auto Pistol was made in 1919 and is in Very Good Condition as not parts-original. The slide is a replacement with an "S" in a “flaming bomb” marking on the left flat. For years, collectors associated this marking with a slide contract to A.J. Savage. More recent research indicates these slides were actually produced by Springfield Armory on tooling taken from the Remington UMC plant after WW1. The frame has its original blue finish, while the slide appears to have some sort of black enamel or paint over parkerizing. The pistol features a 5” post-WW1 Springfield Armory replacement barrel, a post-WW1 Springfield Armory replacement “S” in a “flaming bomb” marked slide, about 70% of its current finish, martial markings, two-piece checkered walnut grips with smooth “double diamonds” around the grip screws, a “two tone” partially blued mag, strong mechanics, and a gray bore with sharp rifling (there’s light erosion and minor pitting scattered throughout). A fine example of a US Army Post-WW1 “Plan 1919” Colt 1911 Pistol.