Make: Ithaca

Model: 1911-A1

Serial Number: 1442655

Year of Manufacture: 1944

Caliber: .45 ACP

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

Barrel Length: 5”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade with a serrated, ramped face fixed to the front of the slide. The rear sight is a square notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered brown Keyes Fibre panels with reinforcement rings around the screw heads and reinforcement ribs on the interior. The grips have light-moderate handling wear, more notable on the right panel. There are some nicks, scuffs and small scratches, also mostly on the right panel. There are some light tool marks around the screws. The checkering is generally well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Parkerized

Finish Originality: Original, British commercial proofs are marked through the finish.

Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright with sharp rifling. There is some scattered light erosion and stubborn fouling in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 7+ out of 10.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at most edges. There is evenly scattered minor finish wear. There are some scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. There is infrequent minor surface oxidation, mostly on the mainspring housing. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are generally clear, some are poorly struck. 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 post-war 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. 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. As was the case in the previous Great War, the outset of WWII found many nations starved for small arms, procuring just about anything they could get their hands on to arm their troops. Prior to the United State’s entry to WWII, there were various methods of supplying the Allies with defense products while maintaining neutrality, the final being the Lend-Lease Act which permitted the sale, lending and leasing of defense equipment to Allied nations by the U.S. government.

This Ithaca 1911A1’s British proof markings indicate that it is one that was sold to the British government under the Lend-Lease Act in 1944, later to be sold out of service in 1952. This Lend-Lease example is in Very Good condition with 80% of its parkerized finish remaining. The bore is in good shape and the mechanics are strong. With this pistol’s history it will also be of great interest to 1911 and WWII collectors. Please see our photos and good luck!