Make: Ithaca

Model: 1911-A1

Serial Number: 1267070

Year of Manufacture: 1943

Caliber: .45 ACP

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

Barrel Length: 5”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a serrated, ramped blade 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 "sweetheart" panels with clear plexiglass over vintage photos of a lady backed by waxed paper. There is foil around the top and bottom of each picture. The grips have minor handling wear with some scattered small nicks and scratches. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good-plus condition.

Type of Finish: Parkerized

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is light gray with well defined 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 85% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There is light handling wear in the grip areas. There are scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches including a more notable scuff on the left slide flat. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. 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 M.S. Little magazine. The body has scattered surface oxidation.

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.

During the inter-war years, the design was further refined with an arched mainspring housing, relief-cuts behind the shortened trigger and some minor changes to other small parts, resulting in the 1911A1. This new model would be the US sidearm during WWII, and saw production by a few different companies. As in the previous World War, Colt and American Arsenals were not able to produce everything that would be required for this war, and production would be contracted to a typewriter company, Remington Rand, a company which made switches and signals for railroads, Union Switch & Signal, and one firearms manufacturer, Ithaca Gun Co.

This example was made by Ithaca in 1943. The pistol is in Very Good condition, retaining 85% of its original parkerizing. It has a fair bore in its High Standard barrel and strong mechanics. Perhaps most interesting are the installed "sweetheart" grips. With the invention of plexiglass, crashed aircraft became a source of a sturdy, transparent material that could be shaped and polished to replace standard pistol grips. This made for a convenient place to store a picture of a soldier's sweetheart who was waiting for them back home. This is a neat Ithaca M1911A1 and would make a great display in any collection. Please see our photos and good luck!