Newbie Colt Owner needing Information

[Rhino78]

Hiya everyone I bought a Colt .45 ACP last week from a buddy of mine at work. After getting it home I decided to do some research on it. All I have been able to find is that based on the S/N (414899) that it was made in May of 1918 or so the one site says. My question is do any of you know of any sites that I could find more info on this gun. All the marking the pistol has the S/N and it says Model of 1911 U.S. Army on the slide any help would be greatly appreciated.

Adam

[Hawkmoon]

I suspect that the best site for you is this one ... but you posted in the area for discussing post-WW2 commercial Colts, so I moved your post to the Collectors Corner where the serious military Colt experts will see it.

Prepare yourself -- you will be aksed to post pictures, because we all like to see what we're discussing.

[Rhino78]

Not a problem I can post pictures sorry for posting in the wrong area

[Rhino78]

Ok heres the pics of all the markings I could find on the gun. On the trigger guard that number is 34, and above the button to eject the clip is a marking that reads G17 or 517 I'm not sure which and my camera wasn't good enough to get a picture of it. Hope these helps.


http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j91/rhino78/100_1034.jpg
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j91/rhino78/100_1035.jpg
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j91/rhino78/100_1036.jpg
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j91/rhino78/100_1038.jpg

[Johnny Peppers]

Your Model 1911 Colt was originally shipped between August 19 and September 3, 1918. It appears to have been badly pitted, and has a modern hot salt blue finish. There is little chance of finding out anything additional about your pistol as very little record keeping was done on the pistols once they left Colt.

[Rhino78]

Thank you Johnny! The modern hot salt blueing does that mean that it's been re-blued before? as for the pitting I'm not sure as to where that came from. I just think it's cool to own a gun that old.

[Hawkmoon]

Those are pretty fancy grip panels, but obviously not original. And the barrel bushing should be blued, not shiny chrome or stainless. For a basic shooter like that, you can get a generic blued barrel bushing from Sarco (www.sarcoinc.com) or Numrich (www.e-gunparts.com) or CDNN for just a few bucks. The grip panels should be, I believe, double diamond checkered pattern in Walnut. I think CDNN (or maybe it was Sarco) had some reproductions in Walnut recently for around $15/pair. If it were mine, even though the generic replacement parts wouldn't be period-authentic, I'd put them on just to replicate the original appearance.

[Johnny Peppers]

An original Colt Model 1911 in your serial number range would have had a very dull blue finish. Your pistol would have originally been blued in a gas fired oven heated to the mid 600 degree F range. Colt did not use the hot salt blue method of blueing until commercial production resumed following WWII.