World War One Colts

[Rodger Barthlow]

I have a Gov. issue Colt 1911 serial No.584089. It was purchased from DCM in the early 60's and has never been fired since it was purchased. Any one have an idea when it was made and approximate value?

[Johnny Peppers]

Your Colt was shipped from Colt in February or early March of 1919. Most of the 1911 pistols sold through the DCM had been refinished in phosphate. The value of your pistol would depend on whether it was still original blue and if the parts were all still original, or whether it was refinished.

[Scott Gahimer]

Also the original DCM shipping box and paperwork add a little value, even to a refinished rebuild.
If it is a rebuild that is arsenal marked, and that marking is stamped after finish, that would indicate it had not since been refinished since leaving that particular arsenal.
Some pistols may even have multiple arsenal markings. Same holds true with them; one of the markings (the last arsenal to rebuild it) should be stamped after finish.
Arsenal markings seem to add a little interest and value to rebuilds that have been refinished.
An internet friend sent me copies of the DCM paperwork a few years back for several pistols he bought back in the '60s, along with some notes he made on them. He was lucky enough to get a few original finish pistols in the ones he bought. The paperwork was in the names of various family members. He bought as many as he could until they suspended those sales.
The paperwork and notes were even quite interesting in themselves.

[Rodger Barthlow]

I do have the original paper work from DCM but not the box.
Rodger

[Scott Gahimer]

That will help value a little, but more info on the pistol itself is necessary to give you much of an idea of value. As Johnny pointed out, value depends most on blue or parkerized finish and correct/incorrect parts.

[Rodger Barthlow]

The finish is gray parkerizing, the main spring houseing is flat with lanyard ring and with no serations, stubby grip safety with lots of room for hammer bite ( main reason it probably has never been shot), It has 2 armorer marks on it. The only blued part on it is the slide stop and it has the brown plastic grip panels.
There are three stampings on it. One is AA left sied above the trigger guard, one in line with the top grip panel screw left side is L over S17, on the right side is RIA below the serial number. there is some very light pitting that was parkerised over. I all most missed one on the left side which is the number 22 on the left rear bottom portion where the trigger guard meets the frame.

[RickB]

How common is it to find these DCM M1911s in original blue? My dad bought one, and other than '11A1 grip safety, slide stop and replacement barrel, it looks all original.

[Scott Gahimer]

You mean he actually bought through the DCM years ago that way? Or he bought it since then?
I'd think most original finish pistols sold through the DCM would have had all original parts because they probaly had not actually been rebuilt. The original finish guns I've seen sold through the DCM were all minty to new.
Unless a pistol needed rebuilt, it generally should not have needed to have parts replaced.

[RickB]

It was bought through DCM, early '60s, shipped from . . . either Red River or Benecia Arsenal, can't remember and papers are at home . . . and delivered to dad in blue, with double diamond grips. Other than the parkerized '11A1 grip safety and slide stop, and the Colt replacement barrel, it looks original. It's far from minty, but it's not especially beat-up, either. Unusual?

[Scott Gahimer]

I think it's a little unusual; interesting at least. Thanks. :)