Late WWII Colt Help

[Fast Ed]

I bought this gun from my FIL. He said he bought it from CMP for $47.50 sometime in the '60's. It is in great shape with mostly correct parts from what I can tell. I am looking for help in identifying where else to look to find out exactly what I have. S/N is 2254xxx. Rampant Colt is there as are crossed cannon ordinance stamp, GHD inspector stamp, United States Property, M1911A1 U.S. Army, patent dates, Colt's PT. F.A. MFG. Co., etc. After looking at coolgunsite.com, there are some questions I have. My gun has the narrow spur hammer, theirs is a wide spur. I have a "65" stamped on the right side front of the trigger guard. I have no stamp at all on the frame above the safety near the disconnect, they have an "N". My grip panels have the heavy reinforcing with a single digit at the intersection of the reinforcing. The picture of the barrel is poor, but the stamp on it is an "HP" with the right leg of the "H" forming the leg of the "P" instead of a "box C" as described in coolgunsite. As you can see, it hasn't seen a lot of action.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/Fast_Ed/1911-Slide-Left.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/Fast_Ed/1911-Right.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/Fast_Ed/1911-Left.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/Fast_Ed/1911-Frame-Right.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/Fast_Ed/1911-Frame-Left.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/Fast_Ed/1911-Barrel.jpg

Can you help me identify what I have? I would like to take advantage of the collective wisdom contained on this site. Any help would be appreciated.

Fast Ed

[exitwounds]

I bought this gun from my FIL. He said he bought it from CMP for $47.50 sometime in the '60's. It is in great shape with mostly correct parts from what I can tell. I am looking for help in identifying where else to look to find out exactly what I have. S/N is 2254xxx. Rampant Colt is there as are crossed cannon ordinance stamp, GHD inspector stamp, United States Property, M1911A1 U.S. Army, patent dates, Colt's PT. F.A. MFG. Co., etc. After looking at coolgunsite.com, there are some questions I have. My gun has the narrow spur hammer, theirs is a wide spur. I have a "65" stamped on the right side front of the trigger guard. I have no stamp at all on the frame above the safety near the disconnect, they have an "N". My grip panels have the heavy reinforcing with a single digit at the intersection of the reinforcing. The picture of the barrel is poor, but the stamp on it is an "HP" with the right leg of the "H" forming the leg of the "P" instead of a "box C" as described in coolgunsite. As you can see, it hasn't seen a lot of action.

Can you help me identify what I have? I would like to take advantage of the collective wisdom contained on this site. Any help would be appreciated.

Fast Ed

The serial number indicates it was made in 1945 by Colt in the last batch of pistols. The hammer is correct, Colt adopted the narrow hammer in late 1944 at about sn 1700000 used through the end of production. The "65" is an assemblers stamp. The grips are correct and are Coltwood plastic grips and the number is just a mold number. The interlaced HP barrels were used from about sn 400000 to 710000, the correct barrel may or may not have COLT 45 AUTO just above the left barrel lug, the left lug should have a P stamp on it. The right lug may or may not have the boxed C. The barrel may also have a F, 7, D, or B forward the lugs on the belly.Colt started using the serrated slide stop in the late 1,600,000 range or around October 1944 and would be correct.

[OD*]

Congratulations Ed, that's a dandy. http://forum.m1911.org/images/icons/icon14.gif

[exitwounds]

BTW, your pistol was shipped in a 1,000 pistol shipment on Feb. 13, 1945 to the Transportation Officer, at Springfield Armory, MA.