Questions on 1918 Colt

[ralfus]

Found a 1918 Colt for sale at a local shop that appears mostly original. Flat MSH with loop, checkered slide stop and wide hammer. Original bbl. Serial # 401XXX. $500

Here are the problems: the pistol was apparently badly rusted at some point. The rust was buffed off and it is currently in the white. The lettering remains legible along with most inspector markings. Edges are not sharp, pretty dull. The grips have been replaced with Pachmayrs. One grip screw has been replaced with a non 1911 grip screw (and I'm assuming a now misthreaded screw bushing. The mag is a two-tone without loop. There are still some pits in the concave curves such as the scallops on the slide at the muzzle.

At this price would it be worth it to beadblast and park to make it presentable?

[exitwounds]

The pistol is probably priced appropriately for what it is in most regions. If you could obtain the correct parts and get it refinished for a couple hundred dollars it may be worth it. If you have to invest much more than that I would suggest holding off for a better example. The 1918 Colt 1911s are the most commonly encountered ones, and many very nice original examples can still be found in the $800 - $1000 range that are nice enough as is.

[RemingtonRand]

I agree with exitwounds. I, personally, would let this one go it's separate path unless you want a project Colt to work on over the winter.


RR

[Phil]

I don't think the 1918 guns were ever parkerized. In fact, they're commonly referred to as "Black Army" models, due to the rough final metal polishing and Colt's change to a gas-fired oven bluing process using charred, ground animal bone and pure petroleum oil, all of which produced a "blackish", thin bluing that flaked off and wasn't as durable as the charcoal process previously used. Which probably explains why this gun is in the white.

If it's otherwise decent, though, it might be worth simply having it re-blued. The grips/screws/bushings/magazine are certainly no problem and a good blue job should run about $150 is all.

At $500 (or less, perhaps) I'd go for it! :)

http://www.apwcogan.com/Refinishing%20prices.htm

[exitwounds]

Phil, you are correct, none were originally parkerized, but have been by arsenals/depots, some unmarked, especially those between the wars with the old arsenal black (which looks like "stove black"). I am assuming that Ralfus was referring to parkerizing and bead blasting to remove the rust pitting, which would be hidden better by parkerizing rather than bluing. The 1918 "Black Army" Colts get a bad rap for flaking,peeling, scratching easy, etc. but there are a number of near perfect originals out there as well. The issue seems to be with most in the 400000 - early 500000 serial range, above that near perfect examples do exist or are not as bad, IMO. I still stand if you can make it something your happy with at a reasonable price, then go for it. But if you have to invest more than $200 into it, then your dipping into the territory where nice original examples can still be found and are a better investment.

[ralfus]

Thanks for the feedback. When I found this pistol I posted this thread with a friend in mind. He is recently into collecting WWII vintage arms as a tribute to his father's Airborne service in Europe in WWII and his interest expanded to a Colt new reproduction of the WWI vintage pistols.

I am not a collector and my interest leans more to shootable, presentable weapons rather than a gem that needs to remain under glass and handled with white gloves.

I looked at this pistol the same that the military would have done after the Great War. "That's pistol is ugly, get it to the depot for an overhaul." If it stayed in military service it would have been rebuilt and kept in circulation as a mixmaster.

My hobby is refinishing and cleaning up other's mistakes (such as rounded edges, mismatched screws, etc). I love ugly orphans and making them presentable again. They have already lost there collectors value but can still be appreciated when finished.

My friend bought the pistol after I got the dealer to knock the price down to $400. I'll be refinishing it for him and I'll add pics over the next few weeks. Ideally the pistol will look like it was ready to issue at the begining of WWII and representative of what my friends father would have carried during his service.

Now, can any of you help me out with an early style rear sight with the small rounded notch? I'll need it for this project, it came with a later style square notch.