Do you believe this...

[Sr. Oso]

I saw this on GB today...http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=86432765
last I knew no-one "welded" over serial numbers to create new ones unless there was some chicanery going on. Looks too good to be true. I have a USGI Nat Match and only the bushing looks the same...

[Constantine-1911]

Ive seen it done before, I am not sure what to make of it.

[Mick_In_Texas]

I would be suspect about this one, as Constantine says: USGIs, whether M1911s or M1911A1s, did not have the "slanted" slide rear grip serrations. Also I don't know that the skeleton triggers were available in the late 1940s.

I have an original USGI M1911 from mid- to late-1918 Colt's military contract run. Yes, I got it on GunBroker.Com. BUT: I have seen some real scams there. Nothing against THEM, only some sellers. Personally, I suspect ANY gun with altered S/Ns...

That said, if authenticity doesn't matter to you, it might be a "buy". Personally, I'd run from it. Nothing personal against the seller, but my thought would be, let someone else take it. Hold out for another, sir.

Y'all take care.
Mick

[gottripletsNC]

Nor do I remember them lowering and flaring the ejection ports, but I've been wrong many times before.
What does tell me that this guy doesn't know what he is talking about is the comment about the finish. He says its parkerized or phospated, he's not sure.
Parkerizing is phospating. The green/grey is Zinc phosphating and the black on current military issue is manganese phosphating. If he doesn't know that, I really don't believe he knows anything truly about the gun.
Besides, why would the government renumber a weapon?

[Rich-D]

A gun with an obliterated serial number is a risky gun to own. Most States and federal law prohibits the act of obliterating serial numbers. Without a factory letter or ATF letter explaining the obliteration, I would not buy one.


Rich

[Hawkmoon]

A gun with an obliterated serial number is a risky gun to own. Most States and federal law prohibits the act of obliterating serial numbers. Without a factory letter or ATF letter explaining the obliteration, I would not buy one.
Correct. The Federal law, and my state's law, prohibits removing or altering a serial number. Worse, the law provides that when a firearm with an altered serial number is found by law enforcement, the person in possession at the time is legally presumed to have performed the defacement or alteration.

DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!

[RickB]

I would be suspect about this one, as Constantine says: USGIs, whether M1911s or M1911A1s, did not have the "slanted" slide rear grip serrations.

Y'all take care.
Mick

"Hard slides" used on G.I. NM pistols did have slanted, Gold Cup style cocking serrations. That one looks like a Springfield, though.

[Okie Red]

Could this be a de-milled frame that someone has welded back together? Looking at the pictures it seams to have the same welding imperfections on the other side of the frame (below the slide lock) and across the trigger guard. Also looks like a weld line through the frame under the new SN (below the 5 and N).
Just my $.02
OkR

[Tom]

I just cannot believe the (current) bid is at $503. I sure hope that whoever "folk_fan" is knows what he is getting into.

[Sr. Oso]

I really did not believe what I was seeing. I am no expert but have owned enough 1911's over the years to know a thing or two. I also own a USGI match gun and this particular piece is wanting.
The obvious is the serial number, I think that the receiver is a re-weld with the original numbers being obliterated during the process. Either way, it is an illegal weapon in my opinion. If you noticed the barrel has most of the marking on the hood filed off except the NM stamping (looks like it was done by hand)...on and on.
I was really surprised that someone actually bid on that gun. If nothing else the auction has made for good material on this forum. These types of guns bring out the best information - both historical and anecdotal - just as original or rare pieces do.

PT Barnum was right....

[Rich-D]

I tried to write the bidder to inform him, however the gunbroker system will not permit me.


Rich

[Mick_In_Texas]

"Hard slides" used on G.I. NM pistols did have slanted, Gold Cup style cocking serrations. That one looks like a Springfield, though.

Thank you for this! I didn't know this. My education continues, sir... but, like MANY, on this particular pistol... that altered S/N supercedes most other considerations, I think. Dangerous thing to have in one's possession...

You take care and be safe.
Mick

[A.B.]

I tried to write the bidder to inform him, however the gunbroker system will not permit me.


RichI've noticed that GB, at least, seems to be very good at "protecting" folks from unsolicited information. They have seem to have put some thought into that.

[Hill]

That's a reweld. Look at the line above the trigger guard - it rises oddly on one side only. Look at the fit of the slide stop pin in it's hole on the right side of the pistol.

It is amazing that a licensee would take this in at all, more so that he'd put it on public display and for sale no less. He's got to know that his business is at risk unless he has substantial supportive documentation for such an abomination.

He calls it tight. I'd imagine so with a frame tweaked out of shape. Look at how the slide fits the frame at the hammer end. Nice of him to provide such good pictures.

Nice collection of good looking stamps though!

(my first post here)

[Joni Lynn]

Welcome to the forum Hill.

[Hill]

Thanks Mom.............errrr Mod,............Lynnie! :)

[Hill]

Well, the pistol is shown as sold for $800.

A funny thing is that the buyer registered in Gunbroker on 12-8-07. It makes me wonder if someone reading these forums didn't recognize the pistol as authentic and go in there to make a steal.

Or more likely, the seller created the ID in order to outbid any comer and thereby cover himself after realizing that that number might be looked at askew by some BATF type or even a rookie cop out there somewhere.