Worth preserving?

[igxqrrl]

Hello,

I just picked up a Remington Rand 1911 from an acquaintance whose father had purchased it many years ago, and then stored it in a box unused. The Serial Number is 1315xxx; the acquaintance put a few rounds through it before putting it back into storage.

I'm wondering if this is a gun I should be preserving? It doesn't have any sentimental value to me, but I am interested in it from a historical perspective. I'm attaching a picture showing the only blemish on the finish: a few scuffs on the slide. How does this condition compare to other similar 1911s?

Thanks for any help!

http://fulgent.org/photos/1911.jpg

[hammerbite]

Welcome to the forum!
It Looks like you have a treasure there that certainley has a Huge historical value! In my humble opinion it should be worth 2500 + $ and maybe more.
Thank you for sharing with us.
Hammerbite :D :D :D

[Hawkmoon]

Definitely worth preserving. See the sticky thread about whether or not you should shoot a collectable M1911.

[1saxman]

It looks like a rebuild. I was just composing a post to ask you to look for rebuild marks when I took another look and spotted 'SA' near the trigger guard (Springfield Armory). On a M1911A1 this ususally means a refinish and possible mixed parts. Legitimate rebuilds like this one can have a place in some collections because they're a lot less expensive than completely original pistols. I'd guess this one at around $850 or so. Maybe more if those magazines are WWII. Look for a plain base with just a single letter on the top of the toe. Some mags made for Colt can have letters on the base too. This pistol is still very much worth preserving as it is an example of a typical pistol used in the war and put back into good condition later by the government. Many of these were sold through DCM years ago.

[bgiven]

Welcome to the forum!
It Looks like you have a treasure there that certainley has a Huge historical value! In my humble opinion it should be worth 2500 + $ and maybe more.
Thank you for sharing with us.
Hammerbite :D :D :D

I'm afraid you might be just a little high on your price estimate. I just passed on a 1945 RRand s/n 2444xxx in unused condition, in the original shipping box at $2,800.- A Type III RRand is pretty common in the grand scheme of M1911/A1 collecting.

[Scott Gahimer]

If the finish is the orignal refinish applied at Springfield Armory, value might approach $1000 in some areas of the country. The SA mark should show it is struck through the finish, if it is the refinish applied at SA, as that mark was applied as a final inspection for the rebuild.

I agree there are other less collectible pieces (commercial clones) that would make a better shooter from the $$ standpoint.