authentic 1911a1?

[izambo]

good day.im posting a pix of a 1911a1 colt.need help if this is authentic.my friend who owns the gun inherited it from his 74 yr old father who just passed away.he said that his father bought it when he was still in college.i guess that was on the 1950's.

[JustinTime]

Can anyone else see the picture? I can't see anything.

[wetidlerjr]

There is no picture but he has two threads going now. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/wetidlerjr/Smilies/confused-smiley-013.gif

[izambo]

There is no picture but he has two threads going now. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/wetidlerjr/Smilies/confused-smiley-013.gif
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t166/izambo/IMG_0052-1.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t166/izambo/IMG_0038.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t166/izambo/IMG_0039.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t166/izambo/IMG_0044.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t166/izambo/IMG_0046.jpg

[OD*]

It's a Colt slide, on a Remington-Rand or Ithaca receiver.
What's the serial number?

[JustinTime]

There is no picture but he has two threads going now. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/wetidlerjr/Smilies/confused-smiley-013.gif

Bill, I thought i was losing my mind. I thought I already posted that. Must've been in the other thread. But then I must've seen this thread and did't see my post; and thoght I messed it up.

[izambo]

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t166/izambo/IMG_0056.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t166/izambo/IMG_0057.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t166/izambo/IMG_0058.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t166/izambo/IMG_0059.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t166/izambo/IMG_0060.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t166/izambo/IMG_0063.jpg

[izambo]

thanks OD.i was just wondering coz usually all colts have factory marks on the trigger guard and on the slide (on the firing pin stop). in this case there's none.any comments?

[fire_hunter988]

Should the letters be filled in white?

[izambo]

i dont know exactly why it has white paint.i think its some kind of a marker to highlight the markings

[OD*]

thanks OD.i was just wondering coz usually all colts have factory marks on the trigger guard and on the slide (on the firing pin stop). in this case there's none.any comments?
Are there any other markings on the frame in addition to Frank Atwood's FJA stamp? Colt serial numbered the slides (under the firing pin stop) from 1937 thru 1944, if I remember correctly. I'm gonna point your post out to Scott, he'll be able to answer more of your questions. I'm also going to move the thread.

[Johnny Peppers]

Colt serial numbered the slides (under the firing pin stop) from 1937 thru 1944, if I remember correctly.

Colt stopped numbering the slides to the frame just shy of the 1.14 million serial number range, which was in November of 1943.

[OD*]

Close but no cigar. :(

[OD*]

Johnny, what is your opinion on the slide, does the Colt look like the 1945 variation to you?

[Scott Gahimer]

Im not sure is this is somebody's idea of a joke or not, or perhaps somebody's idea of strolling something past some collectors to see if it will fly...but I am confident the whole gun and story is bogus.

That is not saying the original poster is the culprit. The "story" is just that...a story. None of the markings on the frame or the slide are original markings. Those markings on the slide have been pantographed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantograph

When I first looked at the photos of the slide I didn't think the markings looked right. They are slightly off in size. The periods are round, rather than square, and the rampant colt is just wrong. It's a nice looking pony...just not one Colt's ever used. I'm convinced the slide is a cheap aftermarket that's been scrubbed and pantographed.

The frame is not only refinished, but illegal to even possess. It is not a military frame at all. Another cheap aftermarket part. The contours are not correct for any military frame ever made. None of the milling marks visible are correct. The FJA is simply poorly engraved. The right side USP and model markings appear to be pantographed. The serial number is engraved and bogus as the day is long. It is strictly illegal to remove the manufacturer markings and/or serial number from any frame. It is fraudulent to use the markings and serial number of another pistol. Whoever did this work, broke the law with the intent to deceive someone for profit IMO.

The slide stop, hammer, thumb safety, magazine release button, etc. are all cheap modern aftermarket knock-offs.

None of the components discussed so far were even available in the 1950's. I think all these parts are relatively modern production stuff. The story just doesn't match what the pistol is.

Value for this piece is somewhere in the negative category, due to the fact it is illegal to possess. Possessing anything that warrants a stiff fine and possible inprisonment has no value. It is a liability.

I thank the original poster for bringing this fraudulent pistol to our attention. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news for anyone who possesses it, but...it is what it is and people need to know. I save the photos on all faked pistols for future reference and I recommend others to do the same thing.

Thanks for the good photos. I'd make sure I wiped the pistol off good and returned it to wherever it came from. I'd also tell the owner what he has and recommend he contacts an attorney to arrange the surrender of the pistol to the BATF for destruction. I'm not an attorney and can't offer legal advice, but I know what the law says about bogus serial numbers.

Sorry for the bad news. Thanks for sharing.

[OD*]

Thank you Scott, I'm glad now I did PM you about my concerns.

[Johnny Peppers]

The pantographed markings are actually far above average as pantograph markings go, with the exception of the rainbox shaped FJA marking. They would fool a lot of impulsive buyers at a gunshow if someone was shopping it around. Having the markings whited in also helps the illusion, as you cannot see the telltale cutter marks down in the numbers and letters. If you look at the FJA, you can see the cutter marks.
I am seeing more and more of this, with some being so bad it is laughable, while some like the above pistol is far above average. Be very careful and look at a pistol for what it is and not what you want it to be.