WWI 1911 with NO MARKINGS (Help Me, Please)

[Talktioneer]

Hi,

My buddy just purchased a few pieces from a WWII Vet and among them inside a WWII flap holster was a WWI Model 1911. The gun has the checkered grips and all the tell tale signs of a WWI Colt, however, there is only one marking on the gun. No manufacture marks, no serial numbers, no hallmarks, no anything. The blueing is all gone but the gun looks good and functions great. The very top of the exposed barrel has a stamped letter 'H' overlapping a letter 'P.' This is the only mark we can find. Any ideas as to who made it? Thanks for your help.

[exitwounds]

The barrel you described was used by Colt from about sn# 400,000 to 710,000. Are there any markings on the slide or frame at all? Can you post any pictures? The serial number and US property stamp and other markings may have been ground off, if the gun has no serial number it may be illegal to own, unless one could prove they were indeed never present to start with. Are there any markings on top of the frame near the disconnecter hole?

[Talktioneer]

The barrel you described was used by Colt from about sn# 400,000 to 710,000. Are there any markings on the slide or frame at all? Can you post any pictures? The serial number and US property stamp and other markings may have been ground off, if the gun has no serial number it would be illegal to own. Are there any markings on top of the frame near the disconnecter hole?
The numbers are not there and there are no markings ground off. I have seen guns with ground numbers. You have to go deep enough and this would mean the entire slide and frame would have to been ground flush and refinished. The gun looks untouched.

[exitwounds]

It is assumed during the war that some employees would smuggle parts out in their lunch boxes. Some had no Inspectors marking or serial number. Some guns have been found in the Colt 500000 serial number range and later. Probably manufactured in late 1918 or 1919. Possibly on of those "lunch box" guns. It is also possible it may have been a tooling example. Colt made spare replacement guns without a serial number to replace rejected guns in a sequential batch. They continued this practice until mid 1918. Yours might be one of these.

[Talktioneer]

It is assumed during the war that some employees would smuggle parts out in their lunch boxes. Some had no Inspectors marking or serial number. Some guns have been found in the Colt 500000 serial number range and later. Probably manufactured in late 1918 or 1919. Possibly on of those "lunch box" guns.
I was told it may be a test pistol. Any possiblitiy or a wives tale?

[exitwounds]

It's hard to say. I believe an original military M1911 in equal condition is much more sought after by most people, and even most collectors, since a serial number can be traced to a time period. However, for those collectors who collect novelty type variations, there will be a certain interest for them. A lunchbox pistol in most cases is merely an example of a gun stolen by a factory worker. It is not a military pistol until it is accepted by the military. Without any markings what so ever, it would be hard to trace it's origin to testing purposes.

[Scott Gahimer]

If you post or e-mail some photos, we may be able to say with more certainty what your friend has acquired.