M1911 A1 Ithica mfg

[DeanG]

I recently purchased a 1911A1 made by ithica with a 1,680,---ser#. The pistol is blued not pakerized and has a small crown with the letters RNO or RND under the crown both on the right side under the ser# and on the barrel visible from the ejection port. Any of you guys familiar with war time 1911 got any info on this pistol? I suspect it was polished and reblued after the war.thanks Dean G

[Duane Hansen]

Maybe the letters BNP under the crown? Sounds like you have a lend lease pistol that was sent to The British during WWII. And yes it sounds refinished, it should be phosphate parkerized.

[Johnny Peppers]

That is a Colt with what must be an Ithaca slide. The slide should also have the British proofs.

[spikedemike]

That is a Colt with what must be an Ithaca slide. The slide should also have the British proofs.Hello!! This is my 1st post on this forum. I'm enjoying the reads..
Hmmm..I also purchased on GunBrokers.com auction #131513910..Check it out.
It also has a Colt frame and a Ithaca Slide. The guy I bought it from said it must have been Re-arsonald.But my FFL guy says it wasn't. Because the stamping were done before the finish.There are no re-arsonald marks on it. It looks mint.
I wonder if Colt supplied Ithaca with frames to make up for shortages during WWII(1944). The stampings look kinda goofy,but there are no British proofs marks on it.
I'd like to know if it's original or rebuilt. Opinions??
Any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks,Mike

[kenhwind]

Any comments would be appreciated.
Welcome to the forum, the members in the know will need pictures to evaluate your 1911A1.

[doubs43]

Hello!! This is my 1st post on this forum. I'm enjoying the reads..
Hmmm..I also purchased on GunBrokers.com auction #131513910..Check it out.
It also has a Colt frame and a Ithaca Slide. The guy I bought it from said it must have been Re-arsonald.But my FFL guy says it wasn't. Because the stamping were done before the finish.There are no re-arsonald marks on it. It looks mint.
I wonder if Colt supplied Ithaca with frames to make up for shortages during WWII(1944). The stampings look kinda goofy,but there are no British proofs marks on it.
I'd like to know if it's original or rebuilt. Opinions??
Any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks,Mike

According to Clawson, Page 53, Ithaca used a large number of Colt receivers (frames) in their production of the 1911A1. Springfield Armory sent Ithaca 6,200 surplus WW1 receivers, mostly Colts. Furthermore, Ithaca purchased over 7,000 new receivers from Colt. They will usually be found in the serial number range below 870000.

It's very possible that your Ithaca with a Colt receiver is original.

[Johnny Peppers]

I wonder if Colt supplied Ithaca with frames to make up for shortages during WWII(1944). The stampings look kinda goofy,but there are no British proofs marks on it.

Thanks,Mike

Springfield Armory supplied Ithaca (with an a) with WWI surplus and salvaged receivers to help Ithaca get into production. If the receivers were serial numbered, the serial numbers were removed and the serial numbers assigned to Ithaca were applied. Colt supplied Ithaca with unfinished slides and receivers during 1843 production, and these had no markings. Ithaca finished the slides and receivers, and then applied their markings and serial numbers. The 1911A1 contractors did not swap finished receivers and slides among themselves. Each had a contract to fill, and that was their main objective.

[spikedemike]

Welcome to the forum, the members in the know will need pictures to evaluate your 1911A1.Just go to GB.com and search action#131513910. You will find a lot of pics. :)

[Scott Gahimer]

...I also purchased on GunBrokers.com auction #131513910..Check it out.
It also has a Colt frame and a Ithaca Slide. The guy I bought it from said it must have been Re-arsonald.But my FFL guy says it wasn't. Because the stamping were done before the finish....It looks mint.
I wonder if Colt supplied Ithaca with frames to make up for shortages during WWII(1944)... The stampings look kinda goofy,but there are no British proofs marks on it.
I'd like to know if it's original or rebuilt. Opinions??
Any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks,Mike

The reason the markings look goofy is because they are bogus. The G.H.D. and the Ordnance Acceptance croosed cannons are not original to the frame. The "P" proof on the frame looks like it might be an "after-finish stamping. If it is, then that marking is bogus, too.

The pistol is entirely refinished. The polish on the finger cut-outs is totally incorrect. The overall polish and surface prep is incorrect.

The serial number does not appear to have been messed with, so it is not illegal. The bogus markings applied are still bogus, even if not illegal. Whoever applied them probably did it to misrepresent the pistol.

No, Colt's did not provide receivers in 1944 to Ithaca. The pistol is mismatched. The refinish and bogus markings are not military work.

Welcome to the forum.

[Johnny Peppers]

Just go to GB.com and search action#131513910. You will find a lot of pics. :)

If you want someone to look at something for you at least at least show them the courtesy of providing a link to the pistol.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=131513910