I just took over care & custody of a Colt 1911 A1 built sometime around late 1943. It was traded (along with an M1 Garand and a few other goodies) into the family by a US soldier during the recapture of the Philippines. The gunsmith (an FFL holder) who assisted in the transfer to me said that it is in magnificent shape. I am interested in taking it out from time to time and feeding it.

I am interested in recommendations for ammo based primarily on preservation of the gun, but also cost and accuracy.

Any input and advice is appreciated.

Happy New Year

GRButler

Mr Butler: Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your acquisitions. Regarding ammo, standard 230 military ball, non-corrosive is as hot as I'd ever recommend to run through the pistol. No +P stuff whatsoever.
That said, I'd encourage you to preserve the pistol if it is still all original and in the magnificent condition you state. You may not realize it, but your pistol is quite valuable and perhaps even historic. I would strongly recommend to find another shooter and to preserve this one.
I understand some folks like to shoot all their guns, and that it's your choice. I would just feel guilty for not recommending otherwise.
Would appreciate more info on the specifics of the pistol, and some photos if possible.
Thanks,
Scott

Scott,

Thanks for your input. I am still considering my options with regard to taking it out from time to time and shooting with it.

As for the specifics on the pistol:
Serial #1155XXX
It has a partial Ordinance Dept Inspection stamp on the right side.
G.H.D. stamped on the left.

My Father grew up in the Philippines during WWII. While my Grandfather was held at a POW camp near Manilla, my Father and Uncles took the various guns they had and buried them, wrapped in oiled rags, to conceal them from the Japanese. When MacArthur and his forces retook the Philippines, my Father & his brothers dug up their weapons only to find that they were rusted and not functional. They traded the damaged weapons for the Colt 1911 A1, an M1 Garand, a 45 cal "burp-gun" and other 'stuff'. Presumably the Soldier thought he could make a 'project' out of the damaged weapons. Because they lived on the street leading to Nichols Field, they participated in the liberation of the field along with other locals and of course the US Forces.

The Colt 1911 A1 has been in the family ever since. When my eldest uncle passed away a couple years ago, the Colt went to my Father who recently passed it on to me.

While I am intersted in knowing the monetary value of this Colt, I would never sell it as the historical value relating to my family makes it priceless.

I took some pictures of it and will try to post them shortly.

Thanks again and Happy New Year,

Glenn

Glenn: I am happy to hear you have no plans to ever sell the pistol because of it's family history. While I have some pistols that have come from veterans and/or their families after they decided to sell them, I would always rather see those pieces remain in the families where they "belong". I have always tried to preserve the known family history of the pieces at all costs. It is nice to hear about the history of your pistol.
I will look forward to seeing some photos once you get them posted. Thanks.
Scott

I like the way you think, Scott. I have a few nice antiques too (though none of heirloom significance as I'm the first gun owner in my family that I know of) and it is a real temptation to take a fine old piece out and shoot it.

Resist that temptation! (Oh, OK, take it out and shoot it once ) then clean it well and put it away. You gotta connect with your forbears and this is one way to do it!

...then go out and buy the best new/used 1911 you can afford, and shoot the cr*p out of that. (See, you need at least two guns, right? ...only trying to help!)

__________________
The older I get...
...the better I was

My theory gentlemen is this. If I own it I will use it, someone said to me once that will ruin it's value. Told them this " I will most likely never sell these guns, I really do not cae if they use value, after I am gone what do I care of their value" Just some thoughts from an old man.

__________________
Bear's Story .

If you have no money and few possesions, if you have a dog you are still rich.

Ok, I think I may have figured this picture thing out. Here are some links that will take you to the pictures (I think)

Left side

Right Side

Now, I'm going to go drink heavily.

Happy New Year,

Glenn

I truly respect the opinions of those who wish to shoot their firearms... regardless of how historically significant they may be. They belong to them. I personally just don't fire those I think are worth preserving for others down the road to enjoy. And I encourage others to consider the big picture when they own such a historical piece. What they do after that is not my concern.
The reason I do not fire these truly collectible pieces has very little, or nothing to do with their value; or decreasing their value. People have different prespectives and I appreciate that. When I walk through a museum, I am thankful that there were those before me who had the foresight to preserve those pieces so I might enjoy them and learn from them, and experience something out of history just exactly the way it was back then. I respect the roped off areas and signs which say "Do not touch". I was not tempted to ring the Liberty Bell when I saw it. I am not tempted to break off little pieces of the Declaration of Independence by holding it in my hands, even though it was written to be handled and read. While visiting the Smithsonian, I wasn't tempted in the least to take the Spirit of St. Louis out for a test flight.
In the same way, I am not at all tempted to take a historically significant pistol out and fire it. As far as those particular pieces go, I am a collector, not a user. I handle my own collectibles regularly. I study them. I even display them and allow others to handle them. But, I make sure we handle them with care, and I wipe all the fingerprints off when we're done looking. I make sure I store them properly, so they'll be there in the same condition the next time we go to look at them.
I have other pieces which are not historically significant to shoot. Any piece that has been permanently altered, or otherwise reduced to shooter grade status is, in my opinion, the ones to go out and plink with.
Originality and condition in a historical piece is like virginity. It's only there once. Enjoy it while you can. There are fewer and fewer good original pieces everyday. With the rate of supply and demand, they are nearly gone now. There will never be anymore. Soon, it will be too late.
The irony in all this is that those who diminish the condition of a historically significant piece by using it only serve to increase the value of the other pieces that are left preserved. Some think collectors have driven the prices so high and made these pistols so difficult to obtain without first robbing a bank by buying them up and preserving them. I see just the opposite. When they were common, they were cheap. The number of used up, worn out and altered pistols greatly outnumbers the quantity of nice, original guns in collections today. Go figure...
As a collector today, there is no financial incentive whatsoever in encouraging others to preserve their pieces. I just do it because I believe in it.