Make: Colt
Model: 1911
Serial Number: 427
Year of Manufacture: 1912. Shipped February 15, 1912 to Springfield Armory.
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine
Markings: The left side of the frame is marked “UNITED STATES PROPERTY”, the right side of the frame is marked “No. 427”. The right side of the slide is marked “MODEL OF 1911. U. S. ARMY”. The left side of the slide is marked “PATENTED APR.20.1897 / SEPT.9.1902. DEC.19.1905. FEB.14.1911”, “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. / HARTFORD. CT. U.S.A.”, and behind the serrations with a circled Rampant Colt logo. The rear face of the slide is marked "H" (with serifs). The left side of the frame is marked behind the trigger with a circled “WGP” (Maj. Walter G. Pennfield). The top of the frame is marked "H" and “E” at the disconnector. The rear face of the chamber hood is marked "H" (with serifs), the bottom of the barrel is marked "5" in front of the link-lugs.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The pistol is mounted with a short tapered blade front sight fixed to the slide, and a round-top “U”-notched rear sight dovetailed into the slide. The front sight appears to have been filed down some.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut with smooth diamonds around the grip screws. The left panel has 15 (+-1) checkers between the points of the diamonds (consistent with Colt production), the right 13 (+-1), and the right panel is lighter in color than the left (consistent with Remington UMC production). The grips have scattered compressions and handling wear, more notable on the right panel, and there is wear in the checkering at the bottom edges. Otherwise, the checkering is generally well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Good Plus condition.
Type of Finish: Blued, small parts fire-blued.
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright with sharp rifling. There is scattered light erosion in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates a 7 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 45% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges, some surfaces have gone to a light patina. The grip areas are mostly worn to white. There is scattered finish wear on the slide. There is scattered minor surface oxidation and there is a little minor erosion on the sides of the frame under the grip panels. There are some scattered light nicks and scratches, most notable on the bottom of the mainspring housing at its lanyard loop. There is an "idiot mark" on the left of the frame under the slide stop. Some strong fire-blue remains on small parts. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are tool marked with usable slots (see Our Assessment). The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Good Plus condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. It has both a manual and grip safety and the trigger pull is crisp. The slide has nominal play to the frame. We did not fire this pistol. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with one scarce, original US Pre-WW1 “Step Base Bottom” Lanyard Loop Two Tone 7-round magazine. This is the classic Type I 1911 magazine with the “step” (or space) between the bottom of the body and the floorplate, lanyard loop (also called a lanyard ring) on the bottom of the floorplate, and two tone finish on the body. It retains a very good amount of that “two tone” partially blued finish, with a fairly distinct temper line around the upper body. The magazine shows operational wear and some minor surface oxidation, but exhibits intact feed lips and a strong spring. It remains in about Very Good condition. Type I mags were only produced until Serial Number 4500, making any surviving examples quite scarce today.
Our Assessment: The Colt .45 semi-automatic pistol was designed by the legendary firearms inventor John Moses Browning, and developed for the US Army in 1911 after the .38 revolver failed to stop charging Moro warriors in the Philippines. The US Army issued the powerful .45 to officers, NCOs, and machine gunners in the Punitive Expedition and World War 1. This particular Colt Model 1911 is a very early example made in 1912, the first year of manufacture. It was sent to Springfield Armory on February 15, 1912 in just the fourth shipment of 1911 pistols. Over the nearly 70 year service life of the Colt 1911 and its derivatives, the design underwent several changes. This first year specimen is a wonderful example that shows a myriad of early features. It retains not only the early-style guide-rod with sharp corners, a rounded bottom edge to the firing pin plate (later changed to a bevel), and short-spur hammer, but also a mainspring housing pin which is convex on each end, dimpled magazine catch lock, commercial polished blue and fire-blue finish, and three out of four grip screws that are the early thin-head type, which was redesigned due to their propensity for damage to their shallow slots (the fourth has been replaced with a later type). Early production, three digit serial number Colt Model 1911s such as this are rare and highly sought after by collectors today. This honest old beauty would make a great addition to even the most advanced US pistol or martial arms collection, and provides a wonderful glimpse into the early production of America’s most iconic semi-automatic sidearm, the Colt Model 1911 .45.
Pistol