In House Shipping:
Make: Colt
Model: Commercial Ace
Serial Numbers: 1181
Year of Manufacture: July 28, 1931, shipped July 30, 1931 (reference factory letter)
Caliber: .22 Long Rifle
Action Type: Single Action, Semi-Automatic with Removable Magazine
Barrel Length: 4 3/4"
Sights / Optics: The pistol has a flat-topped, square notched rear sight dovetailed to the rear of the slide, screw adjustable for windage and elevation. The front sight is a rounded blade fixed to the front of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are fully checkered walnut panels. The grips have minor handling wear with a few light nicks and compressed checkers, mostly on the left panel. The checkering is generally well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Excellent Condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: The finish is from the Colt factory and the slide is serial-matching. The "&" marking on the right of the trigger guard has been used both as a normal inspector/assembler mark and to indicate return to the factory for refinish/repair.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There are a few spots of minor erosion in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 9 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains approximately 98% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at some edges, mostly at the leading edges of the slide. There are a few light nicks and small scratches, mostly in the frontstrap and on the top-front of the slide. The action shows light operational wear. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Excellent Condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired 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 vintage original Colt “two tone” partially blued 10-round magazine stamped “COLT / ACE (in a diamond) / 22 L.R.” on the bottom floorplate. A Colt Archives letter is also included, indicating this pistol was manufactured July 28, 1931 and shipped July 30, 1931 to Murta Appleton & Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as one of 10 guns of the same type in the shipment.
Our Assessment: This First Year Colt Pre-War Commercial ACE Pistol was made in 1931 and is in Excellent Condition. It features a 4.75” barrel, 98% of its crisp, factory blued finish, beautiful fully checkered walnut grips, a gorgeous original Colt “two tone” partially blued 10-round mag, good mechanics, and a mostly bright bore with sharp rifling (there are a few spots of minor erosion). There is an "&" marking on the right of the trigger guard, which has been used both as a normal inspector/assembler mark and to indicate return to the factory for refinish/repair. A Colt Archives letter is also included, indicating this pistol was manufactured July 28, 1931 and shipped July 30, 1931 to Murta Appleton & Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This would be a phenomenal addition to a Colt collection, especially one missing a First Year Commercial Ace.