In House Shipping:
Make: Colt
Model: Government Model
Serial Number: C187635
Year of Manufacture: 1937 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup), shipped February 13, 1940.
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a short blade fixed to the front of the slide. The rear sight is a "U"-notch dovetailed into the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece full checkered walnut panels. The grips have no notable wear or damage, only light handling marks. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore, but there is a little stubborn fouling. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 9+ out of 10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 99% of its metal finish. The finish is generally strong throughout. There are a few minor nicks and scratches. The action shows light operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Fine-plus condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with one two-tone 7-round magazine, a hinge-lid maroon cardboard Colt box with no visible serial number, manual, and a Colt Archives letter. The letter indicates that this pistol was manufactured June 24, 1937 and shipped February 13, 1940 to Sportsmen's Supply Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the only gun of its type in the shipment.
Our Assessment: The 1911 and 1911-A1 pistols served the military of the United States from 1911 to 1985, through two World Wars and the Korean and Vietnam wars. They gained a reputation as a reliable handgun with plenty of stopping power, and are held in high regard by those who have used them. The design was the end-result of a series of developments by famous gun designer John Browning, starting with the Model 1900. The advances made by Browning were revolutionary at the time, and were so successful that they are considered commonplace today. Browning not only developed first a pivoting and then a tilting barrel to allow for a locked system, he developed the concept of "the slide", which is now synonymous with semi-automatic handguns. Having secured a contract for the US Military sidearm, Colt also offered the pistol to the commercial market as the "Government Model".
This is a Colt commercial Government Model made in 1937. The pistol is in Fine-plus condition, showing minor wear in its original finish. The barrel has strong bore. The grips show little in the way of wear. All of the old 1911 Colts are collectable, and we are sure this high condition example isn’t going to be an exception. Please see our pictures and good luck in your bidding!