silent one:
Early Colt commercial Government Model frames and USGI 1911 / 1911-A1 counterparts were identical; except military frames had a flatter “wire brush†finish, were marked “U.S. Government Property,†and had numerical-only serial numbers. Commercial frames were given a higher, brighter polish and were numbered in Colt’s exclusive “C†series that denoted a commercial pistol.
This changed in or about 1938 when Colt decided to offer the Swartz Firing Pin Safety as an extra-cost option. This safety was much more complicated then the one presently used in Colt’s series 80 pistols, but served the same purpose. Most, but not all of the commercial Government Model or Super .38 pistols made between 1938 through early 1942 had this feature, but some didn’t. In any case all of the frames and slides intended for sale within the United States had the necessary alterations to the frame and slide whether the safety was installed or not.
Uncle Sam however, passed on the safety, so frames and slides that were earmarked for U.S. military contracts were made the old way without additional modifications to accept the Swartz Safety. So from 1938 to the supposed end of commercial production in 1942 there were two distinct and different frame/slide sets - one for military sales and one for Colt’s commercial business. Unlike today, at that time Colt was the only maker of commercial Government Model pistols.
However there was a joker in the deck. Besides selling .45 pistols to the U.S. domestic market, Colt did a massive business with foreign governments involving both military and police sales. In fact between 1924 through 1942 these foreign sales accounted for almost half of their total business (excluding U.S. military contracts). Most if not all of these guns were numbered in the "C" series range. The second largest of these buyers was Brazil (16,180 guns) and it is toward them that I now direct attention.
During World War Two, Brazil was a valuable and much appreciated ally. Few in this country know it today, but during the Italian campaign Brazil supplied combat units that fought with distinction with American, British and Commonwealth troops during some of the worst bloodbaths during the war. They also became an important supplier of raw rubber after we lost our usual suppliers in Asia.
Brazil adopted the Government Model .45 pistol in 1921, and deliveries continued at least through 1941. They also insisted that they wanted the original 1911-A1 configuration, exactly as purchased by the U.S. Government. This caused an obvious problem for Colt. They solved it by making over-runs of U.S. orders and setting part sets aside to fill Brazilian requirements.
Normally frames produced for U.S. military contracts were inspect both by Colt’s in-house inspectors as well as government employees. The latter worked under “the†Inspector that was assigned to Colt, who in this case was Col. Robert Sears. He served in this capacity from August 3, 1937 through June 30, 1941. His “mark†consisted of the initials R.S. enclosed in a box. Although Col. Sears left the Hartford Ct. area in June, 41 his sub-inspectors continued to use his stamp(s) as late as November of that year.
When a frame was inspected as a component and approved a small “R.S.†stamp would be struck on the frame between the back of the magazine well and disconector hole, opposite of the ejector. When the frame was built into a pistol and passed final inspection a larger “R.S.†stamp was struck on the left side of the frame under the slide stop.
The pistol under examination has the small “R.S.†stamp on the frame by the ejector, but apparently not on the left side of the frame. I therefore conclude that since this frame was not machined to use the Swartz Safety, does have the small R.S. stamp by the ejector, but not on the left side under the slide stop; it must have been made and inspected between 1937 to November, 1941 and was intended to be used in a USGI contract 1911-A1 .45 pistol. But for some reason it was diverted and instead serial numbered and marked as a commercial pistol.
The most logical reason would be that it was set aside to be used for filling present or future Brazilian orders. This would also account for the obvious existence of USGI style frames with commercial serial numbers over C-215083, as Colt might not have considered the Brazilian military contracts in the same light as “usual†domestic commercial sales using guns with the Swartz Safety.
In any case it is a known fact that a number of surplus .45 pistols were imported from Brazil after World War Two. A buyer could have rebuilt one of these using a standard Colt slide (which would remove any association with Brazil), a number of 1911 parts such as the grips and mainspring housing, and a post-war barrel (that can be identified because of the “C†in-a-box stamp on its lower lug).
While this would provide one explanation as to how “the gun came to be,†it is not the only possibility. I will explore one of the alternatives in my next post.
"GOOD LUCK" I always say, "If you know you are right, you can't go wrong" 