1911 question, for old fluff-Mal H

[goste]

Gentelmen.

I read a couple day's ago, where ya'll answered a question for a man, concerning his 1911 date of manufacter.

I am hoping one of you will show me the same courtsey.

about 15 years ago I bought a 1911 .45. I had assumed it was a WWII production, as the slide was marked ITHICA. A few years ago, I was shooting this pistol, at our local range, when a man walked over, and asked to look at my pistol. He looked it over, and told me I had ruined the gun, by putting a Ithica slide, on a early frame, and blueing it. I heard him out, and explained that I had bought it this way. I asked him why He thought it was a early 1911. and he told me , because of the serial #, and that there were no scallop's behind the trigger guard.

My question is : my pistol has a serial #C87129. Can one of you gent's tell me, when my pistol, was produced?
Thank's in advance

 

[Old Fuff]

The “Fuff†is here ………

Your gun started out as a commercial Colt Government Model (1911) that was made in 1917. World War One was going on in Europe and a lot of commercial guns ended up being absorbed into various U.S. and foreign military contracts. Other were bought by different state militias or individual officers.

Fast forward to World War Two. Apparently someone rebuilt the old veteran and used an Ithaca slide. There was no reason to not do so, as it would work fine. I suspect that it may have originally belonged to someone connected to a military service, and possibly been used in both World Wars. If guns could talk you might hear an interesting story.

As for the man at the shooting range. He is full of it. You “ruined†nothing – what you did do was preserve a small piece of history. He may or may not have a perfect, unaltered 1911 .45, but if so it’s because it never went anywhere nor did anything.

I’d rather have your "piece of junk" (from his perspective.) It has character.

 

[Jim K]

I agree that no one ruined anything. Someone simply put a GI slide on a commercial frame, no one knows who, or when, or where. So long as all concerned are aware of just what the pistol is there is no problem.

Where many of us get heartburn is when a pistol like that is put up for sale on an auction site or at a gun show as "original" or "genuine WWII" or "rare" at a price that would be exorbitant even for a truly original gun.

Shoot your mixmaster and enjoy.

Jim

 

[dsk]

If the entire pistol is blued, not parkerized, then it isn't a military rebuild. More likely a previous owner put it together in its current configuration and had it reblued by a gunsmith.

 

[goste]

Thank's to all for the speedy response.

I suspect that DSK is correct. The pistol is blue, and not parkerized, also the blue on the slide, does not match the frame blue The slide was buffed a WHOLE lot , when it was blued, as the ITHICA, is a little smeared looking. The frame has a deeper blue, and the stamping's are sharp.

It also has a match barrel. I have the original barrel (I think), and the original sight's, that I got with the pistol. I paid $200.00 in 1989. It has proven to be a great shooter. . Anyway's thanks again, for the fast response, and expertise.

 

[BluesBear]

I paid $200.00 in 1989.
It has proven to be a great shooter.

I'd say you got a lot more than your money's worth.

 

[BigG]

The original 1911 pistols were blue, not parkerized. Parkerizing was a WWII thing. The frame could be original. As long as it shoots, it can't be too boogered up.