My Old-Man's Colt .45

[finalcut]

My brother and I have been running through some drills - practical situations - with a few different pistols. S&W 629, S&W 29, XD 40, Beretta 92, and my Old Mans ( My Dad's ) Colt 1911 - Made in 1943, a true WW2 Govn. issue.

The Colt has proved to be an amazing unit - More accurate then the XD .40. & S&Ws, and more reliable than the Beretta. The short version... of every weapon that we shot, the Colt ( over 60 years old ) was the most accurate and fastest draw due to its slim design.

What a gun! Powerful, sleek, reliable, accurate, classic, & Timeless.... I just thought I'd share my thoughts on this gun....

 

[Old Fuff]

The Colt has proved to be an amazing unit - More accurate then the XD .40. & S&Ws, and more reliable than the Beretta. The short version... of every weapon that we shot, the Colt ( over 60 years old ) was the most accurate and fastest draw due to its slim design.

Which is the reason they're still around and more popular then ever. Unfortunately the current crop of makers don't make them to the same standards of quality that were in place when your od man's gun was made.

Treasure what you have, and keep in mind that it is not only a fine and dependable shooter, but also a valuable collectable - now often priced over a thousand dollars.

 

[Shear_stress]

Which is the reason they're still around and more popular then ever. Unfortunately the current crop of makers don't make them to the same standards of quality that were in place when your od man's gun was made.

Absolutely. What's even more amazing is how the U.S. turned out all those high quality 1911s during wartime and by sourcing parts from many different manufacturers.

Finalcut, I'd love to see a picture of your dad's gun.

 

[Old Fuff]

Absolutely. What's even more amazing is how the U.S. turned out all those high quality 1911s during wartime

Two reasons: First, government inspectors followed both gun and parts production with strict inspection/quality control precedures. When their production wasn't up to standard Remington-Rand actually shut down the plant for over 2 months during 1943 - this in the middle of a war yet! They started by cleaning out top management and worked their way down until the quality issues were straightened out. Then and only then, they went back to work. By the end of the war (1945) they were making the best 1911A1 pistols being turned out by any contracter - including Colt - and charging the government the lowest price. And they had a quality control department second to none.

Second: All of the contractors worked to a common set of blueprints and material and manufacturing standards. Uncle Sam provided the blueprints, and Uncle Sam's inspectors enforced them. By the way, you can still buy a set of those blueprints today.

Current manufacturers don't manufacture much. Instead they buy parts from different sources and then assemble them into guns. Often neither the parts or the finished guns match the dimensions or materials found in those official government blueprints.

Then of course most makers have improved (?) the military model by adding this or that gadget or changing this or that print dimension. Many of these improvements have resulted in a less reliable pistol.

It matters not. People still buy them. :banghead:

 

[MarshallDodge]

What a gun! Powerful, sleek, reliable, accurate, classic, & Timeless.... I just thought I'd share my thoughts on this gun....

After shooting and owning all the different kinds out there I always come back to my 1911.

 

[Jim K]

Another factor is that the WWII makers knew they were making weapons on which a GI's life might depend. Today's makers know they are mostly making "big boy's toys" and that very few 1911 types will ever be carried or used for serious purposes, so if they break or fail, so what? People whose lives may depend on their guns have long gone to Beretta, Glock, H&K, Sig, or S&W. Or stuck with revolvers. (Yes, I know about one much touted sale of a popular clone; there have been no repeat purchases.)

I knew one guy who might be said to need a gun for serious purposes - guarding President Kharzai in Afghanistan. His gun was an M1911A1, a 1943 Remington-Rand.

Jim

 

[Old Fuff]

Another factor is that the WWII makers knew they were making weapons on which a GI's life might depend. Today's makers know they are mostly making "big boy's toys" and that very few 1911 types will ever be carried or used for serious purposes, so if they break or fail, so what?

I agree, and as long as the gunnies keep buying they don't care. World War Two management had a different perspective, but if or when they slipped Uncle Sam's inspectors were in-house keeping track of things. During the war things didn't always go perfectly, but problems were addressed quickly, and there was no "anything goes" attitude.

 

[Bullet Bob]

I have shot a bunch of old and new Colt 1911's, even own two myself. Perhaps I'm just unlucky, but I've never shot one (that wasn't accurized) as accurate as most S&W 29 and 629's I've shot and owned.

My Beretta 92 can't be any more reliable than it has been, either. Nothing beats 100%, does it?

 

[BADUNAME13]

People whose lives may depend on their guns have long gone to Beretta, Glock, H&K, Sig, or S&W. Or stuck with revolvers.

Hummmm, Might want to tell that to the guys at work....

Or to me with this Kimber 1911 on my hip!

 

[vanfunk]

My '43 Remington Rand has over 125,000 rounds through it, and has no mechanical problems except for a broken firing pin at around round number 90,000. Neither I nor its previous owners can recall it ever having a malfunction. I just bought a beat up '44 Colt, with a US&S slide, WWI Colt barrel and a hodge-podge of small parts. There's more surface rust than parkerization left on the exterior, but with a little lube and some CCI hardball the old girl was back in business, shooting right to point of aim with no stoppages. It makes me feel like an old fuddy-duddy to say it, but yes, they really did know how to make good guns back then.

vanfunk

 

[finalcut]

Upon request, here's a couple picts : )

 

[Autolycus]

Nice pistol.

 

[CK]

very nice and beautiful original 1911. I am jelous.

 

[Hunter0924]

That is a fine looking 1911A1 Colt. Would that be an arsenal rebuild?
I will disagree with the blanket statement that current Government Models are all not what they used to be.
There are some very high quality ones being turned out for today's market.

 

[Old Fuff]

There are some very high quality ones being turned out for today's market.

Indeed there are... at well over a thousand dollars a copy.

Sometimes well over that...