Remington Rand 1911

[Whistling Moon]

I recently found out that the Remington Rand exists. I'm mostly interested in handguns and never really thought about Remington, but now that i see they used to make pistols i want a 1911 of theirs. I've never owned a 1911, but i know there are countless customizations to be made to them, beveling the mag well, changing beavertails, sights, that sort of thing. I plan on changing the following:

adjustable sights, novak low mount carry sights, or fiber optic
grips
cerakote refinish from CustomizedCreationz, the pics and reviews are all positive
maybe a ball hammer

Can i get some input as to what other external/internal customizations there are, and their function?

 

[rduckwor]

Dude: You find a Remington Rand 1911, don't hack it up and ruin it's historical value. If you want to customize a 1911, there are better candidates out there.

Don't abuse a historic piece.

RMD

 

[blakeci]

For the love of God, do not customize a Remington Rand
They are highly collectible and are getting quite rare. They were only made during WWII and are considered by many to be the best GI 1911
If you want to do a bunch of customizing, get a springfield milspec or a Rock Island Armory 1911

 

[CoRoMo]

Moon:
Are you referring to the new Remington R1 1911, or the old war horse Remington Rand?

If you get a hold of a complete and all Rand pistol, before you go hacking it up, I'll go buy [strike]one[/strike] two of those new Remington R1 1911s and trade you even for the Rand. You can chop it up however you like and I'll keep the RR the way it is.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Remington Rand . Were WWII USGI pistols and are collectible . The new Remington 1911 has nothing to do with those old Remington Rand pistols .
Remington Rand made type writers before the war and I guess after also.

You know nothing about a 1911, but you want to change everything ., I think you best buy one learn to shoot it as it comes .Then maybe later. After you know more You will just leave it alone. More 1911 are ruined by tinkering than by wearing out shooting.
I have 9 at present and other than a grip changes on a few . They are as came from factory 4 are used as carry.

 

[Oro]

I think the OP is confused between Remington Rand and Remington Arms. There's a thread that has been running covering the new Remington Arms R1 pistol. Perhaps it would be helpful:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=519780

 

[Whistling Moon]

I'm talking about the old Remington Rand 1911, manufactured beween 1942 and 1945. I am quite aware that they are valuable historic pistols and i DONT plan on "hacking them up." Most of this thread was for getting ideas on what specific customizations are common. I'm not new to handguns, or 1911's and have shot them before. I plan on a Para Ordnance GI Expert and a Rock Island Armory Tactical 1911 as well, because they are cheap on the 1911 scale and those will also be customized.

However, changing the grips and sights is not a permanent thing if i were to do that to the Remington, and if i change them for shooting purposes it can always be changed back. Hence my asking for info on what modifications that people might generally make, as i AM new to actually customizing 1911's, and that will give me a good idea as to what mods can be made that aren't permanent. I have no plans for machining serrations, or actually beveling the mag well, or doing anything that changes the structure of the Remington, maybe with the exception of refinishing it, as whatever finish comes on it, if any, is very worn and half the models i've seen for sale have pitting in the steel.

 

[Evenflo76]

So far as I know, sight changes will require cutting the slide. There are some that don't require cutting but it will lower the value of an original Remington Rand.

That being said, if you want a custom 1911, there are thousands of choices that do not require hacking up an original GI pistol.

Even a refinish will lower the value.

My suggestion is to locate a Remington Rand or other WWII pistol that has already had modifications and then customize it to your liking.

 

[MICHAEL T]

In sold a near mint RR for almost 2K last year and you want to mess one up A shooter will run close to a 1000 . Changing those original sights is about permanent That front sight is staked on and you won't reuse a 2nd time. Refinishing it again ruins the value and history Go mess with a RIA or a Springer or any of the many many other brands and leave history alone.

My suggestion is to locate a Remington Rand or other WWII pistol that has already had modifications and then customize it to your liking.

I agree find all ready ruined and go for it. But don't mess up another one.

 

[KodiakBeer]

Don't do anything to a GI 1911! If you refinish it, you've cut the value in half or more - why do that? Leave the wear alone and consider it "war wounds". Just shoot it as is.

There are plenty of inexpensive base 1911's out there to refinish and customize.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/98569095...tols/Colt_1911_Argentina_Model_1927_45ACP.htm

 

[rondog]

Yep. What they said.

 

[1911Tuner]

Just a little advice before you start...

The WW2 USGI pistols aren't really good for hard range use. They're okay to shoot a moderate amount, but...aside from the slides being spot-hardened in key areas...they're dead soft, and using them for beaters isn't conducive to long life. The slides are prone to developing cracks in the breechface/ejection port area, and if that happens...the gun becomes a wall hanger or a paperweight unless and until you find another slide.

So...Buy the Rand and shoot it occasionally for nostalgia's sake if you wish...but if you're looking for a shooter that you can enjoy on a regular basis...buy something made after 1946.

 

[Brian Williams]

Also a Remington-Rand is not a Remington.

Typewriters

Initially produced by Remington Arms, the Remington Typewriters were the first to use the QWERTY keyboard layout. Remington Arms had bought the design from Christopher Sholes. The Remington No.1 was the first model released. All keys were uppercase. Remington Arms spun off Remington Typewriter Company in 1886, and after the 1927 merger, the Remington Rand Corp. continued to manufacture and sell typewriters.

Remington Rand was formed by the merger of the Remington Typewriter Company, Rand Kardex Company, and Powers Accounting Machine Company in 1927. From its inception until 1958, it was led by founder James Rand, Jr. of North Tonawanda, New York.

From 1942 to 1945, Remington Rand was one manufacturer of the M1911A1 .45 caliber automatic pistol used by the United States Armed Forces during World War II. Remington Rand produced more M1911A1 pistols than any other wartime manufacturer.[2]

In 1950, Remington Rand acquired the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation, the makers of the ENIAC, and in 1952, they acquired Engineering Research Associates (ERA), both of which were pioneers in electronic computing. At that time, Remington Rand had become one of the biggest computer companies in the United States.

Remington Rand was acquired by Sperry Corporation in 1955 to form a company then known as Sperry Rand (later shortened to Sperry). Sperry merged in 1986 with Burroughs to form Unisys.

 

[CoRoMo]

My offer still stands.

If you find a complete and all Rand pistol, I'll buy and trade you the two brand new 1911s that you've mentioned for the unmodified Rand.

 

[paul45]

I recently found out that the Remington Rand exists.

What in God's name are you talking about?

 

[rduckwor]

I'm talking about the old Remington Rand 1911, manufactured beween 1942 and 1945. I am quite aware that they are valuable historic pistols and i DONT plan on "hacking them up." Most of this thread was for getting ideas on what specific customizations are common. I'm not new to handguns, or 1911's and have shot them before. I plan on a Para Ordnance GI Expert and a Rock Island Armory Tactical 1911 as well, because they are cheap on the 1911 scale and those will also be customized.

However, changing the grips and sights is not a permanent thing if i were to do that to the Remington, and if i change them for shooting purposes it can always be changed back. Hence my asking for info on what modifications that people might generally make, as i AM new to actually customizing 1911's, and that will give me a good idea as to what mods can be made that aren't permanent. I have no plans for machining serrations, or actually beveling the mag well, or doing anything that changes the structure of the Remington, maybe with the exception of refinishing it, as whatever finish comes on it, if any, is very worn and half the models i've seen for sale have pitting in the steel.

Please do not do this. You will make Baby Jesus and every 1911 collector in the world cry.

The RIA or new Remington would be better guns for customizing and shooting as a previous poster said, the WWII 1911's are not solid by today's standards.

Please reconsider for two reasons: 1. Your would certainly ruin a collectable 1911 SHOULD you find one. 2. You might well be injured should the RR 1911 you find come apart due to modern loadings and pressures.

Good Luck whatever you decide.

RMD

 

[rellascout]

While I am not in favor of ruining a WWII Remington Rand people are over exaggerating the real collectors values of 90% of the Rands on the market.

Most are mix masters. Most have little to no bluing left on the guns or have been refinished. Most have been altered and have newer parts already installed on them. It is the exception not the rule to find a Rand in 100% GI condition let alone with the exact parts it left the factory with.

Yes they are worth more than most guns would be in their condition but IMHO too many people pay $900+ for WWII guns because of their perceived value vs their actual value.

I agree with others that he should look at a more modern gun for customization but not every WWII Rand is "collectable".

 

[Anna's Dad]

Do you think in 75 years people will be saying "You have a genuine Springer? Don't hack that up!"?

 

[rellascout]

You are missing the point if you think that more than 10% of the Rand's on the market are "real" Rands. The reality is that most have been bastardardizied in on way or another.

Again I think people are greatly over estimating the number of collectables Rand's out there.

 

[win71]

I paid $17.50 for mine through the NRA in the late 50's. I could barely afford that. Fortunately I didn't have any money to "customize", so here it stands. I'm glad now that I left it alone.

 

[mosesv2]

Holy suffering Jesus man...

"adjustable sights, novak low mount carry sights, or fiber optic
grips
cerakote refinish from CustomizedCreationz, the pics and reviews are all positive
maybe a ball hammer"

Ummm.... What?
Seriously? Fiber optic sights? "cerakote?" "CustomizedCreationz?"

 

[sleepyone]

I have a good friend whose step-father gave him a 1943 Remington Rand 1911. It was his service weapon. It saw combat and killed some Japs. It is all original and a piece of American History. You can't place a vlaue on that. I have been blessed to shoot with it.

 

[sebtool]

I have my father's ithaca 1911 that he carried in Korea and SE Asia. It's looser than a goose, but fires every time, and is minute of bad guy accurate - 3-1/2"-4" at 25 yards, every time.

You couldn't pay me enough to modify that pistol. Everyone I've let shoot it has tried to buy it off me!

Maybe if they added several more zeros, only because I could hear the old man say "Take the fool's money and go get another Gold Cup or 2!"

 

[Whistling Moon]

I'm not sure about the question about cerakote or the fiber optic sights... I have seen a few guns that have been finished in cerakote from customizedcreationz and they do a great job. as for fiber optic sights, the Para GI Expert I handled a couple months ago had a fiber optic front sight and I liked the look of it.

What in God's name are you talking about?

I've really only thought about old 1911's as being made by Colt. While I vaguely remember seeing a Remington Rand before, it wasn't till I saw one in Cabela's gun library that I learned they were manufactured during WW2. I'd always thought of them as a 50's or 60's era type of gun until I looked into it further.

If everyone REALLY insists, then I won't bother with the Rand and maybe I will look into some of the clones such as the link posted for the Argentinian gun.

 

[1911Tuner]

The WW1 contractors were Colt...Remington UMC...and Springfield Arsenal. The real Springfield...not the one in Geneseo.

For WW2...Colt...Remington Rand...Union Swith & Signal...Ithaca...and Singer sewing machine. Only 503 Singers were made, but I think records show that there were only 500. Union Switch produced 55,000, and are second on the must have list for collectors. By mid-1944 through contract's end...Remington Rand was producing a better pistol than Colt, and doing it about 5 bucks per copy cheaper to boot. Savage Arms Corporation contracted to make slides, but I don't know how many were produced.