So recently I was at the LGS doing a PPT with another Calgunner, and after we finished one of the employees brought out this old Colt for me to look at.
It came in on consignment with this story: Grandpa carried it in the war and brought it back, eventually grandson got it then sold it to his friend who was LEO. LEO carried it for a number of years on duty, then put it in the safe for a decade or two, then brought it in for consignment. Now I don't know what LE carries a WW2 1911, and it really doesn't look like it has been carried unless it was rarely unholstered, which perhaps is possible in some real small town.
True story or not, the only part of the story I know for sure starts today. After some inspection I cashed and carried it out the door.
This is what I believe I have and I need some better eyes and experience to check over it for me.
- 1943 Colt as indicated on Colt website
- Rare(?) commercial to military transfer 'Swartz safety' pistol
- Commercial Swartz slide and Swartz frame restamped for military
- Serial number on frame appears to have been peened over and restamped, as does the number under the firing pin stop
- Ordnance stamp (crossed cannons) and 'G' government barrel, plus P stamps in the proper places (top of slide, left side of barrel lug, under mag release)
- Matching serial on frame and slide
- Finish looks original??, with clear heat treat shadow
- All original and/or correct parts as best as I can tell (MSH, hammer, safety, spring plug, guide rod, slide lock etc)
- Milled trigger with no sear interference relief cut on bow (pre 9/43)
- Coltwood 'transition period' grips with large flat ring around holes and hollow undersides + mold numbers
Please have a look and tell me what you think.
- Any idea if the commercial to military conversion is really that rare (Clawson book says less than 6600 of them) and adds any value?
- Does this pistol otherwise look legit / original?
- Is this collectible or should I shoot the bejesus out of it?
Thanks!!!
Quote:
Beginning in October 1942, the acute need for pistols prompted Colt to transfer 6,575 unsold commercial Government Model automatic pistols to their existing military contract. The existing commercial serial numbers were peened flat on the receiver and under the slide firing pin stop and restamped/renumbered in the military serial number range. All or most of these pistols were originally manufactured with the Swartz safety. These safeties were removed when the pistol was transferred to the military contract and these “Swartz safety” pistols can be easily identified by a square hole located beside the disconnector cutout in the slide. Slides retained the original commercial inscriptions . Barrels transferred with these pistols were either “S” (commercial) or “G” (standard military). The pistols were parkerized and submitted to Ordnance inspectors for military acceptance. An Ordnance inspection mark (crossed cannons) was stamped on the receivers W.B. or GHD inspectors marks present on left side of receiver.
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