WWII 1911-A1

[highpower]

Just picked up this Remington-Rand A1. Serial number indicates it was made in 1944.



This apparently went through the post war test and inspection program All the parts on it are correct for when it was made as is the finish on all the parts. It has the correct HS barrel and came with a Scovill MFG Co. contract magazine as used by RR, Ithaca and US&S. I believe that it was a unissued gun when it was inspected and since it didn't need rebuilding, all it got was the inspection stamps.


I have been looking for a RR to go with my '42' Colt and '43 Ithaca.

[Powder_Keg]

3 beautiful 1911's

[hossb7]

Reminds me of when @beetle posted about his Remington Rand serial no. 1

[hossb7]

Calguns needs to step up it's forum game and get tagging features.

@kestryll

[bsg]

congrats. you've got some special ones there.

['ol shooter]

Nice herd of ponies you have there.

[PseudoTsuga]

Such beauties!

[turkeyenchilado]

Their beautiful !!

[penguinofsleep]

nice collection. congrats on a good find.

now bling it out to the max and watch heads explode. like fake diamonds, fake leopard grips, fake gold small parts, pink/blue frame, everything.

[Oldmandan]

Nice to see them side-by-side like that. It makes the small differences more noticeable

[beerman]

After looking at the 1st pic ,I said to myself..she looks to be right. Looks just like mine..Then the family pic..about fell otta my chair! Outstanding trio ya got there HP.

[SonofWWIIDI]

Wow! That's a nice set of guns. I'm jealous.

[Matt P]

Isn't that an RIA stamp on the right side of the frame?
I ask that since wasn't Rock Island Armory responsible for refurbishing military guns that needed it. They would be gone through, reparked and sent back out to units.
If that indeed is the stamp, then more then likely it does not have original finish on it.
I know on colts you check the feed ramp for bare metal as this process was done after finishing exterior parts.
Great series to own. Congrats on your 3.

[highpower]

Isn't that an RIA stamp on the right side of the frame?
I ask that since wasn't Rock Island Armory responsible for refurbishing military guns that needed it. They would be gone through, reparked and sent back out to units.
If that indeed is the stamp, then more then likely it does not have original finish on it.
I know on colts you check the feed ramp for bare metal as this process was done after finishing exterior parts.
Great series to own. Congrats on your 3.

Yes that is a RIA stamp. But not every single gun that went through the test and inspection program necessarily got rebuilt. After the war there were still large numbers of weapons that had never been issued.

If a gun came through and it was still new all they did was inspect it and stamp it showing that it passed inspection. I have had a few guns that this happened to. A few years ago I had two Winchester M1 carbines that were new in every respect. They had never had the adjustable sights or bayonet lugs installed. and all the parts were correct for the year of production. Both had RIA stamps on the stock.

I got them through a estate auction and along with them was included the 1964 DCM paperwork that stated they were sold as unserviceable. I also had around the same time a Remington UMC 1911 from WWI that was correct in every way including the dark bluing that had a AA (Agusta Arsenal) stamp on the frame. I am more than sure that it had never been refinished as I had another Remington UMC at the same time that had no arsenal markings on it at all and they were identical.

What leads me to believe that this gun hasn't been refinished is that there are certain stamps that are put on after the original finish and if you look at them closely, you can see that the bottom of the stampings are burnished. Such is the case with this one. The crossed cannons on the RH rear of the frame, the serial number, and the FJA stamp, all show this burnishing.

Also, originally there are machining marks on the slide and frame, these tend to wash out when the surface is sandblasted prior to having a new finish applied. The general surface texture of this gun is consistent with a gun that hasn't been refinished.

[onelonehorseman]

Outstanding collection OP!