A sad little 1911

[SeanCasey]

First a picture:




Pretty sad looking isn't it?


Ok now the background:
It is an old GI take home that my friends father bought at a swapmeet (when you could actually do it legally). It was pretty beatup then and it was thrown into storage. It was recently taken out and was covered in rust so he spent a bunch of time working on it to get the rust off. Still some areas where you see pitting. He took it to the range to see if it worked and it would not cycle. So they tore it down and I went with my friend to the Del Mar show to get a punch of 1911 parts. While there he picked up some 10rnd mags and a compensator (seen in picture).

So we spent the rest of the afternoon changing out a bunch of internal parts and putitng it back together. Since the gun was in such sour looking shape we thought it would be funny to put the compensator on and pop in a 10rnd mag. The picture really doesn't show just how "ghetto" this sad little 1911 looked. Of course we removed those pieces after the picture. Anyhow, thought I'd share since my friend and I got a good laugh at it.

[Army GI]

Oh my goodness. Please don't tell me that's a pre-A1 1911. I literally feel tears welling up in my eyes

[hybridatsun350]

Please don't tell me that's a pre-A1 1911. I literally feel tears welling up in my eyes

Sure looks like it, doesn't it?

[locosway]

It is, it's a M1911, you can tell because there are no scallops around the trigger guard. Same as mine, I have a 1918 M1911 that is about 70% condition.

[SeanCasey]

Army GI:
Hard to tell, much of the rust took the markings away. You can make out "Colt" and "US Government Property", but not much else. Interesting restoration project though.

[Acorn556]

I think you just ruined a really valuable gun.

[Saigon1965]

Either way - The piece has history now - Clean her up some more and enjoy -

[Army GI]

It is, it's a M1911, you can tell because there are no scallops around the trigger guard. Same as mine, I have a 1918 M1911 that is about 70% condition.

Thanks man

Army GI:
Hard to tell, much of the rust took the markings away. You can make out "Colt" and "US Government Property", but not much else. Interesting restoration project though.

That's how I personally tell the difference, the "US. Army" rollmark on the M1911 models are on the right side on the slide whereas the A1 has it on the frame.

Yes, that'll be quite a nice gun once it's restored. Where are you sending it to get the work done? DGR guns does a pretty decent job of reparkerizing WWII guns.

I think you just ruined a really valuable gun.

Wait a second man, he said he bought it at a swap meet. It was already rusty when he bought it. The compensator looks like it's just the kind that's attached to the barrel bushing. That can be removed like a regular bushing and replaced with an original quite easily. And the mag, well it's just a mag that too can be taken out.

I just hope that the reason the pistol looks all shiny like that is because it has no more parkerizing on it. If that is a chrome plated finish, then he's kinda screwed because it's near impossible to take that off.

[locosway]

I think you just ruined a really valuable gun.

Anything under 60% is a good candidate for restoration. Anything over that mark you would probably not want to touch.

That's the only reason I haven't restored mine into a good shooter, it has a lot of sentimental value as well as collectors worth. Hell, I even have the leather GI issued holster too.

[SeanCasey]

I would say before my friends father started on this project the gun would rate about a 35-40%. It looks much worse than the pictures show.

[locosway]

I would say before my friends father started on this project the gun would rate about a 35-40%. It looks much worse than the pictures show.

You can clean it up and get it refinished. You can turn it into a real shooter if you want to put the time into it.

[SeanCasey]

Hmmm intersting. I just spoke with my friend and he indicated that he can make out a M1911A1 marking on the gun.

[locosway]

Hmmm intersting. I just spoke with my friend and he indicated that he can make out a M1911A1 marking on the gun.

Maybe the slide is a later 1911A1, but the lower frame is a 1911. A lot of 1911's were put together from parts for various reasons.

[g17owner]

The slide is pre WW2 and the frame is original M1911. Without better pics its hard to tell. Your best bet is to feed it standard ball and have it reparked or duracoated and make it a shooter. Any original value is gone so just make it a shooter and be happy.

[Mr. Beretta]

Does it fire ?