Colt 1911 from 1918 "Black Army"

[GM4spd]

This critter is almost 100 and was made during war's end and production
was sped up to a fever pitch,so finish was not a priority. This pistol has finish
issues for sure but note the screws and just a HINT of an idiot
scratch. All the parts are correct including the interlaced "HP" barrel hood marking and the bore is perfect! The grips are correct and for something made
of wood, they are extremely nice after all these years. Pete

[M76]

[beetle]

very nice pete! In terms of Black Armies that is one of the nicer one that I've seen. Most typically have very little finish left.

The Black Army guns actually used the same bluing process as the earlier guns. What was eliminated was the polishing and prep work on the bare metal. The earliest guns had a mirror like finish that was polished no less than four times using increasingly fine abrasives, then dip into a bath of boiling gasoline.

However the needs of WWI production eliminated most of the finishing steps. As a result the Black Army guns had only one very rough polish done and many times they skipped the decontamination step as well. The result is a finish that looks black in color. Also areas where the guns that were contaminated with oil or fingerprints had the finish flake off.

The result is that most Black Army guns have very little finish left and are in poor shape. The one Pete has is a nice one indeed.

[victor1echo]

then dip into a bath of boiling gasoline.

Not a technique tried in the kitchen.

[pitfighter]

GREAT looking 1911 - very nice original finish - wow!

[Enfield47]

Beautiful 1911, it amazing at what great shape it's in.

[Spartan301]

Wow!

Awesome, piece of 1911 history!

[SoldierLife7]

Beautiful piece of history..

I'm a little jealous.

Well, in all honesty..a lot jealous.

[Cowboy T]

There's a 79-year-old retired Marine, a Korean War Vet, who has his great Uncle's 1911/1917 from WWI. It's got plenty of patina and looks like it had been in service. Not 100% sure, but I seem to recall him mentioning that he used it in Korea. Up until just recently, he was shooting that thing at our range on a weekly basis. His sons have already said that when their Dad finally joins ol' Chesty Puller "Up There", they'll never, ever sell that 1911. It will remain in their family, as well it should.

[Gaius Marius]

That thing is a sight to behold. Congratulations on having such a fine example of US military history.