Colt 1911 45 Year/value??

[Superdave831]

PICTURES UPDATED !

Wanting to know A little more of my fathers Colt 1911 45 ,Want to know what year it is And today’s value

[Milsurp Collector]

Unfortunately, if it is a Colt frame it looks like the serial number is not authentic. Any firearm with a serial number that has been removed, altered, or obliterated is illegal to transfer or even possess.

No person shall knowingly transport, ship, or receive in interstate or foreign commerce any firearm which has had the importer's or manufacturer's serial number removed, obliterated, or altered, or possess or receive any firearm which has had the importer's or manufacturer's serial number removed, obliterated, or altered and has, at any time, been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.

[T.D. ATF-313, 56 FR 32508, July 17, 1991]

Unfortunately, old 1911s with altered serial serial numbers are not uncommon. When guys post pistols like that on the 1911 forum the usual advice is to disassemble the pistol for parts and destroy or dispose of the frame. A new pistol can be built up with a legal commercial frame. Sorry.

[fleetline]

Is the #1016 stamped on the barrel or the top of the slide? In 1927 Colt sent 10,000 1911's to Argentina, all numbered from 1 thru 10,000. Do a search on 1927 Hartford Argentine Colts, that's the only possibility I can see for you having that serial number.

[BrunRox]

Is the #1016 stamped on the barrel or the top of the slide? In 1927 Colt sent 10,000 1911's to Argentina, all numbered from 1 thru 10,000. Do a search on 1927 Hartford Argentine Colts, that's the only possibility I can see for you having that serial number.

The ones sent to Argentina all had the "C" in front of the serial #.
Definitely something funky going on here..

[fleetline]

The ones sent to Argentina all had the "C" in front of the serial #.
Definitely something funky going on here..

I have a "C" serial# Argentine Colt that was built in the early 30's. Those where part of a different group than the 1927 order of 10,000 that were sent down there. The 1927 group were numbered specifically 1 thru 10,000 for the contract, The later "C" marked ones were just commercial models that were sent to Argentina. The Argentines added their own numbers to the later ones down there.

EDIT, just looked at some info on the 1927's, the serial # were marked on the barrel, the slide, and receiver frame under the main spring housing.

http://www.coolgunsite.com/images/1911/mod1927%20arg%2045/1927%20Colt%201911A1%20Argentina%20Army.htm

So that Serial# on the frame does not correspond to the 1927's.

[Milsurp Collector]

Is the #1016 stamped on the barrel or the top of the slide? In 1927 Colt sent 10,000 1911's to Argentina, all numbered from 1 thru 10,000. Do a search on 1927 Hartford Argentine Colts, that's the only possibility I can see for you having that serial number.

I have one of those Argentine contract Colts. They have the post-1923 frame type with the finger relief cuts behind the trigger. The OP's pistol doesn't.

They also say "GOVERNMENT MODEL" above the serial number. The OP's pistol doesn't.

Like all commercial Government Models of that era the Argentine contract Colts have a "C" in front of the serial number. The OP's pistol doesn't.

Here's a picture of one of those Argentine contract Colts (not mine):



If the OP's pistol has a Colt frame the serial number is not an original Colt serial number and looks hand-stamped.


.

[fleetline]

I have one of those Argentine contract Colts. They have the post-1923 frame type with the finger relief cuts behind the trigger. The OP's pistol doesn't.

They also say "GOVERNMENT MODEL" above the serial number. The OP's pistol doesn't.

Like all commercial Government Models of that era the Argentine contract Colts have a "C" in front of the serial number. The OP's pistol doesn't.

Here's a picture of one of those Argentine contract Colts (not mine):



If the OP's pistol has a Colt frame the serial number is not an original Colt serial number and looks hand-stamped.


.

You are right about the finger cuts, I thought I saw them in the ops pick, but they are not there. So that definitely takes it out of that era. Check my link I posted about the 1927 Harford Colts, Your Colt is a later contract like mine, not one of the 1927's,

[cannon]

Is the font for OP's series number correct?

[Milsurp Collector]

Is the font for OP's series number correct?

No.

Pictures from the web







Compare to:



With genuine samples to compare it to, even the untrained eye should be able to see the differences.


.

[SkyHawk]

It does not look like a Colt frame to me.

I would not trash the frame, it could be an Essex frame which is still not nearly a Colt, but is not illegal to have either. There are a lot of Colt slides riding on Essex frames out there, being sold as 'Colt'.

[Milsurp Collector]

It does not look like a Colt frame to me.

I would not trash the frame, it could be an Essex frame which is still not nearly a Colt, but is not illegal to have either.
There are a lot of Colt slides riding on Essex frames out there, being sold as 'Colt'.

As far as I know, Essex Arms didn't make any frames that didn't have some type of finger relief cuts behind the trigger like the post-1923 Colt frames.



Also, why would someone scrub off the Essex Arms markings and serial number?
And look at the font, style, and location of the Essex serial number compared to the OP's pistol.



Even if it is an Essex frame - which I doubt - the serial number has been altered = illegal.

If I had to guess, I would say it is a scrubbed military Colt M1911 frame with a hand-stamped new serial number.
One interesting thing to do would be to remove the grips. If it has heart-shaped cutouts it is a Colt M1911 frame.



Not all of the pre-1919 military M1911 frames have the heart-shaped cutouts, so a lack of them doesn't eliminate the possibility it is a scrubbed military frame.
But if it does have the cutouts it is almost certainly a scrubbed Colt military M1911 frame with a commercial Colt Government Model slide. The slide was made from 1920 to 1942.

[edgerly779]

Invalid serial number. It is not aligned or spaced professionally. Reblued after number removed and stamped. No way to verify as colt frame.

[Milsurp Collector]

Reblued after number removed and stamped.
No way to verify as colt frame.

It looks nickel-plated to me, not blued.
Like I said, if it has heart-shaped cutouts under the grip panels it is a Colt M1911 frame. No other manufacturer did that.

[smle-man]

Maybe it is a lunch box frame that got a s.n. hand stamped on it later for legitimacy.

[Jimi Jah]

What's the worth of a WW2 Marine Corps issued Colt 1911? All I need to do is find dad's gun.