colt 1911 - how to refurbish

rp85

August 24, 2011 18:33

hello;

have a colt pistol that has been converted to .22 cal ace, the frame has a 5 digit serial number.

pistol has an adjustable rear sight, and nickel plated. the slide has "colt 22 ace" engraved on the side of the slide. believe pistol is a 1911 and not a 1911a1. everything on the pistol says "colt".

wish to return the pistol to original configuration, .45 cal, fixed sights, parkerized.

possible??? practical???? any suggestion on who to send pistol refurbish.

thanks for any input.

rp

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  fordsix

  August 24, 2011 18:59

  not worth the money ,time or effort enjoy as is

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  rufe-snow

  August 24, 2011 19:00

  It would be best if you could post quality photos of the pistol, specially the frame. The 5 digit serial number makes it's manufacturer questionable. If it's a aftermarket frame it might not be cost effective to have it refinished, which entails removing the nickel plating.
  
  Since your going to use a entirely different centerfire slide/barrel assembly, you might be better off just acquiring a new or used 45. Everybody and their brother in law seems to be making 1911's nowadays, in the price range of $400 up. Likely it would cost you more then that to refinish your frame and get hold of a new .45 top end.

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  Juggernaut

  August 24, 2011 19:14

  Perhaps you should consider selling it on GunBroker and apply the proceeds to what you are really interested in or would like to have. Like fordsix and rufe-snow said with everything entailed it just wouldn't be worth doing unless of course there is some sort of sentimental reason to keep it.

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  perry shooter

  August 25, 2011 02:59

  The 5 digit serial MAY appeal to some Colt Fans . if it does not have a letter prefix then it may have been a 38 Super frame. I say either get a colt top half in 45ACP or 38 Super to install on it. or sell it here on Gunbroker If you do put up for sale come back and post auction number. It would be a shame to parkerize a frame that was original BLUE.Look at frame directly behind the trigger does it have the dished out sides of a 1911 or is it a 1911A1.

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  David Nunn

  August 25, 2011 04:20

  Keep it as is, enjoy it, and use it for familiarization and practice. Spend the money you would have spent to refurb this gun and get yourself a good entry-level 1911 in .45 caliber.

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  Hawk Carse

  August 25, 2011 08:56

  Agree.
  A Colt frame "No. 12345" would be an early military 1911; 1912-1915.
  A Colt frame "C 12345" would be an early commercial Government Model; 1914-1918.
  A Colt frame "12345" with no prefix would be a .38 Super; 1931-1952.
  
  Finding a period barrel and slide and having the frame de-nickeled and nicely refinished would probably cost as much as a pretty nice original gun.
  (By the way, a real 1911 .45 would not be Parkerized unless it had been arsenal refurbished, the original finish was blue. And with a five digit serial number, a pretty nice blue finish, too. Expen$ive to recreate.)

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  Wolf.

  August 25, 2011 11:05

  I agree. I suggest you keep the Colt Ace gun and get hold of a 1911 in .45acp.
  
  I think you will be happy you kept the .22 Colt Ace conversion once you get the .45 It is fun to shoot them both side-by-side. I think the recoil is pretty much the same and you can practice with the .22 and that practice will transfer directly to shooting your .45acp 1911. That's what I do with my two guns, anyway.

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