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Old 1911 Colt

telohf
A good friend of mine gave me a really old Colt 1911 that his grandpa carried on duty back in the 1920's Its in overall good shape but one little SNAFU. It appears that the area where the serial number was located looks to have been tampered with and there is nothing there. My question to anyone who can help is...can the serial number be reassigned or somehow replaced on the gun. Also if not can Colt or someone else replace or re-issue one. Thanks for your time.
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • mark christian
    It is possible, but not by you! Give it back and let your friend make the attempt. Transferring a firearm which has had it's original serial number removed, obscured or obliterated is a crime in most states and a federal offence everywhere. There are some states where the state police may issue a new serial number and register the gun with that number but this is not going to be done in a case where you walk in and say "Hi, some guy gave me this here pistol with no serial number on it. Can you please give me a new number so I can keep the gun"? Your only real chance is to have your pal take the gun in to the police and have him tell the tale about gramps and hope that it fall on a sympathetic ear. Not to run down the guy's grandfather but the chances are excellent that gramps simply helped himself to the pistol and to throw the Army off the trail he did a little free hand work on the serial number. 90 years after the fact no one in the Army is still looking for that missing pistol, but everyone everywhere is interested in the movement of firearms which have had their serial numbers tamped with and if you get spotted with it you are in for some serious trouble.
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  • rufe-snow
    I believe it would be best if you returned the Colt to your friend. Because of the obliterated serial number it's possession would be in violation of federal law. There is no legal way that I know of, restoring the serial number to make the Colt legal to possess. Inform your friend of this when you return the Colt.
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  • MIKE WISKEY
    it MIGHT be possible to 'raise' the original ser. # with an acid etch, it could then be restamped.
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  • nmyers
    I would suggest that your friend write the ATF, & inquire if they would issue him a serial number for his inherited gun, which "has had the serial number obliterated by wear".

    If they agree to evaluate it, they will ask him to ship it to them. They may raise the original number & restamp it; they will return it to him with paperwork that restores its legality.

    OTOH, they may determine that it is contraband & seize it.

    But, what does he have to lose? Right now, it has no value, except a possible 5 years in Club Fed.

    Neal
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  • kylew
    To my knowledge you have 3 possibility's 1. It could be a "lunch box" gun carried out of the factory in parts before it was stamped. There would be no indication of tampering, fileing or grinding. 2. In this era (1942) they did restamp a lot of commercial Colts for military use. These were done sloppily with no real effort to remove the old number. These do have a easily seen new number so it's not one of these. 3. It has been or was intended to be used in a crime. There would be a clear attempt to remove the old number.
    If it's #2 above enjoy it as a nice gift. If it's 1 or 3 follow the advice given above or turn it in to the local PD (especially if #3). Depending were you are possession could be a felony.
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  • Hawk Carse
    Like Will Rogers, all I know is what I read on the Internet.
    The last I saw on the subject was that the BATF would renumber a gun only if it had been stolen, filed, and recovered.
    This is most likely a pilfered service weapon that will be seized as contraband if it comes to the attention of law enforcement.
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  • wpage
    Years ago on the DCM program Gov had issued my club 10 M1 Garands, 10 M1 carbines, 10 colt 1911 pistols. As part of the Civilian Marksmanship Program.
    After the Kennedy assassination a recall was issued on all the colt 1911's. We returned all ours. Many of the members holding the pistols did not want to send them back...
    One thing Uncle Sam is serious about is compliance. Especially with firearms and serial #' and rightly so.

    If they find that this gun is wrong. There will be a problem.
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  • givette
    Send ATF the stripped frame.
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  • perry shooter
    Givette has given you the Best advice. Then if you dont get the frame back from BATFE you can sell the other parts . most likely $200.00 plus . Every thing but the frame can be shipped by mail you will have to ship the frame by UPS or FEDEX or take the frame to local BATFE Office. I have a LUNCH BOX pistol with no serial and it has been checked and never had serial I could also PROVE it was made before 1934 Gun Control ACT that made it buy law that handguns had to have a serial number. I have a letter from BATFE stating it is legal for me to own the gun. Good Luck
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  • telohf
    Thanks for all the advice. Most of it is what I expected. I will tell my buddy to destroy the frame and maybe either sell or built another one with a new frame.
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  • john w
    quote:Originally posted by telohf
    A good friend of mine gave me a really old Colt 1911 that his grandpa carried on duty back in the 1920's Its in overall good shape but one little SNAFU. It appears that the area where the serial number was located looks to have been tampered with and there is nothing there. My question to anyone who can help is...can the serial number be reassigned or somehow replaced on the gun. Also if not can Colt or someone else replace or re-issue one. Thanks for your time.


    The serial # is on the ejection port side. On US property owned colts they had united states property on the other side of the frame up front and a lot of them were ground off or filed down.
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