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WW1 Colt 1911

CapnMidnight
Perry Shooter, or other Colt experts,
A guy gave me a 1911 today to sell for him, said his grandad was a infantry Lt. in WW1. This gun is a Colt, ser. #158523, is marked Model of 1911 U.S.ARMY on right side of slide. Frame is marked UNITEDSTATES PROPERTY left side above and in front of triggerguard. The barrel is marked COLT 45 AUTO where it shows through the ejection port. There is a P on the left side of the link pin anchor. The barrel is in great shape, strong rifling. The grips are double diamond with two small notches carved in the lower right grip, guys says his grandad said they where for two of the Kaiser's best, who knows. I would honestly say it's a 70-80% gun. According to my books it was made in 1917. Am I right Without pictures can you give me a ball park? I'm thinking it's worth about $2000.
Thanks for the help.
W.D.
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Comments

6 comments

Date Votes
  • perry shooter
    Hello Capt. without pictures it will be darn near impossible to give a meaningful value. If this is a WW I bring back then it will have original WW I finish and all WW I vintage parts. Right off the top a COLT 45 AUTO does not sound like a military WW I barrel . Of cours a pistol that is all Correct except the barrel is still wort much more then a REFINISHED WW I vintage pistol . IS the finish BLACK or PARKERIZED[?][?]
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  • CapnMidnight
    The finish is Parkerized. I've got the gun totaly torn apart, I'm taking pictures as I claen it and put it back together, probably post them in the morning. Is my D.O.M. right? I got it out of Hallbrocks 1911 book. Just noticed, the safety and the mag release plunger are blued, so's the slide stop and the barrel bushing. Doe's that mean they are replacements?
    Thanks again.
    W.D.
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  • perry shooter
    Hello Capt . Like many stories some of them have been embellished . If the pistol is Parkerized then IT CAN'T be a WW I bring back[:(]. it may be a WW II bring back or grand-paw may have gotten it from the DCM governmental sales years ago . I will know more when we see pictures.

    EDITHello USN the pistol YOU pictured is most likely in the $7500.00 UP range as to value IF ALL PARTS ARE CORRECTnote the 3 digit serial number slide marked U.S.NAVY and the magazine release it does not have a screw head but rather a dimple that part alone would bring $200.00 if original. You almost gave me Heart Attack[:0]
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  • USN_Airdale
    CapnMidnight, i have one similar to yours, only it is marked "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" and "Model of 1911 U.S.NAVY", it is pitted around the ejection port due to corrosive ammo and improper cleaning, i was offered $2,500.00 in 1994ad......, i still own it, and rarely ever shoot it,

    3digitNavy.right.jpg

    this is NOT mine.., mine is very similar.
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  • p3skyking
    Get ahold of Clawsen's BIG .45 Colt Automatic book. It will never fail to provide you all the information you want.

    The pistol you have was parked probably in the twenties. You don't elaborate on the markings much, but you should probably have some letters around the left side of the triggerguard denoting what arsenal accomplished the work.

    2K is too high an estimate right now for that weapon.
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  • nmyers
    If the barrel is nickel plated, then it is a Colt commercial barrel purchased during the 1960's by the DOD; at that time they had run out of blued WWII replacement barrels.

    With that much finish wear, I would expect it to sell in the $600-800 range.

    Neal
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