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Excellent WWI Colt Model 1911 "Black Army" Semi-Automatic Pistol

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:1,700.00 USD Estimated At:3,500.00 - 5,000.00 USD
Excellent WWI Colt Model 1911  Black Army  Semi-Automatic Pistol
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Colt Model 1911 U.S. Army automatic pistol was manufactured in 1918 and shipped to the Ordnance Depot at Greenville Piers, in Jersey City, New Jersey, as part of a lot of 10,050 pistols on November, 11, 1918. This pistol has the distinctive dark, brush blue, ''Black Army'' finish used by Colt on U.S. Contract Model 1911 pistols from mid-1918 until the end of production in early 1919. The pistol has checkered, oil-finished, black walnut stocks with diamonds surrounding the screw escutcheons. The receiver has the heart-shaped grip openings introduced about serial number 466,705 (Clawson p. 200) and long hammer with rounded edge and border-less checkering that were adopted to speed production in 1918. The safety is the mid-1918 style with thick thumb-piece. The right side of the receiver is roll-stamped "UNITED STATES PROPERTY/No 519503" in two lines behind the slide stop hole. The United States Property markings were moved from the left side of the receiver to the right side between serial number 500,000 and 510,000. The left side of the receiver is stamped with the Type I "Eagle Head/S13" Ordnance provisional Inspection mark adopted May 15, 1918. The top of the frame is stamped with a Colt "G" government contract mark behind the disconnector hole. The slide has the new style recoil spring housing adopted about serial number 29,000. The right side of the slide is roll-stamped with the larger "MODEL OF 1911.U.S.ARMY" markings with "7/64" letters adopted about serial number 260,000. The left side of the slide is roll-stamped with the 1897-1913 patent dates in two lines followed by the Rampant Colt trademark and "COLT'S PT.F.A.MFG.CO./HARTFORD, CT.U.S.A." in a two-line block. The barrel has the same dark, brush blue finish as the other pistol components and is stamped with the connected letters "HP" on the chamber perpendicular to the axis of the bore. The pistol is complete with a WWI production, two-tone magazine with flat base. The late production Colt Model 1911 "Black Army'' pistols have very distinctive finish, markings, and features from the Colt Model 1911 U.S. contract pistols manufactured prior to the spring of 1918.
BBL: 5 inch round
Stock:
Gauge: 45 ACP
Finish: blue
Grips: walnut
Serial Number: 519503
Condition: Excellent. The pistol retains 90% plus of the original factory "Black Army" finish. The pistol has patches of thin finish on the mainspring housing, grip strap, underside of the frame and edges of the trigger guard. This thinning is apparently the result of poor surface preparation and is found on virtually all Colt Model 1911"Black Army" pistols that retain the original finish. The blue finish on the top of the barrel chamber is thin but shows minimal cycling wear. All of the markings on the slide and frame are very crisp. The checkered walnut stocks are in excellent plus condition and the stock screws have all of the original finish and no screw-driver marks. The magazine is in excellent condition and retains 90% of the original two-tone finish. This is an excellent, completely original, example of a late WWI production Colt Model 1911 Automatic pistol that appears to be in un-issued condition.