1747

Rare WWII U.S. Singer Manufacturing Company Model 1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:17,000.00 USD Estimated At:35,000.00 - 55,000.00 USD
Rare WWII U.S. Singer Manufacturing Company Model 1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol
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This is a rare example of one of the 500 Model 1911A1 Pistols manufactured by the Singer Manufacturing Company during WWII under the Ordnance Educational Order No. W-ORD-396. Under this contract there were only 500 pistols produced in total by the Singer Manufacturing Company. It has been theorized that almost all of these pistols were issued to the U.S. Army Air Corps, and with the very low total number produced, examples are very scarce. The left side of the slide is marked in two lines ahead of the slide serrations as follows: "S. MFG.CO./ELIZABETH, N.J., U.S.A.", with no markings to the right side of the slide. The top of the slide is stamped with a single "P" proof mark and is correctly not stamped with the pistol serial number under the firing pin, retaining plate. The left side of the frame is stamped with the "JKC" initials of Col. John K. Clement, the Executive Officer of the New York Ordnance District. A "P" proof mark is stamped on the left side of the frame immediately above the magazine release. The right side of the frame is stamped "UNITED STATES PROPERTY/No S800259" in two lines, with "M 1911 A1 U.S.ARMY" above and forward of the slide stop pin hole. The pistol has the wide spur hammer with borderless checkering, with the checkered thumb safety, slide stop, trigger and main spring housing. The grips are the correct early pattern for a Singer pistol as they are without the reinforcing rings around the grip screw bushings, they lack the reinforcing internal ribs and have no mold markings on the back side of each grip. The blued barrel is an early Remington/UMC replacement that has a single larger "P" proof on the left side of the lug with no other proof marks. The pistol has an all blued magazine marked with large bottom floor plate pins, with no markings anywhere. For a true .45 Auto collector, this is the holy grail of all Model 1911A1 WWII pistols.
BBL: 5 inch round
Stock:
Gauge: 45 ACP
Finish: blue
Grips: brown plastic checkered
Serial Number: S800259
Condition: Very fine with 80% of the original, high polish blued finish with blue loss on the grip straps, and sides of the slide. The left side of the slide has extensive areas of very fine, pin-prick pitting, while the right side has two-three larger areas of minor pitting before and behind the ejection port. All obviously from just sitting in a holster after the war. The grips are also in very fine condition with nice sharp checkering on both sides. Mechanically excellent. An exceptionally rare example of a WWII Singer Contract Model 1911A1 pistol.