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Very Scarce Canadian Lend-Lease Colt 1911-A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:3,500.00 USD Estimated At:3,500.00 - 5,000.00 USD
Very Scarce Canadian Lend-Lease Colt 1911-A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol
Auction Location:

16600 Aston Street
Irvine, CA
Very Scarce Canadian Lend-Lease Colt Model 1911-A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol, #935043, .45 ACP cal., 5-1/2'' barrel, parkerized finish, large ring brown checkered plastic grips, with ''L'' marked contract magazine, factory checkered milled trigger, checkered round mainspring housing, small format ''GHD'' inspector's mark just below slide release, ''P'' proof just below magazine release, and matching numbered slide. Pistol also features ''C''-broadarrow markings to left rear portion of slide, just below inspector markings on frame, with additional British proofmarks to right side of frame, right top of slide, and barrel thru ejection port. Included factory letter states that 4000 were shipped May 24, 1943, to the Transportation Officer, Springfield Armory. On page 147 of his book, ''Colt .45 Service Pistols'', Clawson states, These pistols were from a lot of 4000 shipped to Springfield Armory, May 24, 1943, of which 1515 were forwarded to Canada. After the war, most of the Canadian Lend-Lease pistols were sold to Crown Assets Corp., a Canadian surplus outlet. They later sold them to an international arms dealer with warehouses in England. These observed Canadian pistols, therefore, are marked with British commercial proofmarks, in addition to Canadian government property marks.'' Condition is fine to near excellent retaining approx. 97% lightly thinning parkerized finish. Grips are crisp, action is tight, bore is minty bright. Of the over 600,000 Colt 1911-A1s produced from 1942-1945, only 1515 are of this particular variant. Clawson lists seven of which this serial number falls very near the middle. Est.: $3,500-$5,000. (C&R)