2 old colts

recently aquired two colt 1911's. One military # 2997XX 1918? Only replaced part I can find is the barrel. Has an HS replacement Barrel. Looks to have been refinished long ago. ( I know it wasnt done in the last 40 years but refinished is refinished) Has a two tone mag.

The second is a commercial 1911 C 1133XX. 1919? It also has a replacement barrel HS marked. It has been much harder to find on line parts ID for this ol gal. It does have the Heart shaped cuts on the grip frame. This has a blued mag with a loop.

Neat old guns.

If I understand right the heart cuts make this a military frame that was not built into a "Black Army" gun and used on a commercial gun instead?
Also do the above mentioned mags sound "period" for the guns. I can find no markings on the military Colt Mag. Thanks.

The "Black Army" wasn't a model. It refers to a rough black finish applied in the hectic days of WWI. Ordnance requested that Colt speed up production, and the heart shaped cutouts, rough final polish, and hurried up finish resulted in a less than durable finish that looked black when oiled.

Two tone magazines would be correct for both pistols. Lanyard loop magazine had been discontinued by the time your Government Model was built, but should be two tone also.

Those old girls do have a voice of their own.

http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/...pse0z7qrem.jpg

http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/...ps13xqcpl7.jpg

Semper Fi
Art

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nf1e

Those old girls do have a voice of their own.

http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/...pse0z7qrem.jpg

http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/...ps13xqcpl7.jpg

Semper Fi
Art

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Back at you “Semoer Fi”. Nice, made in 1917 just numbered above the Commercial models going to the Marine Corps.

Nice pistol. How much earlier was the USMC serial number block for the commercial pistols? This one was probably made the same day.
Attachment 42177

awesome looking pistols.