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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    New Jersey
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    452

    Default Colt 1911 with odd initials

    Stoped in my local gun shop today in search of a WW1 or WW2 millitary isued colt 1911. I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to these pistols but I have always wanted one. He had a few in his personal collection up for sale so I took a peek at them. The one that caught my eye was in like new condition with not any of the bluing worn. Looked to me like it was hardly or possibly never carried of fired?? The only problem was that there are letters inscribed on the right side of the slide. They are R.W.T.R. Under the letters are the numbers 1514. I figured that they can't be someones initials as there are 4 letters. Maybe they could be from a unit, company or a private organization? I did a search on the letters and numbers but came up with nothing. Serial number puts it in 1917. Not sure if these letters hurt the value but he gave me a price of 2200.00 Anyone here have any idea of what these letters could be and do they hurt the value?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    London, Ontario
    Posts
    3,251

    Default

    A 1911 is W.W.I. A 1911A1 is W.W. II. There were commercial Colts sold then too.
    These guys list S/N's by year of manufacture. No Inspector RWTR though.
    http://www.coolgunsite.com/pistols/1911infopage.htm
    The "in like new condition" would be ringing alarm bells for me. Too good to be over 100 years old. SN 1514, if that is the S/N, indicates 1912 manufacture for the USN with a total of 500 pistols made that year. Mind you, it might be an inventory number from some civilian organization too. Either way, $2200 isn't ugly, I've seen GI issue .45's at more than that, but I'd want more info on the thing's history.
    Spelling and grammar count!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    452

    Default

    Thanks Sunray. The serial# is 168311 which puts it in 1917, 33,000 made that year. The number 1514 is under the engraved letters. What I have found so far is it could stand for Randsburg Wash Test Range but was established in 1950. I was told it could have been re arsenaled since even the mag looks to be new.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Beach Va, not Va Beach
    Posts
    10,848
    Blog Entries
    5

    Default

    pics would help

    may want to put this down in the 1911 section too, not sure how many of those guys surf the smallbore section

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    452

    Default

    Sorry, no pics. I decided to pass on this one as the initials with no provenance hurt the value considerably.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Spartanburg, SC
    Posts
    163

    Default

    It is likely this weapon was issued to Republican Womens Talk Radio during the McCarthy Era. As a true avocado of 1911s et al, I would snap up this piece of Cold War memorabilia in a South Carolina minute. Leftist threats were everywhere just like today!!
    Keith
    Last edited by keith smart; 05-20-2019 at 02:11.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    452

    Default

    That was one on the results on a search I did. The owner has no paper work on the letters to authenticate them. Another search came up Royal Warwickshire Transportation Regiment but again, no paperwork for the pistol or presentation letter. Thanks

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