What do I have?

[GA-Dave]

Two years ago I bought a USGI Model 1911 from Cabela's for a great price. It had been arsenal rebuilt and has a nice matching parkerized finish. It has a WWII 1911A1 Remington Rand slide and a Colt 1911 frame that dates to 1918. Not surprising, to the Army parts are parts. Here are my questions

1. is it properly a 1911 or 1911A1?

2. Is it properly described as a Colt? That's what I would call it based on the serial number on the frame.

Yes, it's a mixmaster/parts gun and it isn't a true collectible. But it is a nice example of an arsenal rebuild in great shape. I also don't mind shooting it.

Thanks,

Dave

[PWC]

Is the grip a 1911 or 1911A1? I would huess BATF will ho with the ftame with mfgr and S/N marking.

[Gun Smoke]

Is the grip a 1911 or 1911A1? I would huess BATF will ho with the ftame with mfgr and S/N marking.

+1

The slide could always be swapped with a different make or no make.

The frame, with the serial number is what counts.

The same happened to me years ago. I bought a 1911A1. The slide and all parts are from a 1911 WW-1 era Colt. The frame is an Essex so that is what went into the records.

[Johnny P]

As noted above, the pistol is what the receiver is.

[lyman]

chances are , if you bought it from Cabelas, it was in their system as a Remington Rand, ,

most retailers in corporate type stores input the info based on what is on the firearm,

so if it says model of 1911 on the frame or slide, it is in as that,

since the frames were not marked by maker, just the slides, , on military firearms then that (slide data) is what is taught to be input,

[PWC]

So what happens if the slide cracks at the ejection port? Replacing the slide makes it a new gun; do you have to keep a record of a destroyed "gun"?

[lyman]

So what happens if the slide cracks at the ejection port? Replacing the slide makes it a new gun; do you have to keep a record of a destroyed "gun"?

no, the slide is not the serial'ed part, that is the frame,

[jjrothWA]

Basically, the year of the accpetance is 1927, for the 1911A1.
The frame charateristics are: the scallops on both sides of frame where the trigger emerges from frame.
The "arched" mainspring housing, formong the back strap.
and the front and rear sights were increased insize and height, for better low light conditions.

The 1911 charateristic are:
No scallops at trigger.
flat [straight line] mainspring housing.
and small sights.

A slide is condered a replacebale commodity, only the frame is Serialized for record keeping.

[Johnny P]

In 1924 the military received 10,000 new 1911 pistols from Colt beginning with serial number 700001. The pistol had several improvements including a new short trigger, finger clearance cuts in the receiver behind the trigger, an arched mainspring housing, a longer tang on the grip safety, and a few other minor changes. It was to the the Model 1911 Improved, but in 1926 Ordnance decided that it would be the Model 1911A1. It was decided that from then on any 1911 style pistol below serial number 700,000 would be a Model 1911, and any pistol above serial number 700,000 would be a Model 1911A1.

Ordnance did not order another Model 1911A1 pistol until 1937, and forgot to have Colt remove the MODEL OF 1911 U.S.ARMY marking from the slide, so all of 1937 production still had the 1911 marking.

A Colt 1911A1 "Transition" shipped February 18, 1924 to Springfield Armory.