For those of you that remember my other two threads about a couple of the guns I inherited should appreciate this one as well.
This Colt was carried by my mother-in-law’s uncle in WWI. The serial number is 97781 and from what I’ve been able to determine it was made between July 20, 1914 and Feb 8, 1915.
Colt: S/N 89,801 to 108,601 = July 20, 1914 to Feb. 8, 1915
(S/N 96,001 to 97,537 Navy Model (U.S. Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y.) = March 9,
1912 to March 5, 1915)
It’ literally sat for decades. Her uncle, an Army Officer, passed away in 1926 and the gun went to her father. When he passed away in 1980 she took possession of it until now. She cannot remember it ever being fired by either her father or her husband (my FIL). I saw this up at her house about 6-7 years ago and was drooling all over myself. I wanted to give it a little TLC then but didn’t have the chance.
There’s some surface corrosion that you can see here but I can’t feel it so I think it’s just with the bluing (or whatever it was they used back then) and doesn’t seem to affect the metal at all. It is also only on one side. The other side is fine. It appears to be completely original and in full working order.
Sorry for the shitty pictures. I’ll try and get better ones outside tomorrow. I’ll break it down, clean it and oil it up tomorrow as well.
All my relatives ever give me is high blood pressure. If there’s a family of people out there with a bunch of really nice 1911’s to hand down, you should know that I’m available for adoption.
If only those old Colts could talk - you would wonder what tales that pony could tell.
I really enjoy heirloom family firearms with heritage such as those.
My daughter will inherit a 1911 that belonged to her grandfather. She’ll also get a ancient break-open S&W revolver, which her great-great grandfather carried as a deputy sheriff.
That speckling from corrosion is probably due to being left in a leather holster for a few years. It could also be from sweat, or a combination of the two.
It would worth it to get a period holster and belt for that thing…
Your 1911 is a civilian model. See the C prefix? That puts it at 1917/18 timeframe. I have a little book by R.L. Wilson with manufacture dates for Colts and it shows 1917 C75000 and 1918 C99000, so late 1917 I’d say. Very nice piece for its age. My brother has a USGI one from 1913. It just boggles my mind holding that thing and thinking what all its seen and where its been. Same as I’m sure you feel.
Very nice. I had a civilian one just like that dated 1920 that I carried for a year or two. Kept it all original just like that. They were very well made and the finish/polishing was excellent back then.
Were the civilian models ever used in by our troops? If this was built in late 1917 or early 1918 then my MIL’s Uncle wouldn’t have had much time to carry this in the war seeing how it ended in November 1918.
Maybe my MIL’s family history isn’t 100% accurate?
Either way its in great shape! I also have the original magazine and today I cleaned it and lubed it. It’s really in great shape. The rifling in the barrel looks fantastic but the bore isn’t bright. I’m thinking those barrels weren’t chrome lined.
I know the general thought is a huge no-no but How many of you would be tempted to restore an heirloom such as this piece…since there really would be no desire to sell??
There is an art to restoring these older weapons and the ones I would trust to do it would be costly. I’ve seen some old colt saa and winchesters that were hard to believe in the before / after images as being the same gun.
They must have to re-strike the markings in some cases.
I love those old Colt Commercial guns. I have to confess, though, I’ve never seen one that was actually produced during the war. That’s a very interesting piece of history there!
