1911 Gov't Rejects

[Boge]

Did Colt continue the practice with 1911's that did not pass Gov't inspection such as they did with rejected Gov't SAA's, i.e., resell them to the public? This question came up on another forum & I am thinking yes as once the Gov't rejects the gun it is obviously still Colt's property. There was a big "hubub" over this in the 1870's but I have found nothing to dissuade me from believing Colt did not continue this practice & rightfully so as the gun would not officially be U.S. property. Feedback?

[oldcanuck]

My understanting is that Colt threw nothing away.... it was used or re-worked at some point. US Property wasn't such, until they took possession.

[fitz2]

in 1917-1918, colt reused 10,000 receivers, 5600 slides, 5666 barrels, rejected for insignificant reasons, resold as government models, Clawson writes that when this practice was discovered by the ordnance department, colt was prohibited from reuseing them without permission. i have one of these rejected pstols.

[R H Dunn]

fitz2. What type serial # does your pistol have gov or military? Bob

[Boge]

in 1917-1918, colt reused 10,000 receivers, 5600 slides, 5666 barrels, rejected for insignificant reasons, resold as government models, Clawson writes that when this practice was discovered by the ordnance department, colt was prohibited from reuseing them without permission. i have one of these rejected pstols.

fitz2, could you post a photo of your gun, please?

[fitz2]

government model, rejected military frame, "G" marked on frame.

[Boge]

Thank you, sir.

[dsk]

The subject in question refered to somebody's pistol who they claimed to have the JMG final acceptance mark, yet a commercial serial number. Turns out it did indeed have a military serial number as well. The issue of G-marked commercial parts is somewhat muddy, If I'm not mistaken. Some parts may have been from batches rejected by military inspectors but otherwise fine, while others were likely just overruns from government contracts that were perpetually being reduced or cancelled. I have a 1927 commercial with a G-marked frame, which of course was shipped three years after the government ordered and purchased exactly 10,000 pistols, and eight years after the contract before that had been cancelled. I also once examined an early 1930's Government Model that also had a G-marked frame, leading me to suspect that something fishy was going on if all of these frames were supposedly government leftovers or rejects.