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1911 from 1913 - Opinions needed

2K views 29 replies 10 participants last post by  CLASSIC12 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi everyone

There is this 1913 built 1911 for sale locally here in Switzerland. Those very old 1911 don’t come up for sale often in my country, so I will take a look at it.

Photos are not great, but I will have a chance to see it in person next week I think.

Asking price is $2500 but it’s negotiable. The cheapest 1911 A1 go for $2000 here nowadays.

I am not sure if the finish is gone and it’s in the white or if it’s too much lightning and reflection from some indoor lightning.

Edit, seller tells me the finish is pretty much gone.

What do you guys think?










 
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#4 ·
Not a bad looking 1911 but as JohnnyP posted it sure looks like some one scrubbed the finish off.
I think this Colt may have developed some rust and somebody not knowing any better rubbed it off, when soaking in oil is the best, well the only thing to do.
The magazine might be worth a few bucks alone.
 
#13 ·
Just met the seller and saw the gun.

Almost all of the finish was indeed removed. However all the markings seem still strong, there are no deep pits, gouges or scratches, and it seems that whoever did that job at least did it fairly decently.

The gun also seems to be in very good mechanical condition with little internal wear, except for the inside of the barrel which is somewhat pitted.

I offered $1500 on a whim, he came down to $1800, and then I went up to $1600, telling him I could not pay more due to total lack of finish which pretty much ruined the collector value. He still wanted $1800 and offered to throw in a belt and a leather holster of unknown origin.

If I end up buying the gun, I would probably have it professionally reblued. It would not be an original gun any more, which it already isn’t, but it still make for a nice old 1911 at a reasonable price.





















 
#24 ·
There are two variations of the Type I magazines. The first exposed base magazines were full blued, and then changed to the tempered top. The first magazines were tempered and then blued, but the heat bluing was removing the tempering of the feed lips. This was changed to bluing first, and then tempering feed lip area which left this area in the white.
 
#25 ·
I'd have been all over it for $1600. And I wouldn't reblue it, either, although I'd take steps to keep the rust away. I might change out the barrel for a another correct one, but that'd be all I'd do to it. All the stampings/rollmarks look great on that pistol. Love the photos. Congratulations on your acquisition!
 
#27 ·
I'd have been all over it for $1600. And I wouldn't reblue it, either, although I'd take steps to keep the rust away. I might change out the barrel for a another correct one, but that'd be all I'd do to it. All the stampings/rollmarks look great on that pistol. Love the photos. Congratulations on your acquisition!
Thank you.

Since the barrel is correct and it will not be a shooter, I don’t feel that changing the barrel is necessary.

And it would be a very difficult part to source here in Switzerland.
 
#29 ·
Some news and pics. I received the gun yesterday, and made a quick field strip to inspect it. Trigger pull is 5 kg, i.e. over 11 lbs, that can’t be normal ?! I’ll make a detailed strip this weekend.










































The liquid arsenic dip line (or whatever it was) is still visible on the mag

 
#30 ·
And a question to the specialists : were the small parts (thumb and grip safety, slide release, hammer, trigger barrel, bushing) blued by a different process, or was the preparation / polishing different ?

I looked for pics on the internet and those small parts seem to have a different appearance











 
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