You have a very nice Colt and I like it regardless of the stamps. I'd value it the same as any other one in its condition. It has been handled some, hence the wear on the grip screws and on some of the edges. All USGI pistols have been fired, at least at the factory. Still a nice pistol.

 

I would guarantee you it's been fired many a time, the "50 years in a crate" story is often told but very seldom true. A picture of the breech face would help.

 

The barrel is not original to this pistol.

 

I don't see this as a $5000 pistol, sorry.

 

More pictures are needed with natural light. Barrel markings and full shots of the gun all around and feed ramp. There should be a serial number behind the firing pin stop.

 

Would need to see barrel markings on lower side chamber. .45 ACP marking on top of chamber may be part of proofing requirements.

I would also slide down the firing pin stop plate to be sure slide serial number still matches.

 

Wow! Thanks for all the replies, guys
I don’t have more photos as it’s not mine at the moment, but I can buy it if I’d want to. Just wonder what would you pay for it. I don’t want to overpay (as anyone of us). I asked the seller to send me some photos of the gun in a daylight and that’s what I received. The barrel is mint, mirror sharp. Why did I mention the gun was not fired? Well, from the day it was manufactured in Hartford till the day it was brought to Germany (1943-1993) no one used it as all “Soviet LL” guns (13,000?) spent the war in a crate, then it became a property of an old German collector, who kept it in a drawer with lugers, walthers etc (that what I was told), so it could have fired a few shots literally, but no more.


Basically the gun is in 97-98% condition, but it has those small German proof marks (3 on a frame, 1 on the slide, 1 on the chamber), added in 1993. What I wanted to say is IF only it didn’t have those proof marks added it could have costed 4800-5000 bucks today, right? But with those marks added (which definitely lower the price), is it worth 3500 $, for example?

 

Welcome from the Land of Evil Spirits!
Regardless, the gun is in Poland and that greatly restricts the supply. I imagine that any guns coming into or leaving are very strictly regulated. That alone raises the value to EU collectors. In the US there is one price, but in Poland is quite another, so it is virtually impossible to place a value, as value is whatever the collectors are willing to pay.

 

Welcome from the Land of Evil Spirits!
Regardless, the gun is in Poland and that greatly restricts the supply. I imagine that any guns coming into or leaving are very strictly regulated. That alone raises the value to EU collectors. In the US there is one price, but in Poland is quite another, so it is virtually impossible to place a value, as value is whatever the collectors are willing to pay.

 

You are 100% correct, not so many 1911A1s here in Poland
I’d like to know what would it cost in the USA - this particular gun in this particular condition. I read somewhere (on this forum or another) that any post war commercial markings (British/German etc) decrease the value by 20-25%. So my math was simple - “perfect” gun is worth 5K today, so the one I’m asking about is still worth 3800-4000 $ with those proofs.

 

You can check GunBroker for completed auctions to see how prices are running. If we had some idea of the asking price, we might be closer to letting you know if it is reasonable.

 

Here in the US those German commercial proofs would knock the price down significantly because there are many other 1911-A1's available here that don't have them. What would I pay for it? I'd probably just take a pass unless it was some super deal (like $2k) because I'd rather spend the extra money on a similar nice all-correct pistol but without non-factory markings. It is also a lot easier to sell an all-correct non-import marked gun here if you have to. But my situation is much different than a collector in Europe because I can be picky about it, knowing there are others available.

If a Colt letter shows this actually shipped to Russia that adds a bit of value (my opinion). If there aren't many other 1911-A1's in Poland, let alone ones without some sort of post-war markings, then you just have to go with your gut. Like others have said already, US comparisons are not really going to mean much, even to compare a non-import marked pistol to an import-marked pistol (or more likely a British-proofed pistol). Unless you are using this comparison as leverage to knock the price down?

Not having the correct barrel or matching slide makes a huge difference too, so you would need to see the markings on the barrel lugs / underside of the barrel and behind the firing pin stop plate as JohnnyP has suggested before making any sort of offer. It's probably all-correct but better to make sure! Buy the gun, not the story.

 

Thanks man!
I don't care about the story (lend lease etc), but I like the look of the gun, I've always dreamt of having a neat USGI Colt in my collection (since I watched "Saving Private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers" actually). We don't have many 1911/A1s here in PL, so far I've seen only 8-9 here in Poland for the last 4 years (!), with majority of them having Ithaca/Remington Rand (FJA) frame and Colt slide, or being AA (Augusta Arsenal) reworked. Prices are basically the same as in US, with "premium quality" Remington Rand bringing around 3,5K dollars. Well, my offer for this will be 2K bucks, those guns aren't getting cheaper with years.

 

" but I like the look of the gun, I've always dreamt of having a neat USGI Colt in my collection "
There is your answer right there, really
Good luck!

 

The post war markings may reduce the value... BUT to a WWII arms collector it might add some value IF it's history can be proven. As already noted a Colt's letter might be worth ordering.

Gun values vary somewhat regionally in the U.S. Here in Florida I would expect to pay $2,500 to $3000 for a similar gun IF the slide is numbered to the gun and IF the barrel is correct (though it is not too difficult find a correct WWII barrel.)

Comparing the prices of guns in the U.S. and Europe is difficult at best. I am somewhat familiar with Swiss prices. The Swiss price for 1911A1s seems to be about 10-15% lower than a similar gun would bring in the U.S. What sort of prices would you expect to pay in Poland for say a nice Radom (P35) or Styer M1912? That might give a point of comparison with U.S. prices.

The gun you show is in very nice condition...

I hope you are able to acquire that pistol.

FWIW

Chuck

 

Chuck, Radom P35 (which is simply called VIS here, Radom is a city where it was made, so it's like calling Colt 1911 a "Hartford") is quite common here in PL, but I've seen all kind of conditions and all kind of prices, starting from $1,500 for some crappy reblued, not-matching one to $10,000 and even higher for a pre-war original (1937-1939) with a Polish eagle rollmark. Colts 1911A1 (in any condition) are much more exotic here, almost absent from the market. You can find some mix-master (RR frame + Colt slide) for $2,000 here in Poland, that's why I think that paying the very same amount (2K) for a Colt (even with those small but ugly German markings) is OK, but I needed your opinion, Americans, as I do value it a lot, you guys know better, that's an American gun.

 

Thanks for joining, Poland had a terrible experience at the hands of the Germans, but Poland was still very important in fighting them in WWII. Pilots, the Enigma code breakers, and more. Many Americans joined the military because of Sept 1939. The VIS is as desirable here as it sounds like the 1911 is there! I would say if you don't see them very often, that means you should buy one when it is found. How long would you look for another that costs $2,000? If years, then that tells me that is a good value.

 

Very good point regarding the importance of Polish forces in WWII.

It isn't commonly known the Polish army had a large force serving with the British army in Italy, the mid east/north Africa and France in later WWII... The Polish was quite large being around 170,000 at one point.

At the end of the war the Allies sold out the polish troops to Stalin... much to our shame...

FWIW

Chuck

 

A Colt letter will show it shipped to Springfield Armory.

 

Sure it was, in April of 1943 (I spent a few hours to figure it out, browsing in search of other close S/N Colts, I found out that 905XXX-920XXX were made in April and shipped to Springfield Arsenal. That’s all. How 12,997 of them made it to USSR is still unknown (no specific serial number range), but what is known is that most of those Colts were mint in 1993-1995 when they were bought from Ukraine and Russia by Frankonia Waffen, proofed according to German laws (I hate those markings) and released on the commercial market. I’ve seen at least 10 different „soviet lend-lease” A1s on this and other forums, all within 910XXX - 925XXX S/N range.

 

FWIW, if that 1911A1 were all correct and it showed up on a dealer's table at a local gun show with a price tag of $2,500, it would be sold before the day was done. Of course, the haggling might have brought the price down by 10% or so.

 

I wouldn't blame the Allies for what Stalin and the Iron Curtain did.

 

Now that your question has been answered. Go check for the correct barrel and numbered slide, then get that $3500-4000 pistol... for $2000 if you can.

Rostik, you say "Prices are basically the same as in US, with "premium quality" Remington Rand bringing around 3,5K dollars." What makes you think the guy will take $2000?

If that pistol checked out and were listed on Pre, Legacy, or with Jack it would be listed for between $3500-4500 and it would sell.

Bring it home, wipe it down, and show us what you got with better photos.

 

I would have to say, with Orcs on your doorstep, any gun that shoots would bring a premium. This said, as unstable as things are there must be abnormal fluctuations in the value of Polish currency. Setting a value, will be much more difficult than if you were in some other EU country. With a verifiable history as a Russian gun, I think $3,500 is not out of the question.

 

I would have to say, with Orcs on your doorstep, any gun that shoots would bring a premium. This said, as unstable are things are there must be abnormal fluctuations in the value of Polish currency. Setting a value, will be much more difficult than if you were in some other EU country. With a verifiable history as a Russian gun, I think $3,500 is not out of the question.

We don’t lack modern small arms here, buying USGI Colt is about history…unfortunately (or fortunately?) majority here prefers Glocks, CZs, SIGs, HKs etc.
M1911A1/P08/VIS Radom are for serious collectors, for fans, once you buy it, you will keep it as it will be hard to sell later, seems that people aren’t interested in historical firearms. Out of 10 license holders 8-9 prefer plastic fantastic (that’s my statistics from personal observations at shops and firing ranges).

 

That begs the question, is it hard to get .45 acp ammunition?

 

Not at all, but it costs around 40 cents per shot, 2x the price of 9x19

 

If all parts are correct with your gun and it is an original finish, I think it is a $3500 gun. You get 45acp cheaper than I can.

 

Russian lend lease M1911A1’s can be valuable to the right collector. I would also bet your barrel is original and as JP said, the 45 Auto marking was most likely added during the proofing process.
I have seen these sell quite high.
Here is one RIA sold for 18k

https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/72/2475/documented-soviet-lend-lease-colt-1911a1-wclawson-letter

 

Here is one close to your SN. 912,000. I blocked the sn out only because this gun no longer belongs to me.

 

I'd say about 3K to 35 if the slide matches.. Lend lease guns Bring less than GI issued in comparable condition

 

There’s a new normal in today’s world I don’t like it but it is what it is . If that slide and barrel matches and I suspect they will . That pistol may go north of five grand . Gun broken is very frothy right now as the bond traders would say so now is the time to sell .