Found a 1911 from 1918 today, what are your thoughts?

1669 Views 12 Replies 7 Participants Last post by SCone, Aug 31, 2013

dgroff85

Discussion Starter · Aug 30, 2013

Went to my local Cabelas and found this Colt 1911, looks like it dates back to 1918. I was told it's all original, and you can see it isn't a safe queen. It also comes with a holster. I tried going some research on gunbroker and some of them have black holsters? The prices are all over the place and this one is priced at $1391 OTD. Seems high to me, but I thought that I would see what you guys think.

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JohnnyP

· #2 · Aug 30, 2013

Shipped in the August 1918 time period to Bush Terminal, Brooklyn, N.Y. for the A.E.F. It is one of the "black finish" pistols made after Colt went to hurry up production and the finish wasn't as durable as previously. Doesn't show a lot of wear to the metal, and just slightly rusty. If original, the barrel could either have a vertical H P or a horizontal common let HP (where the H and P share a common leg). The original magazine would have been a two tone non lanyard loop magazine.

Military didn't go to black holsters until the 1950's. Did you record the markings on the back of the holster?

If original barrel, probably just a little high, but not terribly out of line.

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dgroff85

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 31, 2013

What I don't understand, is how the same firearm can be listed at another Cabelas for $3k more? Seems like the condition is better, but $3K better?

Gun Library: Colt Model Of 1911 U.S. Army In .45 ACP : Cabela's $4769

Gun Library: Colt Model of 1911 U. S. Army In .45 ACP : Cabela's $1999

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Oyeboten

· #4 · Aug 31, 2013

The more expensive one is in very high condition and is two million unites or so earlier.

They are not the same Pistol.

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dgroff85

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 31, 2013

JohnnyP said:
Shipped in the August 1918 time period to Bush Terminal, Brooklyn, N.Y. for the A.E.F. It is one of the "black finish" pistols made after Colt went to hurry up production and the finish wasn't as durable as previously. Doesn't show a lot of wear to the metal, and just slightly rusty. If original, the barrel could either have a vertical H P or a horizontal common let HP (where the H and P share a common leg). The original magazine would have been a two tone non lanyard loop magazine.

Military didn't go to black holsters until the 1950's. Did you record the markings on the back of the holster?

If original barrel, probably just a little high, but not terribly out of line.

Looks like 1917 on the holster

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JohnnyP

· #6 · Aug 31, 2013

Nice holster anyway.

The second pistol shown is not two million earlier. Closer to 200,000 and 1 year earlier. The first pistol is much closer to what it is actually worth than the second pistol. The finish on the second pistol is nice, but has a lot of rust spots.

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Hopalong

· #7 · Aug 31, 2013

dgroff85 said:
Went to my local Cabelas and found this Colt 1911, looks like it dates back to 1918. I was told it's all original, and you can see it isn't a safe queen. It also comes with a holster. I tried going some research on gunbroker and some of them have black holsters? The prices are all over the place and this one is priced at $1391 OTD. Seems high to me, but I thought that I would see what you guys think.

If everything is original, $1,391 OTD seems like a fair price. It's more a question of whether you want a 1911 with such a splotchy surface. I would probably hold out and spend a few hundred for a nicer one. Of course, when I say a few hundred more, you're still looking at a gun with a lot of finish wear.

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dgroff85

Discussion Starter · #8 · Aug 31, 2013

Hopalong said:
If everything is original, $1,391 OTD seems like a fair price. It's more a question of whether you want a 1911 with such a splotchy surface. I would probably hold out and spend a few hundred for a nicer one. Of course, when I say a few hundred more, you're still looking at a gun with a lot of finish wear.

That's what I've decided to do. I'm sure I will come across another. If anyone's interested in the 1911 above it's located at the LaVista NE Cabelas.

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JudgeColt

· #9 · Aug 31, 2013

I cannot believe a gun in the condition of the initial posted pistol is worth that kind of money. Apparently, I have not been keeping up with the market. If a rusty, no-finish example is worth nearly $1,400, what is a 99+% example worth?

Is the $4769 example really worth that much?

(Apologies to anyone offended by my "delivery.")

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Birdog009

· #10 · Aug 31, 2013

Does anyone else think the last three digits in the serial number (105) seem a little off like they may have been altered. Might just be the pics but seems a little off.

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Oyeboten

· #11 · Aug 31, 2013

dgroff85 said:
What I don't understand, is how the same firearm can be listed at another Cabelas for $3k more? Seems like the condition is better, but $3K better?

Gun Library: Colt Model Of 1911 U.S. Army In .45 ACP : Cabela's $4769

Gun Library: Colt Model of 1911 U. S. Army In .45 ACP : Cabela's $1999

Lesser condition Pistol appears to be Serial Number 417105
Higher condition Pistol appears to be Serial Number 158918

Hence 258,187 units apart.

Sorry I mis-spoke earlier saying two million unites apart!

Lol...Oooops!

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JohnnyP

· #12 · Aug 31, 2013

Model 1911 pistols in the black finish serial number range are actually harder to find in really high condition than slightly earlier pistols even though almost half of 1911 production was the black finish. The finish wasn't very durable and tended to flake off on the 1911 pistols from about mid 1918 to the end of production, and really nice ones bring a premium. The 1917 pistol isn't early enough to bring much of a premium over a 1918 pistol.

Just my opinion, but the 1918 pistol in the ad is closer to actual value than the 1917 pistol shown. The 1918 pistol has a $200 holster, but we don't know if the barrel is the original type or not, so that could be a $250 swing the other way.

As to prices, if the 1918 pistol was in 99+% original condition it would be a $6500 pistol.

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SCone

· #13 · Aug 31, 2013

Wow... my reproduction 01918 looks pretty good at $1400........

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