I just purchased a Colt Conversion Unit sitting on top of I'm not sure what. The slide says on the right side, COLT'S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CONN. U.S.A on the other side, CONVERSION UNIT COLT AUTOMATIC CAL .22 L.R. (HORSE PICT.). The only writing that I can see on the frame are A.R. Sales Co. El Monte, CA. over NO. 2277. The slide is brite blue and the frame appears to be parkerized. I have not taken it apart yet, but was wondering if anyone could tell me what I have here? I was thinking that the frame might be a Remington Rand with the .22 slide on top. Any place on the frame to look for ID?

Any thoughts? Any idea as to what the value is? Grips look to be plastic with silver Colt medallions. I would rate the gun as good to very good.

Sorry, no ability to post pictures yet, but working on it.

Thanks,

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James Redfield
LM #497

One of these...

1911 Lightweight Government Frame : for 1911 at GunBroker.com

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"I also cook."

AR Sales in El Monte sold after market 1911A1 slides, frames and other parts in the 1970's. Possibly into the 1980's.
IIRC they sold both steel and aluminum frames. Most parts could be had in the white or the steel parts parkerized. Not sure about the aluminum frames if they offered an annodize finish or not.
I don't know if they actually mfg the frames themselves,,or had another company do that for them,,but it was their name ,,AR Sales,,that went on it.
Several other places were making after market frames and parts at that time too,,Crown City arms in Cortland NY comes to mind. Their frames were investment cast.

So, assuming that the frame constitutes the gun as far as the ATF is concerned, who is the manufacturer of the gun? I bought it as a Colt, but now am questioning that. Is there any place that one can research the frame's manufacturer as to dates etc???

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James Redfield
LM #497

Your gun was manufactured by A.R. Sales Co.

You can research the company using google. They appear to be one of many small companies that built guns using military surplus parts that were widely available and cheap in the 60s and early 70s.

Or it might be "home" assembled. I built up several M1911s on Essex frames back in the day.
As said earlier, it should be on the books as an A.R. Sales, regardless of what the slide says.

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446