There have been recent posts about the CMP 1911A1s coming up for sale or auction. Don't need one but I thought it would be interesting to show yours and tell story of how / when it was acquired, price, etc. so those folks seeking a CMP will have something to compare.

I bought my Ithaca 1943 11 years ago. Purchased from a collector of Winchester rifles who had bought an entire gun collection of Winchester lever actions and two 1911a1s came with the deal. All original and correct and not an arsenal rebuild. I would like to think it was a WWII bring back but don't know for sure. It shows honest holster wear on slide and grips. Tight as a drum. Did replace the recoil and firing pin spring. Shoot it about once a year. Paid $1,150 for it in 2007. Probably the best handgun buy I have made. Assume it would be in $1800 - $2000 price range now.

Holster is reproduction from Hill Country leather in Texas and box is reproduction.

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I too have a 43' vintage Ithaca. I bought it back around 1971 for the princely sum of $100. It included a beautiful 1944 dated holster, a black (MP) double mag pouch with (2) loaded magazines in it. I was very young at the time and shot it a lot, however it is much the same condition as yours, original finish of course. I retired it years ago and have since bought a repro box for it like yours. I think you're light on the value though, as I have mine listed at $2900 in my inventory list. I may be a little high, but would never take any less than that for it. Sorry for the ****** pics, they're the only ones I could find on short notice!

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Long gone now, but I had a 1941 vintage Colt.

Was a funny deal. I bought a 2-7 Leupold at the Bass Pro outlet store for like $125.00 in the box. Took it to Tulsa as trade fodder. Met a guy in the aisle that had the Colt and a holster. He was looking for a scope...I was looking. We talked for a bit and went our own way. Next aisle I happened upon him again. Just as I was walking up behind him I heard him tell his wife that he needed my scope. Well the Leupold and $150.00 later I had the gun and he had the scope. I took by the table of a buddy of mine who was a 1911 expert. He tore it all down and lo and behold it was an all matching Colt gun!! He offered me a decent 2nd gen. Colt SAA for it. I declined.
Took that gun out the next weekend and with military ball it was by far one of the best shooting stock 1911's, commercial or otherwise, I have ever shot. It would hold its own against my Gold Cups. Loaned it to a buddy of mine who died with it in his possession and never got it back.

My first 1911 was an all matching 1916 Colt. The gun is gone but I still have the original grips off it. There are on my current 1911 that I built.

My 1918 Colt. Shipped February 6, 1918. A hundred years old and still does what it was made to do. Does it quite well, too.

Thanks, as always, to Lee Barner for the shipping data.

Click on the photos to view larger.

I have this one that is a bit of a mystery. Its a 1914 Springfield Armory frame (the original SA, not the current commercial company) with a Colt slide and barrel with a mix of original 1911 and 1911A1 U.S.G.I. parts. Its a mixmaster and appears to have been through an armory rebuild at least once. However, there's no armory stamp anywhere on it. It is an all military pistol, but who and where it was built is unknown. While most of it is parkerized, the thumb safety, grip safety, slide stop and trigger are black. You might also notice it has the original 1911 long trigger.
I posted this over on the 1911 forum. Their consensus is that it is an all G.I. gun. It may have been arsenal rebuilt and just somehow missed getting stamped OR some military unit or perhaps an individual assembled it out of a bunch of G.I. parts.
The truth may never be known.
But I like it and its a good shooter!

Here are pics showing all the markings on it. If someone here could shed some light on the mystery, I'd appreciate it.

I've owned several Colt .45 autos, inc. a Gold Cup. But you asked about GI guns...

I had a British surplus one, an early Colt. Had the checkered, not serrated, surfaces, wide spur hammer. Sights were higher than usual, fixed, and it had the usual British proof and property marks. No Lend-Lease markings. I think it was bought by the UK about 1940-41, before Lend-Lease began.

THe Colt .45 auto was std. issue to Commando units and many were used also by SOE and other covert ops people. Mine was one of several seen at either Dave Cook or Gart Bros. in Denver in 1963 or '64. I paid about $39.95, and it was in about NRA VG Plus condition. Had been used, but not abused and wear was just modest.

Shot quite well with my handloads and Unique powder and the H&G No. 68 200 grain SWC lead bullet, which it fed well, and it fed Winchester's 210 grain SWC factory load, and of course, fed all normal 230 grain ball ammo.

It got away from me eventually while I was in college and selling and trading guns, often to make ends meet when a GI Education Bill check was late.

The only problem I had with it was that the firing pin stop cracked. I was still in the USAF then and a buddy knew someone in the marksmanship shop, who provided a replacement stop at no cost.

Accuracy was typical of GI .45's, not as good as the commercial ones I later owned.

I did occasionally carry a .45 auto on duty in the Air Force, but we mainly had .38 revolvers.

I can't shed any light on it, but it's a great looking pistol for sure. The finish actually looks almost too good to have been done at one of the arsenals. And the black (blued?) parts wouldn't have been done like that at an arsenal, I don't think, but the original Springfields did have a matte black finish, so maybe those parts are original. But who knows? I can see the heat treatment line on it. Those look like Keyes grips on it. And that Springfield flaming bomb stamp looks as fresh as it must have when it came off the line. Are any of the parts marked with the Springfield "S"? There weren't that many Springfields made...somewhere around 35,000.

I'm curious as to what kind of magazine came with it. Any markings on the tab? How is the Colt barrel marked?

I'd love to have that pistol, myself.

Well: Here's my example that I purchased from the vets family many years ago. The story I got was he told them he never carried it much and rarely fired it and it remains in near new condition. It exhibits only the slightest amount of wear on high spots. I was suspicious and thought it might be an arsenal rebuild but there is no indication that this was the case. The serial numbers all match. The rig is one I assembled my self with all period component s and it was made the year I was born(1942) and it's one of the last pistols I'd ever sell off! The holster was made by Boyt and is also dated 42.
Jim

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Someone made a bullseye gun out of this one in the 60s made in 1942. The value is gone but it shoots good. I bought it in the 80s for $650.

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Another story.

A professor I had in college learned that I was a gun guy and told me about the 1911 his dad brought back from the war.

He was somewhere in Salerno (?) when a machinegun nest opened up on them. His dad was hit twice, one in the shoulder and once in the leg. The one he got in the leg never made it through the 1911!! The bullet went through the holster and into the frame just below the slide towards the back. It blew the hammer out of the gun and half the grip panel and the 8mm bullet lodged in the frame. I told him I would like to take pictures of it some day. Well two days later he brought it to school!!! I got pics but they have been lost in one of several moves.

And yet another story.

I got a call one day at the shop from an obviously older lady. She asked if we bought guns to which I replied sure, bring it in.

About an hour later this definitely older lady came in toting a 1911 with original holster. I dont remember the maker, but it was in decent shape. I looked it over and asked what she wanted for it. Now my memory has faded as to what is was but for sake of conversation she replied "I want $47.82 for it". Well I kind of chuckled and asked her how she had come up with that figure. "That's what it cost to replace my toilet". Ok, now I need the whole story.

Her husband brought it back from the war. For however many years the gun stayed in the nightstand drawer loaded for protection. He passed away a couple of years before this, but she told me he had taught her a little about using the gun so she kind of new how it worked. She was worried that one day one of the grandkids might find it and have an accident so she decided to unload it. She knew how to get the magazine out, but lacked the strength to work the slide. So, she did the next best thing (she thought). She took the gun in the bathroom and pointed it into the toilet bowl and pulled the trigger, blowing the **** out of the toilet (so to speak). Well by this time I was laughing so hard I was crying and my ribs hurt. She really didnt want any more than what she had asked, but I finally convinced her to take more so she could spend it in the grandkids.

True story.

Those pieces of history are quite scarce and hard to find here in Switzerland.

Bought my 1943 Colt 1911 A1 at an auction back in 2013, paid 1560.- including buyer’s fee for it. Thereafter I made some research with the help of forum members. Seems it’s all original down to the magazine.

I originally shot abt. 50 rounds, then decided it should be preserved for another 70 years, so I semi retired it.

Pictured here with a S&W Victory (bought from the same auction house for 120.-). Both are GHD stamped/inspected.





I bought an Auto Ordnance and pimped it up with some USGI parts in order to have a very similar shooter.



And I did put 5 rounds through it the other day, that old thing can still shoot (25 meters off hand).





Mind you the replica works too

Here are my WWII M1911A1:

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Bill

Watchdog: I honestly don't remember if any of the other parts are marked. Frankly, right now I don't feel like detail stripping it to check.
As for the magazine, I believe its a Vietnam era G.I. issue with the floor plate covered in numbers.
19200
ASSY 5508694
MFR 30745

When I first bought this gun many years ago, it was in such good shape that I thought it was an arsenal rebuild that never got re-issued. Now, I'm of the opinion that it was cobbled together by some unit armorer somewhere out of spare parts and he took it home with him. Truth is I'll probably never know.

Have owned about a dozen or so M1911's and M1911A1's over the years. From WWI's to WW II's, Had what appeared to be a Ithaca Lend Lease that was unissued. A Rem-UMC, Remington Rands, Colts and a Springfield. The best was a Colt Black Army from 1918 that came into the local gunshop. A couple of Canadians had bought a roll top desk at a resale shop. They want to take it back to Canada in their van, but had to take it apart to get it to fit. In a hidden drawer they found a M1911 with the holster and some paperwork. Since they could not take the pistol across the border into Canada, they brought it to a gun shop to sell. It had some rust on it when found and the Canadians tried to take it off using sandpaper. Scratched it up pretty good. The shop bought it and eventually I bought it from the shop (I had been in the shop when it came in, so heard the story first hand). By the time I got it from the shop they had lost the paperwork, it was still in the holster. I did commit a sacrilege and had it parkerized since the scratches were to bad. The up side was it was a Colt that was all original. Ended up giving it to a friend who has done a lot of favors for me.

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I don't have the photography skills of some but here are mine:

Later Remington Rand, arsenal MR stamped. I don't believe it was refinished, and everything I've looked at checks out as correct for its original build as far as I can tell. Paid 8-900 for it a few years ago.



Colt, paid 1200 a few years ago.



Late war Ithaca, this was a disaster when I got it. Painted green, dust cover shortened, holes drilled in the frame and slide cut/drilled for Millet sights. I had it restored just because. I believe I paid around 300 for it, got about 1200 into it.



Mid war Colt with Rand slide. Paid 400 for it after previous owner had it restored. Nothing special, it has some severe pitting under the re-park on almost all the components. I shoot this one at the range occasionally, and it usually draws interest from other shooters so its the one I let people try when they want to shoot an old GI pistol. And everyone wants to!



1918 Colt. It had an Ithaca top end on it when I bought it, found a similar(ish) condition Colt slide and correct barrel for it. I think I paid about 600 for it by the time I got the barrel. It has had the USP and inspector mark scrubbed, and has about 2% finish left on it, but I like it.

My 1944 Ithaca.

You may click on the photos to see them larger.

Don't see too many Mount Rainier stamped pistols. I believe yours is the first one I've ever seen.

You have some nice pistols.

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Bushmaster1313

Where did you obtain the shipping document on the Ithaca 1911A1? Have tried to locate shipping information on mine but apparently those documents have been lost over the years. Mine is serial # 12670XX. Definitely a late 1943 manufacture.

Nice one you have.

Back in around 1988, I took the train from LA to Richland, WA with my girlfriend to visit her Grandparents. I think I was 18 or 19. Her Grandfather was a WWII Vet. During the visit, we drove out into the desert and fired his 1911 he brought back from the war. First time I had shot a .45 or 1911.

I than went through Army basic in 89/90 were we qualified with the 1911. It took another 25 years, but I finally picked-up a WWII 1911.

This is a late war all original Remington Rand I picked-up in 2015. It was bought through the NRA/DCM by a WWII vet and included the original paperwork (although the serial number seems to have been written incorrectly. 5 should be a 6). The last pic is of Loren Parliament who I assume bought it from the NRA/DCM.

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Watch & Pray

Very nice. Ear!y in production Remington Rand had some quality issues with interchangibity of parts as required by contract but after that they were highest quality. They made over 1 million. Ithaca and Colt made about 300,000 each. Union Switch and Signal made about 35,000 and Singer 500. Enough were made so that the U.S. Military never bought any more after WWII.

As do you. The pre-a1 pistols are my big interest, I am searching for a good Springfield and a Rem UMC slide. I had one mated to a Colt frame years ago but sold it.

I'm also working on putting together sort of a clone of a mythical one, a Winchester based on scraps of info I've hunted down.

Here are a couple close-ups of the arsenal stamp in case anyone is interested.

I posted pictures, with a clear shot of the serial number, on 1911Forum.com in the subforum on USGI/Foreign Military and other Vintage 1911s

USGI/Foreign Military and other Vintage 1911s - 1911Forum

and someone sent me a private message with a copy of the packing slip

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I have a post-war Augusta Arsenal rebuild. It is a Remington-Rand slide on a 1918 Colt 1911 frame. The parkerized finish is great shape. Generic magazine and a weird after-market comp/bushing.

I bought in March. I went into the local Cabela's and saw it in the Gun Library. When I asked to look at I thought it was mis-marked - $650. It was mine for an even better price after applying the military discount and my Cabela's bucks. A replacement bushing was just $20.

A garden variety early 1944 Remington Rand 1911A1. Not perfect yet all-original, never reworked, or otherwise Bubba'd.

And don't forget about North American Arms in Canada. They reached the pre-production stage of manufacturing, and approximately 100 toolroom/pre-production pistols were made, but no pistols were delivered. Rarest of the rare!

Somewhere, in my "stuff", I have a newspaper article about a bank robbery committed with a North American Arms .45. The article shows a picture of the gun and mentions the fact that the gun used in the holdup was actually worth considerably more than the amount of money stolen in the robbery. Talk about the ultimate "stupid criminal"!

I was stationed in Newfoundland, where we had the old .45's, as the AF didn't want to send new small arms, as the contract called for Canada to get the base when we left. Shoulder arms were M-2 .30 carbines.

I found that our security augmentees and even some fellow AP's did not know how to operate these WWII vintage arms! And most didn't really care. They just assumed/hoped that if war came, the Russians wouldn't land troops to take out our radar station or attack Ernest Harmon AFB, some 30 or so miles distant from our more remote radar station.

I tore down several guns and built me a Colt (I think it had all Colt parts) with wide hammer spur and all checkered non-slip surfaces. Everything was in really nice condition, too. I wish that I could have kept that gun.

I did own a Gold Cup bought at the BX and the British surplus one bought earlier in Denver. I'd left it with my family when heading to Nfld. Took just a .303 SMLE and a Husqvarna .270, having moose and maybe caribou in mind. I bought a Remington M-1100 shotgun while there, but never got to hunt birds.

The country was wild and beautiful, and I got to fish salmon rivers that were open to public fishing, unlike many waters containing Atlantic salmon. This being in Canada, I couldn't carry a pistol in the woods, and even long arms had to be carried only in season, by licensed hunters.

I was worried about black bears, even moose, which do occasionally attack people. The most lethal weapon I could carry off base was my Randall Model 3 hunting knife, with six-inch blade. BTW, a good rap on the head from the spine of a stout knife will kill most trout quickly.

I still miss that Colt .45 that I assembled for duty wear. My commander couldn't care less which holster I wore, so I got a Safariland that was sort of the auto equivalent to the Tom Threepersons style. I also took a black GI M-1916 holster that I think I bought in Denver. I wore whichever holster I wanted on a given day. And I carried a Henckels lockblade folding hunting knife in a flight jacket or parka pocket, and a Wostenholm I*XL Scout knife or a Swiss Army knife, in my trousers. I got the Victorinox knife by mail while stationed there, from Hunting World in NYC. Cost me about $5.95, but that was more money then than modern kids think. Bob Lee, a safari hunter who owned Hunting World, had mentioned Swiss Army knives in his books, and I was keen to try one. I've loved them ever since.

Of course, I had my beloved Randall sheath knife, but couldn't wear it on duty.

The very first 1911 I ever handled was a true M-1911, a Colt that had belonged to a boyhood friend's grandfather, an officer in WWI. I got to play with it some, and learned how to field strip one, and I was already reading Jeff Cooper, so knew what a fine design it was, and it fit my hand well.

This topic has taken me back many years, and you now know my history with the famous Colt pistol. I still think it's a premier fighting handgun.

I instilled a fondness for it in my son, who occasionally carried one in Iraq, as a contractor after completing his Army service. But his employer had limited .45 ammo and few magazines. He fired four mags of 9mm ammo in a couple of engagements, and liked the MK III Browning Hi-Power even more, so that's what he usually carried. ( While a US soldier, he was, not surprisingly, limited to the Beretta M-9, which he found to be very effective.) He now has .45 autos, but still uses 9mm's more.

That's the story of my family's involvement with Colt's Government Model .45 auto. I like it.

I have a 1943 Ithaca 1911A1 that I horse traded for a Saur 38H in 32 acp. Shot it often with hard cast 230 grain rn bullets. Not much to look at as some of the parkerization has worn off on the outside of the slide from bring in a military holster and a few dings in the muzzle from tank hatches so it has that been there look. Frank

National Match .45 built by FT Benning AMU in 1971. Colt NM slide, Ithaca '44 frame.
Bob

US&S actually made 55,000 pistols, all in 1943.

Colt made almost 452,000 pistols during the war years (I count 1939 as a war year), with a little over 7600 of those being Navy contract pistols.

My 1943 Remington Rand. Reworked at Rock Island Arsenal. I haven't seen too many Remington Rands with the flaming bomb stamp and Frank Krack's initials.

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before...this is the pistol I used to qualify for my concealed carry license.

I wouldn't hesitate for a second to use this pistol for home defense. Matter of fact, it is one of three pistols that are always ready in different parts of the house.

You may click on the photo to see it larger.

I'm seeing a number of nice looking Ithaca's in this thread.

Here's my USGI M1911A1 made by Ithaca.

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- Change it back -

I have been collecting guns for a while and researching them diligently for years...the 1911 and 1911A1's have always been in my top two handgun categories as 'GI guns' from WWII. Over the years I have owned a handful, various Colts, Remington, Ithaca, and bring backs that were modified for target usage.

The one I kick myself over is that when I was first starting in this hobby, by dumb luck, I came across one of the first 12, 1911's issued to the USMC in 1912 I believe. It wasn't perfect and had been re-blued, but I wish I would have hung on to that one.

I have a model 1918 'Black Colt' that has seen use and not much (any?) bluing left, but it is a really nice worn in shooter. My goal in the next year or two (next week? ) is to find a plain 1911 or 1911A1 in great condition as a collectible and just enjoy the ownership until it is passed on to the next generation.

This is just my opinion obviously, but when I think what is the most iconic semi-auto firearm ever produced, I think of the history and utility of the 1911/1911A1.

There is just something about them that says 'this is the real deal'.

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Rather be outdoors