A few years ago I stumbled on a Registered Magnum which belonged to a WWI/WWII/Korea vet. It, along with other guns, after being stored since 1960, had been sold by the Colonel's family. I eventually also got a nickel 2nd Model 44 from the collection but the owner of the LGS wouldn't part with the Colt 1911. I've pestered them for four years now and finally brought it home today. No telling when it was added to his collection but I'd like to think this is the one he carried on D-Day and for the rest of the German campaign.

Kind of a long read but for anyone interested in a gun fan who participated in three wars here's my post about the Registered Magnum and a little of Col. Welch's history.

First Registered Magnum - S&W Letter Received

The 1911 from 1918 has a few issues, probably a later trigger/grip safety/grips, is missing the United States Property stamp, and has been re-finished at some point. I'm sure I paid more than it is worth but keeping some of his guns and WWII paperwork together seemed well worth the cost to me. Now, if I can just get the MP40 Schmeisser that the LGS is still hanging on to I'll be even happier.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

I've got some bad news for you. That is not a Colt 1911 made in 1918.


The frame is a 1911 A1 frame. The serial number, if it was a military issue frame, would put it as made by Colt in 1918. But since the A1 frame did not come along until the mid 20s, it can't be a 1918 Colt made frame. This would also explain why it is not have government property markings on it.


What you have is a Mixmaster. You have an A1 frame made most likely after world war II when just about everybody was getting into the 1911 business, and has been built with GI parts.

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I always take precautions

Definitely a rebuild, probably one of many from the looks of it. An A-1 frame, that isn’t marked US Property, 1911 upper. That is more the rule with the old 1911’s.

When the pistols go in for a rebuild, frames are all tossed into one bin, slides in another. Small parts into the garbage is junk. NO concern which frame, went with which slide at all. Small parts-barrel, hammers, springs etc are whatever that were available at the time.

Neat pistol, and neat story though. Thanks OP.

Regards, Rick Gibbs

Definitely some parts added from 1930s/40s (trigger/grip safety/grip panels) but I think the frame and slide (and barrel and other parts other than those noted) are original Colt 1911. What you're seeing as an A1 frame is the trigger finger cut out not seen on standard 1911s which was part of the 1924 modifications to A1. However, if you look at that cut out and compare it to an A1 it is not the same. Other 1911s have shown up with the mod but not many; anybody's guess at this point whether it was done by the military or later possibly when the US Property marking was removed and it was refinished. The serial number clearly places it as a 1911 from 1918.

In any case, it doesn't really matter as I bought it for the provenance of the owner not because it was a collectible 1911.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

Gentlemen, it is NOT an A1 frame. The eagle's head inspection stamp means it IS clearly a 1918 frame. Someone kinda, sorta gave it the finger relief cuts. Those are not the way Colt applied the grinding wheel to create those cuts on an A1 frame. Most of the small parts look correct for a 1918 pistol, although the trigger and grips are clearly wrong and the USP has been removed as previously pointed out.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

Jeff, it certainly looks like that’s a possibility, unlike the Colonel’s (now your) beautiful REG 3072 which looks like it was left behind for safekeeping! Great research on Colonel Welch!

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Terry Lester

I’m far from a 1911 expert, but I thought the same also based on the style and placement of the serial #.

Doesnn't an 1911A1 frame have the arched mainspring housing, or was that changed out?

The MSH is not part of the frame. They can be easily changed. The OP's pistol has the correct flat MSH.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

It's a mix & match for sure, but a nice gun, nonetheless.

My "know-it-all" book gives me puzzling info too. The frame appears to be altered, but if that's indeed an eagle head stamp it does indicate a 1918-1919 manufacture. It would match the s/n on the frame.

According to the s/n range, both the prefix and s/n are written in sans serif (I can't tell), and both are vertical (not slanted).

"United States Property" should be on the left side of the frame. And the clearance cuts behind the trigger guard were approved in 1922.

The patent and address blocks on the left side of the slide are supposed to be roll-marked, also in sans serif type face.

Now, the rampant Colt on the left side of the slide, according to the s/n should be a type 5 in the book (1939-1940). But by looking at the pictures in the book it appears to me it rather be a type 4, which would date it to 1918. Perhaps you could provide a better picture?

Would you mind checking the barrel markings? It should be marked "HP", or the "HP" intertwined on the front of the barrel lug and bottom side. They were made for Colt by A.H. Fox from mid 1917 to 1918.

For other parts I'd have to dig deeper

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Jorge

Perhaps a re-welded frame?

Sent from my SM-A025V using Tapatalk

Here are some additional pictures. I think it is an original 1918 frame and slide with later trigger, grip safety and grip panels. Biggest issues, and ones that can't be changed, are the relief of the trigger finger area, removal of the USP marking and of course the re-finish. I'd like to know as much as possible about it but as I mentioned above I didn't buy it as a collector 1911. It may well have been a pawn shop acquisition by Colonel Welch after WWII or Korea but I'll always picture it accompanying him at the Battle of the Bulge and other of the many battles in which he was involved. And if he didn't carry it in one of the three wars in which he participated, somebody did.

Jeff
SWCA #1457







n

And the requested better picture of the Rampant Colt.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

Need to remember Officers had lots of “ leeway” with their gear and weapons, he was Field Grade so who knows? Now, if someone could get these pieces to talk……

Congrats Jeff. The 1911 and the RM along with the history make a great pair.

Thanks for sharing,

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

That's the way I feel about the mixmaster .45 I have. The serial number indicates the frame was made in 1918, but the whole gun is parkerized and a 1911A1 slide is on it. The slide was drilled and tapped for a Bo Mar rear sight and a replacement front sight was put on it.

What's special about the provenance? My dad bought it from DCM back in the early 1960s. It was the first big bore handgun I ever shot. I taught myself how to field strip it when I was about 12 years old. When my dad passed in 2015, I got the gun as part of my legacy. It's now been in the family for 60 years. It certainly is not a collectible, but it is invaluable to me.

That makes it priceless and very, very special. Thanks for posting and perhaps you can add a picture here, we'd love to see it.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

Thank you for your kind words. Here it is in all its glory. Maybe the collective brain power of the Forum can translate the few markings that are on the gun. On top of the slide near the rear sight is a letter "P". On the barrel hood it is stamped "COLT 45 AUTO." On the left side of the trigger somebody scratched the letter "N." At the back corner of the left side of the trigger guard is the number "23."

The front sight looks homemade. I remember trying to cut a new front sight out of a key with a hacksaw. I can't remember who installed it but it seems tight.

I haven't fired this gun in ages. I have some soft target loads that maybe I'll shoot so as not to stress this 104 year old gun too much. Might as well have some fun with it since I got it out of the safe.

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Thank you so much for these great pictures and I apologize for the late response, I had to wait outside for three days before they let me back inside again.

The hammer (probably the worst item for me to identify) appears to be a type 3 which matches the s/n.

The HP barrel marking is period correct, and it was inspected by a Frank Hosmer, Provisional Inspector. It doesn't appear to be A.H. Fox made, but it falls into the same s/n range. You can check and see if there is a "&" in front of the barrel lug. These were made by Fox only in 1918! The "E" on the lug I don't know, I can't find anything on that.

The rampant Colt on the slide looks now clearly like a type 4 to me, which would match the 1918 manufacture.

The marking right next to the disconnector port, it should be the letter G. The G letter indicated U.S. Gov contract. It's on a slightly different spot seen in the book, more to the right, but that should be it.

So, all in all, from what I can tell, it seems you have a 1918 model that has been worked on to some extent. A cool piece of history, nonetheless.

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Jorge

Here is a picture of my M1911 from the production year of 1918. It fell within the black army serial number sequence. "Black Army was not a good thing since polishing was reduced during the finishing process to speed up production. My example has seen a rough life along with the poorer quality of the finishing process.

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Nice, and it is rare to find a Black Army that doesn't look like that. Great piece of history!

Jeff
SWCA #1457