I recently acquired a Colt .22 conversion unit and frame. The Colt unit is blue and it sits upon what I would call a parkerized frame. The grips are Colt with silver pony medallions. The magazine is blue but the bottom Colt .22 marked plate is parkerized.

Now the interesting part. The frame is numbered NO.2277 and I see no other Colt or any other manufacturers name anywhere.

Above the NO.2277 in very tiny print it says:
AR SALES CO
SO. EL MONTE, CA.

Can anyone enlighten me as to what I have here? Did they make the frame or are they perhaps an importer?

After that mystery is solved, what parts would I need to shoot this as a .45 caliber? I am a revolver guy and don't know semi-autos that well.

I am assuming a .45 barrel, a .45 slide, barrel bushing and a spring and a .45 mag. Anything else?

Thanks

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James Redfield
LM #497

Howdy,
AR Sales made frames for National Ord and Federal Ord.
I think they may have made some rifle receivers too.
Good luck
Mike

Thanks Mike. So for ATF purposes, what is this gun? Even if I don't add the .45 stuff, the frame is the firearm. So is this a National Ordnance or Federal Ordnance .45 or .22???

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James Redfield
LM #497

In '68 when I turned 21 I bought a new Commercial Colt .45 for $135. I soon bought a Colt Ace kit for it. I paid more for the kit than the gun. I had a lot of failures to fire with the Ace Kit installed. Little did I know a heavier main spring would have fixed the problem. I would say your frame was built for a .45 configuration, since the kits were built to fit 1911 (full size 5") Colt frames. Fed Ord built both complete guns, and frames only. Since the frame only is ser. numbered, it shouldn't matter what caliber it was or is now. Is the frame aluminum or steel? Colt did build Colt Ace complete autos. My post is not much help. Sorry.

Federal and Essex I know a bit about. Their quality could be spotty. If you want: I've got the barrel (w/link), slide, and a new recoil spring off a Systema Colt and a .45 magazine I could send you for a trial fitting. I might have a spring plug but you would need a bushing. You send me some postage and if it works for you we'll settle on a price around $175.

It will not hold a magnet so I guess that it is aluminum.

I was hoping that the frame was an early Colt when I saw the 2277 serial number and that I could back into a very early Colt .45 by adding the other components. Now that I am hearing that it was made by a company with a spotty reputation, I may just keep it as a .22 and shoot it for what it is.

I also read on another site that there were problems with the .22 not being powerful enough to work the slide. Apparently David "Carbine" Williams designed a two piece barrel with a small piston type bushing at the rear. After firing this piston bushing moves backwards and helps with the slide movement. Mine does have that extra piece, so who knows, maybe I won't have those ejection issues.

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James Redfield
LM #497

Probably (IMO) a good idea to keep it as it is. The pin on the rear of the grip frame at the bottom holds the main spring housing in. It's usually an easy task to change main springs, or sear springs, or most anything. But I have heard of people breaking off the whole pin hole and surrounding material when removing the pin on an aluminum frame Federal.

I would say for ATF purposes it is an "AR Sales". While I haven't had any come through the shop for repair, National Ordnance and Fed Ord are generally spotty on quality control. If it works, I wouldn't worry about it too much though, at least with the .22 conversion. Keep the floating chamber and barrel recess clean and you will have far less problems with function.

JSR III: To convert to 45 ACP you'll also need a slide latch. The slide latch for the 22 has a longer part that goes into the frame and contacts the magazine, since the 22 magazine is narrower than the 45, at least in the area around the folower.

"AR Sales" was a shop right across the street (literally) from National Ordnance in S.ElMonte CA.
It was run by a husband & wife team last name of Karnes. I think his name was Jack or John(?),,I can't recall his wifes first name,,it wasn't a common one.
That was in the 60's into the early 70's.
They made 1911 frames, and also re-weld M1 receivers.
IIRC they either made a M14 semiauto receiver from Milsurp torched halves by rewelding and machining or a perhaps a complete new semiauto M14 receiver.

The mfg. name for BATF purposes of the '1911 firearm' would be "AR Sales Co".