Came across one at a local shop., very good price. It's got a Colt slide & marked 'AA'. I need to go back and check it out closer for markings...I am not too sure they know what it is. Let's just say it's priced cheap.

Frame is parkerized or matt, slide is blued, short trigger & arched MS housing., a mixmash for sure...however if it's an authentic Armory rebuild I am interested, I think they stopped putting these together in 1955. I need to date the slide & take some pics.

Army Air Corps?


The short trigger and arched MS housing are 100% normal for a 1911A1. Are you actually looking at a 1911, or is it an A1?


Edit... nevermind on the Army Air Corps thing. Uncle Sam's guns wouldn't have a blued slide, I'd think.

AA = Augusta Arsenal Probably just a standard rebuilt M1911A1.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Yes I don't know what it's actually worth, the slide could be WW1 or WW2 vintage...I have to look at some markings tomorrow if I have time to stop by. Yes it would be an Augusta Arsenal rebuild. I handled it & it feels fairly tight with good lock up on the breech.

The guy working the counter knew less than I did. He simply said it was a 'weird one' but confessed he didn't know much more.

AA = Augusta Arsenal



As for this pistol, it might have left AA with a blued slide or someone might have swapped parts after the pistol left AA. It's also possible that this is a parts pistol, assembled after it left military service.


You really need a knowledgeable 1911 collector to evaluate this piece in order to determine its true price.

All 1911s were parkerized when they left the arsenal after rebuild. They were rebuilding them into the late 70's or early 80's. It was the standard finish for combat weapons. The blue slide may be commercial or reblued by a previous owner. Who made the frame?

Many 1911s were built using surplus parts on Essex commercial frames. Their quality is iffy and not collectible.

Can you get pictures? I recently bought a rebuilt 1911A1 for $600 that was a 1911A1 Remington Rand slide on a Colt 1911 frame. Compared to what the CMP pistols are selling for, it was a bargain.

What you have found is the typical M1911A1 that was in an armory in the military. Probably 99% of the guns in the armory have had parts swapped with another. This includes slides and barrels. When they troops are cleaning their guns parts get mixed up. As long as they have a complete gun when the cleaning is finished all is good.

Been collecting these guns for 40 years. Have had access to several armories during my career. I don't think I ever saw an M1911A1 that was as it came from the manufacturer.

If you can get the pistol for around $600 that is a good deal. If the parts are all military then it is good.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Thnxs everyone. I will update if I end up w it...It's priced a little over 4 bills.

The parts are worth more than that.............buy it, if all military parts.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Heck tell me where it is.....I will take it. I have an AA marked gun with a colt frame and type III Remington Rand slide. ....would love to find a colt slide.


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This AA rebuild came out of its overhaul with Colt frame and an A.J. Savage Slide. I would expect that any combination of parts that passed inspection would have been OK in the rebuilding process - I suppose even a blued slide could have been possible but I would expect a combination of parkerized parts to be more or less 'standard issue'.

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Speaking as BigL "1911" it is all about what you are looking for. $400 for an arsenal rebuild with mixed parts to me is a bad use of resources. You are better off buying a Ruger SR1911 for 800 new. AJ had a good post referring to mismatched parts. However, for clarity the collectables have to be complete with all correct original parts (at least correct for the gun) and in some cases matching slide and frame serials. My last 1911A1 purchased a few weeks ago is a 1939 Blue Navy issue. All correct parts and match serial numbers. This is what you save the money for and buy if you want a collectable. Yes, way more expensive but I bought this gun at 1/3 of what people today would consider a GB hammer value. How did I do it? I hunted and knew exactly what I was looking at when I saw it then jumped no hesitation. Chino, point is use your money wisely - don't buy junk..


I shoot a Springfield MC operator. a new one can be had around 1k and a used one in like new condition 700?? A better buy and a better gun.
I really don't like talking numbers, but I spent 600 dollars yesterday on this factory inscribed 1908 M.P.C. in very used condition. This is a great buy and a rare (not scarce) gun. Cheap for a number of reasons mainly it is not a great looking perhaps a rather ugly firearm. You want to make a good use of 400 spend another 200 and buy a 600 gun like this. Hunt!!

Chino if you don't buy it several here will. It will be a nice shooter probably. If it isn't you can part it out for more than you spent on it. Would rather own a U.S.issue pistol than a Ruger.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Vintage mixmaster 1911 for $400!? I'd be a buyer! At the very least I'd make my money back if I didn't like it.

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Thread Killer.

CMP just put 8000 of those into the wild. $1050 a pop. About 11000 people who sent in paperwork to acquire one missed the boat. More may be coming but no guarantees. I rolled the dice but I'm not interested anymore.

If that had a CMP cert it would for sure be Gov't surplus. Without it, it's just another frankengun. It would be a frankengun anyway but with some pedigree. Sounds like a genuine arsenal rebuild.

I picked up a Colt 1991A1 built in 91 that had the box and docs unfired (99%) for $450 last year. Took me about 10 seconds to reach for my CC.

It's worth $450 but don't get too carried away. There's a million of those out there.

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That's just somebody talkin.

Thnx all. Still undecided at this point. I agree though it should not have a blued slide that probably happened after it left US inventory.

Depends the age of the slide. Some were blued. Since it has been through a rebuild it should have a parked slide. That said in our parts bins when I was stationed in Calif. We had some blued slides as spare parts. So never say never. You are possibly correct that after it left military control it may have had a civilian slide put on it. Just never know. Not hard to find a parked slide to replace it and sell the blued one. The parts guns that CMP is selling are going for $1000 from them. When those hit the market, they will go for even more.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

It could be worth well more than $400 if the parts are military. Pictures would really help, but I know many shops do not allow any form of photography or video in their shop. For me, $400 for a functioning M1911 would be tempting, not that I really need another, but still.