Colt 1914 Government Model British/Canadian Service

[1780inn]

Here for your perusal is Colt .45 ACP 1914 Government Model Pistol serial number C9591 which was 1 of 20 shipped to Remington Arms-UMC Company Bridgeport CT on October 5 1914. The Canadian C broad arrow property mark is stamped on the magazine floor plate and British Birmingham proofs on the slide and barrel. I sent an inquiry re this pistol to the Imperial War Museum in London and received the following reply from the Imperial War Museum in London:"During the autumn of 1914, the Canadian Government purchased 5,000 Colt M1911 pistols to equip its military forces. These were issued to officers, NCOs and cavalry troopers, but could also be purchased by officers wishing to acquire their sidearm permanently. Unfortunately, apart from a few pistols that received unit marks on the grip-strap, or were inscribed with the name of the officer who purchased them, there is no way of ascertaining which unit or formation they were issued to.
I can’t see very clearly from your photos, but it appears that the proof mark on it post-dates the First World War. This would imply that the pistol was put through proof at Birmingham at some point after its First World War military career – and prior to it re-crossing the Atlantic."
Also it seems the 1914 Canadian Government Model pistols were shipped with just one unmarked two-toned blue lanyard loop magazine normally supplied with Colt Government Model pistols due to necessity to get the pistols supplied quickly to the Canadian Expeditionary Force and later in 1915 spare magazines were ordered and marked with the C-Broad Arrow mark.

[.357magger]

Nothing wrong with a 4 digit C Series. Great condition too.

Thanks for sharing it.

[Absalom]

Originally Posted by 1780inn

I can’t see very clearly from your photos, but it appears that the proof mark on it post-dates the First World War ….

Actually, the Birmingham Nitro Proof in that style and the view mark post-date 1955

That letter in the left quadrant of the view mark looks like an I or J upon magnification, although too blurry to be 100% certain. But either would be 1958.

[1780inn]

I sent information and photos of the pistol to the American Rifleman Magazine's Dope Bag and got this interesting reply from Field Editor Bruce Canfield.

[Absalom]

Originally Posted by 1780inn

I sent information and photos of the pistol to the American Rifleman Magazine's Dope Bag and got this interesting reply from Field Editor Bruce Canfield.

While he is correct that the proofs do not prove military service in Britain, they do prove that the gun did not hit the commercial market until 1958. The British commercial proofing has nothing to do with “leaving the country”. It is required for any gun to be sold on the civilian market in Britain, since military proofing is not legally sufficient.

Which leaves the question: Where was the gun, un-proofed, until 1958? The only possible scenarios that occur to me is that it came from the estate of a WW I officer living in Britain who passed in 1958; or it came from government stores, sold as surplus.

[1780inn]

Took a look at the inside of grips and looks like there are some initials/numbers "1 WV" on top grip and "15" on the lower grip. Any ideas about these initials/number?

[2152hq]

Originally Posted by Absalom

Actually, the Birmingham Nitro Proof in that style and the view mark post-date 1955

That letter in the left quadrant of the view mark looks like an I or J upon magnification, although too blurry to be 100% certain. But either would be 1958.

This ^^

The Proof marks are commercial,,not Military.
They were done at some point to allow the pistol to be sold/traded on the British commercial gun market,,that's their law.

Brit Govt Proof Law demands that any USA mfg'd firearm be submitted for Brit Gov't proof and be so marked before it is traded /sold on their commercial gun market.

The Brit Proof marks are of the style adopted in 1955.
The tiny Birmingham Proof Date code on the frame is the 1955 to 1974(?) style as is the
the proof mark on the bbl seen in the ejection port.
There the 'Case length in inches' , Caliber, and Service pressure of the cartridge in '(English) Tons /per in-sq' are marked.




A beautiful early Commercial 1911.