1944 Remington Rand

jscheck

jscheck

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Through the tolerance of my lovely wife I won a 1944 Remington Rand 1911A1 at auction Monday night! Took it out to the range yesterday and put a box of ammo through it-ran like brand new! It appears to be in like new condition (a few corrosion spots but they're very minor). I never thought I'd be able to find/afford a piece of WW II firearms history like this and I'm thrilled to death! Anyone else have one of these? It will only be an occasional shooter for me. I told my son I was investing his inheritance lol.:D
 

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Congrats. I had a nice one for awhile, but sold it for the "next gun".

My only USGI type guns now are an early 90's Springfield Armory Inc. and a welded frame Remington Rand (welded on dust cover goes to a different gun). I bought it from a pawn shop thinking it was just a somewhat scrubbed frame. Further research revealed it was actually a weld job. It shoots fine, but spends most if it's time in a shadow box on the wall.
 
I have a Colt frame with a RR slide. I found a new and unused RR slide, barrel, and bushing, still in its original wrapping, at a gun show for $100 about 20 years ago. Not a tough buy decision to make. It slid right on the Colt frame, no fitting needed.
 
Along with my M-16, I often carried my Remington Rand in Nam. I won the below pictured Remington Rand at auction a few years ago. It was from the last production lot in 1945. I also have a Colt from 1918, a 1911A1 Colt and an Ithaca 1911A1. The unknown is what the CMP has for me in about March of this year.
 

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I have two M1911A1, Remington Rands, both from their last run in 1944 and about 100 s/n's different. Both with correct holsters by Boyt. Both collector grade with a price to match. But they aren't getting any cheaper.
 

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I just got a Ithaca with a Rem/Rand slide from the CMP last month. Have not made it to the range yet but it is in the case with the other 5 pistols that are going along next time I head there.





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Great gun and a great piece of history. They say that because they were built to work in all conditions and environments they were too lose and too sloppy to be accurate - not what I have experienced at all. I've shot a bunch of WWll USGI 1911's (many makes) and while they shake, rattle and roll they are also quite accurate!!

ENJOY IT!
 
Enjoy you pistol. Remember that it is 88 going on 89 years old. The military brought on it's replacement for several reason. One was frames cracking. In about 1985 or so every M1911A1 in the Marine Corps was magnafluxed looking for cracks. Probably 99% or better passed, enough failed to run warning flags up. So be kind to the old warhorses.
 
Back in the day, 1952, my dad got his last leg medal and won his Distinguished gold medal. In those days you stepped up to the firing line and got a unmodified 1911A1, and a box of 1943 steel case ammo. You also fired one handed. Now, those were shooters of the highest degree. Big Larry USMCR (60-68). Semper Fi Marine.
 
Congratulations on the purchase. If it still has the original recoil and firing pin spring you may wish to change them (keep the originals). I also put some Korean War era replacement grips on mine to keep from damaging the the original grips from 1943 when going to the range. Original grips in picture 1 and replacement grips in pic 2. I bought my all original 1943 Ithaca 1911A1 back in 2007. Paid $1,150 for it. Probably doubled in value. Remington Rand made around 1 million during the war. More than Colt and Ithaca combined (around 350,000 each). The US didn't purchase any more for the next 40 years after the war production ended. I take mine out and shoot it a couple of times a year. Enjoy!
 

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According to my hero, Mr. Charles W. Clawson, Remington Rand made the best 1911A1's in WW II. I have a 1943 and a 1945 that have not gone back to arsenal rebuild. Determining that condition requires knowing when, in serial number sequence, certain stampings were applied (before or after finish) and looking for burnishing inside the numbers/letters.

I have another RR that was redone by Springfield Armory (SA) that was one of the duplicate serial numbers from Colts encroachment into RR's SN block. Colt customer service would, and did tell me the gun was made by Colt. The dead give away, among other things: Frank Atwood (FJA) never inspected Colts.

The other intriguing item about Remington Rand is their subsidiary, General Shaver, who made magazines for their parent company's pistols. They are very distinctive and every self respecting RR pistol should have at least one.

This is the 1945 version. Remington Rand's last pistol was 2465139, so this is one of their last, and likely was never issued due to VE Day.
 

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This is another one of mine, a 1944 Ithaca. During the war 39,592 of these were sent to England as Lend-Lease guns. This one is from of a shipment of 1500 that went to Longue Pointe Ordnance Depot, Montreal, Canada on 8/16/44. It was released from British service in 1952.

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