Manufacturing a 1911A1 for WWII

[Watchdog]

I did a search to make sure I hadn't posted this before, and it didn't show up here, so hopefully this isn't a duplicate post.

This is a short silent film showing how Union Switch & Signal 1911A1s were manufactured at their plant in Swissvale, Pennsylvania.

Only 55,000 US&S 1911A1s were made.

The film is very interesting to me...and just seeing all those beautiful brand spankin' new .45s with that Du-Lite finish is something. What I wouldn't give for just one of them!!

And thinking...some of our mothers or grandmothers made and inspected pistols that were carried by soldiers in the war! I like watching that one lady disassemble the pistol...she doesn't need one of those sissified bushing wrenches, either.

Anyway, if you like the old pistols...enjoy the film.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7XUtgIVo7k[/ame]

 

[les.b]

Watchdog:

Very cool. What a marvel to watch. You are right, I would be happy with just one of those unopened boxes!!! Well, even a nicely used one would be a treat.

Thanks for sharing.

Best Regards, Les

 

[SPEEDGUNNER]

No gloves, no safety glasses, I think I am in love with some of these women!

 

[DWalt]

A very interesting clip showing old machining technology. I had some question about the purported DuLite finish, as that was a hot oxide blued finish, not phosphate. I once had a like-new USS .45, and it was definitely phosphate, not DuLite. And it did not appear to have gone through an arsenal rebuild. One of many guns I should have kept, and I sold it to a friend for some nominal amount. Of course, back then (late 1950s) it was just another GI M1911A1, and those typically sold for well under $50, with no one paying much attention as to who the maker was. I had understood that only the WWII Singer .45s used a blued finish. I've never seen a Singer .45, only pictures of them. By reputation, they had excellent workmanship, but there were only 500 made.

The story goes that USS was considered more valuable to the WWII defense effort for making railway switching and signaling equipment than making pistols, so their pistol contract was terminated by the government early.

 

[4barrel]

Girls were a lot thinner then. I licked the blond.

 

[les.b]

I wasn't around, but my Mom and Dad explained to me about rationing...that may have had some effect on how thin folks were during the war!!

Best Regards, Les

 

[Watchdog]

Girls were a lot thinner then. I licked the blond.

I hope that's a typo.

 

[bummer]

They also made m1 carbine receivers.

 

[Watchdog]

A couple of things that really catch my eye in this film:

I'm always oh-so-careful when I'm disassembling one of my old 1911A1s. They have enough signs of wear and scratching without me adding more. But as the film opens, we see the lady inspector disassembling the pistol, right? Except she isn't just "disassembling" it...she's tearing that pistol down...just yanking it apart. So I'm smiling and cringing at the same time when I see that part.

All 55,000 of the US&S pistols were made in 1943. Of course, no one at the plant had the slightest idea they were building collectors' items...in 1943, they had no inkling someone in 2016 would pay thousands of dollars for what was, to them, just a fifteen-dollar pistol...or that an original magazine would sell for hundreds.

What I like is that, like so many other female factory workers during the war years, the US&S ladies weren't afraid to get their hands dirty. Grease and oil were undoubtedly imbedded in the pores of their skin at the end of the workday. Notice none of them are wearing gloves...their hands were probably scarred and cut more times then they could count.

The attached photo shows a lady who appeals to me. Wearing glasses and a scarf on her head, she reminds me of a librarian or school teacher or maybe just an ordinary housewife. And she's building guns. I wonder how much they were paid.

It wasn't just the men who comprised the Greatest Generation. There were all kinds of war heroes...and heroines.

 

[target tech]

I spent two years in the late 80s, driving to school through Swissvale, past the old US&S buildings. It was all demolished and bulldozed into a shopping mall in the mid 90s. My Dad says a lot of US&S lunchbox 45s showed up around the Pittsburgh area back in the day without inspection stamps.

 

[KEN L]

They also made m1 carbine receivers.

For which contractor??

 

[growr]

Is there audio on this clip? I don't have any....

Randy

 

[Watchdog]

Is there audio on this clip? I don't have any....

There is no audio.

 

[DWalt]

For which contractor??

US&S did indeed make carbine receivers, but not many, around 30,000, as part of the Quality Hardware receiver contract. I was never clear as to how US&S got part of the QH contract, maybe as a subcontractor.

 

[V1 Rotate]

Its always amazing to be reminded how many of the ordinance workers were women; that's one of the iconic facts of those times that we should all be proud of.

I assume all the factories had a similar proportion of women. Therefore, it's probably true to say that if you have a genuine war made firearm, it likely was made, literally from raw metal, by feminine hands.

Something worth pointing out to our contemporary female friends who might be unenthusiastic or squeamish about holding or using those weapons. Bill S

 

[VaTom]

Thanks for the video! I have a 1943 Ithaca 1911a1 that is all correct and original.

It is one of only three pistols / revolvers in my collection that I would never sell.

 

[Watchdog]

Thanks for the video! I have a 1943 Ithaca 1911a1 that is all correct and original.

It is one of only three pistols / revolvers in my collection that I would never sell.

I'm sure I'm not the only forum member who would love to see some photos of your Ithaca (hint, hint).

 

[les.b]

Yeah, Watchdog, I'm with you...since I can't afford one of my own, I'd love to see a picture of VaTom's!!! And I look at them all the time on GB and other venues, as well as at gun shows ... Just haven't had the right one at the right time at the right place all line up with the right price!!!

Best Regards, Les

 

[Bullzaye]

Not that it has a danged thing to do with US&S, or 1911s, but I guess I just want to brag (sort of) on my Mom. She worked at a plant in PA during WWII, called Paragon Industries, manufacturing hand grenades. She also spent a year or so in Washington D.C., doing some sort of clerical work. I never found out exactly what it was, because she refused to give even the slightest detail. I assume some secrecy was involved, and she took it very seriously (to a rather unnecessary extreme, one would imagine!) She hated D.C.! Before the war ended, she became a Bell Telephone operator in Blairsville, PA.

Hope this wasn't too off-topic.

Tim

 

[VaTom]

I'm sure I'm not the only forum member who would love to see some photos of your Ithaca (hint, hint).

Here is the only picture I have uploaded along with a S&W Model 1917. Bought the Ithaca off GB about seven years ago. Thought I was paying a lot of money then but I wanted an unmolested, non arsenal rebuild WWII 1911A1. Best investment I have made. I estimate that it has doubled in price from what I paid. It even came with a correct WWII contract magazine. I took the original Keyes Fiber bakelite grips off and put away - put on some Korean War era surplus grips as I shoot it from time to time and didn't want to further wear the original grips. My guess is that it was carried in the war due to holster wear that can be seen on frame and slide. Ithaca shipping records are hard to access but I assume since it was made in 1943 it may have been issued to a pilot or aircrew and brought back. Will try to post some more in a day or so.