Received my CMP Round 3 Rack Grade 1911

[Puller]

I'd sent off my packet on September 3rd and was pretty pleased with the turn around on getting my Random Generated Number, then received a call a few days later asking what Grade I wanted. I decided on a Rack Grade. From all appearances I have received a 1943 dated Ithaca slide and frame that looks to be mostly original and has not been refinished.

I like the nice carrying case that came with it too.

 

[sigp220.45]

SCORE!!

Very cool gun. Congratulations!

 

[sheepdawg]

I'd be tickled to death with that. It's perfect !

 

[ladder13]

Congrats!

 

[chief38]

Looks great for a "rack grade" - I would be happy as well. I've got a bunch of purdy 1911's but the ones that actually saw combat are awesome and a piece of history!

 

[Miracle Man]

Awesome I'd be pickled tink.

 

[VaTom]

You scored big time. Ithaca slide and frame. Likely from late 1943 or early 1944. I have an all original Ithaca from 1943 - serial 1267042. Looks all original from what I can see in the pictures. Does it have a High Standard marked barrel (HS stamped on the lug).

It is indeed an Ithaca frame. All Ithaca frames have a symbol cartouche on the right side of the trigger guard. I see yours. What is the shape? Mine is shape of a cross. Some looked like arrow heads and other small symbols. Describe the machining on the hammer, safety, slide release and mainspring housing. There should also be a flaming bomb on the inside of the frame where the spring rides. You could very well have an all original piece.

Here is a picture of mine.

 

[Puller]

You scored big time. Ithaca slide and frame. Likely from late 1943 or early 1944. I have an all original Ithaca from 1943 - serial 1267042. Looks all original from what I can see in the pictures. Does it have a High Standard marked barrel (HS stamped on the lug).

It is indeed an Ithaca frame. All Ithaca frames have a symbol cartouche on the right side of the trigger guard. I see yours. What is the shape? Mine is shape of a cross. Some looked like arrow heads and other small symbols. Describe the machining on the hammer, safety, slide release and mainspring housing. There should also be a flaming bomb on the inside of the frame where the spring rides. You could very well have an all original piece.

Here is a picture of mine.

The symbol cartouche on the right side of the trigger guard is egg shaped.

I've attached a few more detail pictures.

 

[swagmeister]

Great look to that 1911. Thanks for showing.

 

[VaTom]

The symbol cartouche on the right side of the trigger guard is egg shaped.

I've attached a few more detail pictures.

OK- Look on the left side of the trigger guard for the inspector mark. (I think I told you the right side). there were about 5 different symbols that were used on the Ithaca"s by their inspectors. I got mine out of the safe and and compared the pictures.

The machining on the safety, hammer and slide release, main spring housing are correct for 1943 and match mine. Stamped trigger is correct. The serial number is Ithaca and from 1943. Correct High Standard barrel for Ithaca. From your pictures it doesn't appear to have any arsenal rebuild marks which would be on the frame on the serial number side. Period grips would be Keyes Fiber Plastic grips. Inside of grips would have a star with the letter K inside it.

From what I see you have an all correct 1943 Ithaca 1911a1 and worth a lot more than what you paid.

When you field strip it look in the channel (inside of frame) where the recoil spring sits. You may have to use a magnifying glass. You should find a ordnance stamping. A small flaming bomb.

 

[Puller]

Okay, here are a few more detailed pictures.

These are the only markings on the left side. I've zoomed in on the trigger guard marking, not sure what it signifies.

The crossed cannon cartouche on the frame under the right side under is there but light. If it had ever been refinished I don't think you could see it.

Lastly, you can see some type of markings in the spring channel on the inside of the frame.

It also appears to have some dried cosmoline on it, I could flick it off with a dentists pick. I'll strip it down and use some mineral spirits on a rag and a little elbow grease to rub it off.

 

[waffles]

What's up Ithaca rack grade buddy (round two).

 

[LostintheOzone]

This has to be driving the prices down for the correct examples that were available before the CMP opened the flood gates.

But then it's the luck of the draw if you want one so it's a roll of the dice.

Nice gat. You got lucky.

 

[Faulkner]

This has to be driving the prices down for the correct examples that were available before the CMP opened the flood gates.

But then it's the luck of the draw if you want one so it's a roll of the dice.

Nice gat. You got lucky.

You would think CMP's 1911's would be driving the prices down some, but I was at a gun show this weekend and saw half a dozen USGI 1911A1's that were obviously of CMP provenance and they were marked considerably more than the CMP's Round 3 pricing. When I came back by that table on my way out four of them were gone.

I took my Round 3 Service Grade with me to the gun show to show to a gentleman who is reputed to be quite knowledgeable on the subject matter. While he was examining it another fellow who had joined the conversation offered me $500.00 more than I paid for it, which I passed on.

 

[Valmet]

I’d be very happy with that “rack grade” myself! Very nice OP

 

[VaTom]

Okay, here are a few more detailed pictures.

These are the only markings on the left side. I've zoomed in on the trigger guard marking, not sure what it signifies.

The crossed cannon cartouche on the frame under the right side under is there but light. If it had ever been refinished I don't think you could see it.

Lastly, you can see some type of markings in the spring channel on the inside of the frame.

It also appears to have some dried cosmoline on it, I could flick it off with a dentists pick. I'll strip it down and use some mineral spirits on a rag and a little elbow grease to rub it off.

Yes. The channel marking is the Ordnance Department flaming bomb. The one of the left side of trigger guard is the Ithaca inspectors mark. See photo of the 6 marks that were used. Mine is a cross. The screen shots are from Ty's coolgunsite.com which is very comprehensive on Militray 1911s and 1911a1s. Can't tell which one yours is. The cross cannons on mine is lightly struck also. Ithaca made approximately 350,000 during the war. Colt around 600,000 and Remington Rand over a million. To get an Ithaca that is correct from what I see from your pictures-not a mix of parts nor arsenal rebuild or refinished you really got a gem! Congratulations!

 

[LostintheOzone]

You would think CMP's 1911's would be driving the prices down some, but I was at a gun show this weekend and saw half a dozen USGI 1911A1's that were obviously of CMP provenance and they were marked considerably more than the CMP's Round 3 pricing. When I came back by that table on my way out four of them were gone.

I took my Round 3 Service Grade with me to the gun show to show to a gentleman who is reputed to be quite knowledgeable on the subject matter. While he was examining it another fellow who had joined the conversation offered me $500.00 more than I paid for it, which I passed on.

My FFL who handled my transfer wanted to buy mine. We never discussed a price but I'm pretty sure I could have made a few hundred bucks in the blink of an eye. Service grade RR with a Colt Slide.

If things go in a positive direction the CMP will have another 40k to sell. I hope everyone who wants one, gets one. Great day in the morning.

 

[inspcalahan]

Nice guns in this thread! I was able to acquire a Field grade which ended up being a Remington Rand with Ithaca slide, still with painted rack numbers on the grips. I'm satisfied enough and plan on putting a few rounds down the pipe soon.

 

[VaTom]

Don't intend to dominate your thread but I was very excited to see your Ithaca. Here are a few final thoughts.

1. Check to see if you have a WWII contract magazine with it. A contract magazine will have a letter stamped on the toe of the magazine (when looking down at it). All marked their magazines with a a letter. Could be a G (General Shaver), L (Little) or S (Scovill). There were several manufacturers that supplied them to the gunmakers.

2. Recommend that you remove the firing pin and spring as well as the ejector rod and clean those channels out with something like a q-tip. When I bought mine those areas looked to have never been cleaned. Easy to do. If you don't how, here are instructions. Push in on the firing pin with a pointy wooden object (i use a chopstick) until the pin clears the little plate holding it it. Slide the plate downward to remove it being careful as the pin with be under pressure, It will pull right out as well as the ejector rod as it is held in by the small little plate. A side note: Early in the war Colt continued to put the slide serial number to match the frame number under that plate so if you had a Colt slide on a Colt frame you could tell if it was original to that pistol. I believe Colt discontinued this as cost savings in 1943.

3. If you wish to shoot it often, you may wish to order a new recoil spring and firing pin spring as those in it could be 80 years old. Keep the original ones! I have 3 WWII contract magazines in which I also replaced the springs. Keep the originals also.

4. If it has original Keyes Fiber "bakelite" plastic grips from the war you may wish to get some newer replacements/reproductions to use on the pistol if you intend to shoot much so you don't run the risk of damaging the original grips.

Enjoy you piece of history. I shoot mine a couple of times a year and it runs flawlessly using standard 230 grain FMJ ammo.

VaTom

 

[ron 57]

1911a1

Beautiful Ithaca. If you visit some of the 1911 forums and ask nicely, someone with access to Ithaca’s shipping records may be able to tell you when and where it shipped when it left the factory. I don’t think they were shipped in order around your serial number so it might take a little digging on their part.
I second the replacement of the recoil and firing pin springs. Cheap and easy.
Congratulations!