S&W Replacement USGI 1911A1 Barrels?

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andyinlz

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I've seen in many places that S&W USGI replacement barrels were made around the Vietnam era and also that S&W may have made around 25,000 such barrels.

The barrels are marked "SW" and have chromed bores.

The barrels also have the part number 7791193 visible through the ejection port of the slide.

But, are there any original sources for this?

Contract terms/dates/durations/number of barrels?

Were the barrels shipped anyplace identifiable or unique in the GI parts/rebuild/rearsenal universe?

Or did they all simply go to Rock Island for distribution where and when requested? (Rock Island often shows up as a CAGE source for later barrels)

Given that some of the CMP 1911 pistols (including mine) have these barrels, maybe scholarship will begin to focus more on the post WWII iterations of 1911s now that more are documented as real USGI and out in the wild.

Thanks in advance for anything you may have regarding these barrels.
 
I have seen a couple, both in new condition and sold as GI surplus. My limited understanding is that S&W produced a quantity (unknown number) of these barrels on military contract for use in maintaining issued M1911A-1 pistols, probably late 1960's to 1970's time period. The chrome-lined barrels are an obvious anti-corrosion measure.

Most major US arms makers produced parts, either as subcontractors for producing companies or as replacement/maintenance parts over the years, for just about every US military weapon. Savage never made a 1911-style pistol to my knowledge, but they made quite a few replacement slides that show up on arsenal rebuild pistols. Rock-Ola (juke box company) made M60 machineguns with barrels and other parts provided by several subcontractors. Signal Lamp Company made US M3-series .45 caliber submachineguns. The first M16A1 rifle issued to me in Vietnam was made by General Motors Hydramatic Division (who knows what companies made the individual parts?). Remington-Rand (typewriter company) produced more M1911A-1 pistols than Colt during WW2 (while Colt was quite busy producing Thompson submachineguns, Browning Automatic Rifles, and various machineguns.

Just the manufacturers of 1911-style magazines over the years would probably require a book to document. American Pin Company, General Shaver Company, Little, Risdon, and dozens of others.

As a collector, the S&W 1911 barrels are of little interest. I suspect that someone somewhere in the supply chain noted a need, sent out a request for proposals, and S&W picked up a modest contract to produce barrels that laid in a government warehouse for a few decades before being declared surplus and sold off to the highest bidder (or for scrap metal prices). Probably excellent quality, but nothing more than spare parts for hobbyists.
 
I asked about the S&W manufactured barrel shown below a few years ago. So I'll be watching this tread with interest.
 

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tndrfttom said:
I asked about the S&W manufactured barrel shown below a few years ago. So I'll be watching this tread with interest.
Click to expand...

The barrel shown is marked "USA" and "MTU". These are acronyms for United States Army and Marksmanship Training Unit. MTU gunsmiths produced some of the most highly developed target pistols ever seen. I suspect that S&W may have had a contract for some highly precise barrels for that use.
 
andyinlz said:
I've seen in many places that S&W USGI replacement barrels were made around the Vietnam era and also that S&W may have made around 25,000 such barrels.

The barrels are marked "SW" and have chromed bores.

The barrels also have the part number 7791193 visible through the ejection port of the slide.

But, are there any original sources for this?

Contract terms/dates/durations/number of barrels?

Were the barrels shipped anyplace identifiable or unique in the GI parts/rebuild/rearsenal universe?

Or did they all simply go to Rock Island for distribution where and when requested? (Rock Island often shows up as a CAGE source for later barrels)

Given that some of the CMP 1911 pistols (including mine) have these barrels, maybe scholarship will begin to focus more on the post WWII iterations of 1911s now that more are documented as real USGI and out in the wild.

Thanks in advance for anything you may have regarding these barrels.
Click to expand...


The best answer I have for you is that while in Korea (1965-66) and Fort Douglas, UT (1966-67) the 1911 replacement barrels I received when requisitioned were S&W marked and chrome lined as described. I still have one but am not interested enough to check the FSN which may be stamped on it!
 
4barrel said:
I just checked my old stuff and found a brand new one marked S&W on one side and M P on the other.:D
Click to expand...

MP would indicate that the barrel was Magnetic Particle tested, the generic name for Magnaflux inspection. That is a common requirement in military specifications.
 
Resurrecting this thread with a answer since I received a CMP 1911 today with a S&W replacement barrel. The chrome lining nearly blinded me when I shined a flashlight in it to check the bore. It is marked SW on the side of the lug and the numbers are as pictured.
 

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JohnRippert said:
Resurrecting this thread with a answer since I received a CMP 1911 today with a S&W replacement barrel. The chrome lining nearly blinded me when I shined a flashlight in it to check the bore. It is marked SW on the side of the lug and the numbers are as pictured.
Click to expand...

Let's see the rest of that CMP 1911, please.

jdlii
 
jdlii said:
Let's see the rest of that CMP 1911, please.

jdlii
Click to expand...


1943 Ithaca frame and a Remington Rand slide. Went through a couple rebuilds and spent some time in a MP Battalion in Puerto Rico according to the info I got from my Army FOIA request. That particular MP group spent time in Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the period this gun was with them. Those MP's were used for traffic control and to guard the Iraqi prisoners.


WasjTWjJ_o.jpg





D4WXtfqM_o.jpg
 
Last edited:
According to sources I’ve read, the Smith & Wesson 1911 barrels were made at the request of Army marksmanship training units.
The timeframe for the original project was the late 50s & early 60s.
They were made with oversized bottom lugs and hoods specifically to be gunsmith fit for match competition.
 
I just got a colt 1911A1 from CMP with an Ithaca slide that had one of these barrels in it. It was a rack grade that looks as nice as the service grade I got the first go round. I was going to try and replace it but decided to leave it alone. All the mismatched parts are part of its history. I don't collect colts but darn! I sure seem to have a bunch of 1911s. Got my first one from my uncle (Colt 1943) who was a WWII veteran.
SWCA 892
 
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