CMP 1911 Arrived!

[jinx]

I have a question about these 45's. Been watching the progress of these going up for sale through the CMP.
Have these guns all been refurbished and/or rebuilt? Or are some of them in worn out condition and you take your chances?

 

[gnystrom]

I am too old to become a collector and at first, I thought these were overpriced. Now that I see them pictured by new owners, I congratulate all of you on your wise purchase. Very reminiscent of mine in a shoulder holster as I climbed into a tank in the early 1960's.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I have a question about these 45's. Been watching the progress of these going up for sale through the CMP.
Have these guns all been refurbished and/or rebuilt? Or are some of them in worn out condition and you take your chances?

Interesting question.

An original M1911A1 in thoroughly worn-out, but absolutely original condition, would be worth a great deal of money.

The majority of the pistols being released via CMP will be "war reserve" stock, arsenal rebuilds to meet minimum issue standards. Nearly all will have been refinished. Very few will have anything near matching parts.

Yeah, you put up your money and you take your chances.

Of course, one can look back at the 1960's, when surplus GI .45 pistols were being released for $20, and compare the relative investment potential.

Then there are those of us here in Pueblo, Colorado, who watched as truckloads of US M1911A1 pistols were hauled to the CF&I Steel Mill smelters, as ordered by President Clinton.

Historical artifacts. Your chances of getting one that is pristine and all original are non-existent. Your chances of getting one that screams history at the top of its lungs are pretty good.

 

[T.May]

OK...I'm only going to do this because it is the only time I think I can legitimately post a picture of a Colt 1911 on the S&W forum...

I have been collecting these long before the new CMP release and have been shooting them since my time in the Corps back in the 70's.

Here is my Colt 1945 all original, USGI pistol that was probably never issued. I am watching with great interest as to what the recent CMP issued pistols does to the collector market...

Congrats to the OP on your "new to you" pistol...Welcome to the club.

 

[stansdds]

I tend to doubt that these newly released CMP 1911's are going to have a serious impact on the collector market. I expect original issue 1911's and 1911-A1's are still going to fetch more than an arsenal rebuild. It would be different if the CMP had come into possession of thousands of 1911's that were original issue.

 

[T.May]

stansdds...I agree original pieces will always fetch more than arsenal rebuilds but pricing is always a matter of supply and demand and many people just want to own one whether it is all original or not.

Time will tell...

 

[JayFramer]

Don’t forget to oil buff that Parker, soldier!!

 

[kbm6893]

stansdds...I agree original pieces will always fetch more than arsenal rebuilds but pricing is always a matter of supply and demand and many people just want to own one weather it is all original or not.

Time will tell...

How many original pieces were ever issued? of course they were all original when made in the 1940's, but then they went to Korea, Vietnam, and all over the world. Was the grunt in 1968 in Vietnam not carrying a gun that had been rebuilt? It's like the M1 Garands. Built to interchange parts without worry over fitting. Was the armorer servicing the 1911's actually keeping parts together as he maintained hundreds of guns? When a Remington Rand needed a new slide, did the armorer actually look for a matching slide? I don't think so.

I'd love to have an all original, never issued, all correct 1911. But not only would I not put the money down for one, it wouldn't make me feel any different about the one I finally did get. Mine was made in 1943 and hung from American GI's holsters. It's not a reproduction. It's all I ever wanted or needed.

As for the market the CMP pistols are going to bring, I've already been offered $1500 for mine. I declined. And I'm never selling it anyway so who cares what the market brings? I definitely don't see it dropping in price, unlike what virtually every other gun does the second you take it out of the store.

 

[Gryff]

I am too old to become a collector and at first, I thought these were overpriced. Now that I see them pictured by new owners, I congratulate all of you on your wise purchase. Very reminiscent of mine in a shoulder holster as I climbed into a tank in the early 1960's.

I'm still of the opposite mindset. This would be a terrific piece at $500. A mix-master government 1911 just isn't a $1000 gun to me. I know that everyone compares them to the GI-issued guns already in circulation, but that doesn't factor in that the supply is about to increase by 85,000 pieces over the next few years.

I would jump on this if they treated them like they did the Garands (mix-master/decent shooter for sub-$700...at least until very recently). But at more than a grand, I applaud other people's happiness but clear as glass to me that I would be immeasurably disappointed.

 

[PJS50]

I'm still of the opposite mindset. This would be a terrific piece at $500. A mix-master government 1911 just isn't a $1000 gun to me. I know that everyone compares them to the GI-issued guns already in circulation, but that doesn't factor in that the supply is about to increase by 85,000 pieces over the next few years.

I would jump on this if they treated them like they did the Garands (mix-master/decent shooter for sub-$700...at least until very recently). But at more than a grand, I applaud other people's happiness but clear as glass to me that I would be immeasurably disappointed.

Gryff, as an owner of an 85%-90% deep/royal blued, completely "correct" 10,000 serial number range 1911 (not an A1), and nearly a dozen more 1911's of all different types, I can completely understand what you are saying. I've bypassed some beautiful "rebuilds" for what now seems to be a very reasonable $500 in the past too, just because that's not what I personally am into (I did not try and get in on the lottery for this latest CMP release either).

BUT, for guys which don't own a dozen 1911's, or for those who aren't collecting them for the reasons you and I apparently do, I say AWESOME!
Why? First of all, there is no such thing as a "bad" 1911! LoL...
Second, they can actually SHOOT theirs and not have to fret about loss of investment as much, if at all.
Third, there is no such thing as a "bad" 1911! LoL...

Nice Gun kbm6893! Oil that puppy up and shoot the snot out of it! That's what it's built for and that's why the design has lasted for over 100 years in the civilian and GI world!!!
Nice....

 

[BigBill]

If you really want a USGI 1911a1 from the lend lease, refurbed and sold to us go for it. Congrats.

I’m happy with the new USGI models.

 

[Trace]

CMP contact process

Since it has been brought up in the Forum and the discussion is out there, I haven't heard anything from CMP yet and still unsure of the process or if I'm out of the lottery. Looks like a few of you have been contacted. Has it been by email? If by phone, is it a robot call, my phone aborts them, or a real human? Thanks

 

[ek609]

1911A1

What number were you in the lottery? I am in the low 6000 and am being told it will be 60-90 days so I just want to know about where they are. Thanks
ek609

 

[kbm6893]

If you really want a USGI 1911a1 from the lend lease, refurbed and sold to us go for it. Congrats.

I’m happy with the new USGI models.

Except the new USGI models were never issued to GI's. If you're happy with a Brazillian or or Filipino made counterfeit, then go for it.

 

[kbm6893]

What number were you in the lottery? I am in the low 6000 and am being told it will be 60-90 days so I just want to know about where they are. Thanks
ek609

I was 2927. Check out the CMP forum. They're posting the progress.

 

[kbm6893]

Since it has been brought up in the Forum and the discussion is out there, I haven't heard anything from CMP yet and still unsure of the process or if I'm out of the lottery. Looks like a few of you have been contacted. Has it been by email? If by phone, is it a robot call, my phone aborts them, or a real human? Thanks

They call when they reach your number. 256 area code. Your random number in the lottery will be sent by email. It was two months after my email that I got called to pay for the gun. A week after the call, it was in my hands. They sent me an email on Tuesday saying it shipped and I had it on Wednesday.

 

[clem]

ser. num.

Your M1911 #1170249, was made by Colt in 1943. Serial number range; 1088725 - 1208673.

 

[charlie sherrill]

I received my lottery number (36XX) last Dec. 19. I haven't gotten the call yet. My son applied at the same time I did and he did not receive a number so we're guessing he's out. At the rate they're going I should hear from them in the next few days. We own three, two RR's, both RA and one original conditioned Ithaca that appears unissued. I haven't shot the Ithaca, have shot the RR's, and will shoot whatever comes from CMP. Clinton also shipped a lot of Winchester mod 97 shotguns to Camp Shelby, Ms. to be destroyed while he was in office. Nothing was salvaged from them, not even a handguard/bayonet lug.

 

[JH1951]

USGI 1911A1's are in the same boat as M1 Garands when it comes to "originality". They were built to have interchangeable parts for ease of repair in the field or depot. The vast majority of them have gone through at least one arsenal rebuild. Lots of folks strive to piece together what they consider an original configuration, and that's okay with me, but really, how many of these tools survived service/use/issue without receiving some service or replacement parts? Personally, I am quite happy with several rebuild 1911's and Garands in my possession..... they saw service and went back in the ring to do it all again. Honestly, I know of only one 1911A1 that was not refurbished - that's the one that the supply sergeant gave to my father as he was processing out at Camp Lee VA immediately following WWII. The balance remain in question to me. Don't get me wrong, I truly love my rebuilds ...... and the price on a nice rebuild on the open market is nothing to sneeze at these days (even before the CMP sales started).

 

[sigp220.45]

Very nice! I’m still waiting on my number - they are up to the 6000s now and they say they’ll only have about 6500 pistols for this year’s allottment, so it looks like next year is the soonest I’ll get my grubbies on one.