Gunshow Report...Pics...For Those Who Hate Gunshows

[semperfi71]

Went to the gunshow both Saturday and Sunday. Along with the jerky and scented candles I found the below Colt M1911 on Sunday. I do not know how it survived until Sunday.

I wanted the latest Colt M1911 1911 WMR Carbonia blue "repro".

Instead I bought a Colt 1911 Carbonia blue "original" made in 1914. A Commercial model.

It has almost no blue on the front and rear grip straps, replaced with gray and brown rust patina. The top has some spots of rust removed and wear. The sides have blue wear in the high points from holster carry. Otherwise the handgun has beautiful, high polish, carbonia blue throughout.

The slide and frame appear to have no issues. It hand-feeds jacketed semiwadcutters like it was made for them. I am waiting for a buffer to install and then will shoot it occasionally with reduced loads. And I found some modern made "loop-magazines" online for it as well.

It came with two ratty-lookin', half-blued magazines...

It was being sold from the estate of General Gordon Sumners Jr. Google him he was very interesting.

I post the price just to let those who don't like gunshows as an encouragement to go...$1200.00. I was told by two very knowledgeable 1911 collectors that I did good. I'm thinking I did good too..........

I'm thinkin' since Columbus, New Mexico is just down the road I'm gonna climb on my paint gelding with my Campaign Hat on and go even further south after Pancho Villa.

 

[ralph7]

Nice score!

What is stamped above the serial number on the right side?
At least it looks like lettering from here.

 

[UncleEd]

Aren't the half blue mags authentic for the period reflecting the method of heat treating them way back then?

Better consult a Colt expert (I love Colt 1911s but no expert) because the mags might actually be worth more than you think.

Don't discard them!

Oops, missed your smiley face with the comment on ratty looking mags.

 

[A10]

Yup....you did good!

 

[kennyb]

beautiful...congrats ! hard to beat a colt 1911 !!

 

[Grayfox]

Ya done good!

 

[rdcl]

Nice! Congrats.


Russ

 

[peterdeb]

Oh yeah!!! Love it, you did great, congrats.

 

[italiansport]

I always get a good chuckle about those that automatically put down gun shows. Yes unfortunately there is beef jerkey and Russian collectibles and a host of other bizarre products for sale but there are also still guns.
I rarely attend a show either as a vendor or a customer where I don't find a bargain of some sort.
jim

 

[Frank237]

I always say you have to PLAY to WIN. As muchof a waste of time thay can be...every once in a blue moon you find a sweet deal like Semperfi71 just did. Yeah it's tough wading through the low lifes and mouth breathers...but the price for the occasional "find".

Nice snag on the 1911!

 

[semperfi71]

Thanks for the nice comments.

Originally the metal-hardening processes were not up to snuff so they had to specially (somehow) harden the magazine lips AND put a keyhole shaped hole in the back of the magazine near the top to allow the fingers to flex.

Supposedly, very quickly, the keyhole was dropped but the "half-blue" magazines stayed in effect until the early 1920's (I think). These two magazines are original and a little bit finish challenged, but still good. Both are "two-tones".

The "lettering" above the serial number is: "GOVERNMENT MODEL".

I too am "down" about the quality of the local gunshows but its a fact of life now. However, as evidenced by my lucky break, there are collections out there to yet be unmasked.

 

[cemeteryman]

Wow. Incredible score. I am profoundly, profoundly envious!

 

[Waywatcher]

Posts like this I wish I could like more than once.

That is great!

 

[FPrice]

About the only gun I like better than a good, older S&W k-frame is an old Colt 1911/1911A1.

 

[bgrafsr]

Can we get a photo of the top of the barrel hood to see the stamping on it? Please? Great looking pistol. You did real well.

 

[tops]

Congratulations! That is a "real" 1911. Larry

 

[HalfStack]

That Colt's got character. Don't you do anything to it.

 

[semperfi71]

bgrafsr, thank you. I was lucky. I am surprised it lasted all day Saturday and until Sunday at about 10:00 A.M. when I bought it.

My camera will not allow a good photo. The top of the barrel has the top "o" of a stamped "P" located towards the front of the ejection port and centered on the barrel. I am not sure which "direction" the "P" was originally facing.

The rear of the barrel (the hood?) has no stamps.

The left side of the lug has a laying down "J".

No stamps on the other side of the lug and no stamps on the barrel forward of the lug.

Some online research indicated there "should" be stamps forward of the lug on the barrel and on the right side as well. It appears the "P's" were stamped in various locations on the top of the barrel depending on the barrel and who stamped it.

A knowledgeable 1911 collector said it is all original. It has been shot and carried quite a bit. This explains the partial "P" as there is wear in that area. The back of the hood seems to have had some sort of wear on it, so perhaps the traditional hood marking has been lost.

If you know more please advise as I am not that knowledgeable.

I joked with the collector and told him I was going to take it to a bumper shop down the road and have it chromed. But it is staying in its current shape and will never be inside a holster as long as I own it.

 

[DR505]

The magazines were dipped in a cyanide solution to harden the lips...that stripped away the bluing on the part of the mag that was dunked. I've got an old Super .38 1911 with such mags in the office vault, right next to the 1921/1928 re-stamp Thompsons.

 

[Edmo]

Sweet find!!

As they say, "If it ain't a Colt, it's a copy."

Edmo