Ithaca 1911 from WWII!

[Vultite]

Hey everyone, I was lucky enough to come across this deal and I couldn't say no. This old gentlemen was getting ready to take out a generic classified ad in the paper to sell his guns when he approached me in the ammo section of Walmart asking if I wanted to buy any of his guns. VERY skeptical of what he was offering, I decided to take a peek at what he had. Man, I was floored when I saw this gun...Pretty pristine Ithaca 1911, and from what I've been able to find it was manufactured in 1942. The guy even had a field manual that dated 1940! Pretty cool find I think and I did shoot the gun (one mag only in the video).

WWII Ithaca 1911 video (First look and shoot) - YouTube

 

[Texas Star]

I much enjoyed your video,but as you probably know, this is is NOT truly a M-1911. Ithaca made only M-1911A-1's. That's an IMPORTANT difference. The 1911 was not made after about 1925.

I've read that many of the Ithaca production went to the UK and Commonwealth, but all of the .45 autos with British proof marks I've seen have been genuine Colts. Certainly , the early ones were Colt, as Churchill specified those for his newly formed Commando units as early as 1940. He liked the .45 auto himself, and owned two. I'm sure he knew it was far more lethal than the issued .38-200 revolvers, and quicker to reload in the heat of battle.
I've seen a few Ithacas. They were more roughly made than Colts, but not necessarily worse than some Rem-Rands.

If I may tactfully make a suggestion, your video will appear more professional if you mark the place in a book before trying to find a page in it on camera. Most videos are very amateur-looking, and you can improve yours by thinking of such obvious steps. It is otherwise much better than most.

 

[Rule3]

Very very nice!

Similar occurrence at the LGS the other day. A elderly guy came in to the shop with a SA 1911 about like yours (yours may be a little better condition) Shop owner asked what he wanted. (was to low) but that's what he said, so the shop handed him the money and that was that. Probably made over 2K on that exchange A real piece of history.

Again, yours seems to be in better shape and a not often seen Ithaca. Most Excellent!

 

[Lee Barner]

very nice find. you're not going to hurt it shooting it. thanks for sharing. i've got two ithacas, one first contract and one last contract. i've attached a picture of the slide of the early one, #870066 showing the crude machining on the earlier guns. lee

 

[chief38]

Very nice gun and from watching your video I'll take it you paid less than $1,000.00 - bravo!

I own both a WWll Colt and a Remington Rand and shoot them all the time with no ill effects what so ever. The cool part is I also have a period correct Colt .22 conversion kit for the Colt that functions perfectly. Enjoy!

Chief38

 

[BearBio]

I've shown this one before. From a local vet: 1943, Iwo Jima bring back. Vet got a battlefield condition. Gun has blood pits about where the ejector port starts.

 

[Thuer]

Ithaca model1911 A 1 pistols where used by the Dutch resistance during WWII.
The pistols where dropped in containers with other useful things.

 

[Cyrano]

I'm glad I never got a battlefield condition when I was in RVN.

Yeah, I know..... wise guy.

 

[DWalt]

Regarding nomenclature - The Model 1911 (in .45 ACP only) is correct until after WWI. A few design changes (mostly minor improvements) were made in the 1920s, and the military designation was changed to 1911A1, where it stayed until displaced in US military service by the Beretta M9 in the later 1980s. The commercial model is usually called the Government Model or GM, and was made in several calibers. As all three are essentially the same pistol, at least mechanically, and parts will fully interchange among them (at least those in .45 ACP), I have no quarrel with any of them being referred to generically as 1911s. Purists sometimes take offense at this.

Note that some British contract Colt 1911s were made in Calibre .455 Automatic (and so marked) during WWI, but I don't think the British called them Model 1911s. Beyond the caliber, differences between the .45 ACP and .455 versions were minimal, and many of the latter were converted to the former by a barrel change and a little judicious fitting.

 

[Texas Star]

DWalt-


Those .455 autos were commercial Govt. Models, and the Brits woudn't have called them M-1911, anyway.

They also bought some in .45ACP, at least as private officer purchases. Churchill got one about 1915 and still carried it sometimes in WW II.

The .38 Super has always been called that, not the Govt. Model, which was always a .45. But I think the relatively few in 9mm were all in the Commander series. ?? Anyone seen a full length Govt. Model in 9mm?

BTW, in 1951, Colt presented a .45 Commander to Churchill. This was probably to express thanks for his insisting that his Commandos adopt the Colt .45 auto, and getting them for some paratroopers and other special troops.

 

[Vultite]

Alright, so after a little more looking I have conflicting reports between an old book saying it was 1942 production, and NRA museum saying it's 1943. Either way, I'm happy with it. Thanks for the comments

 

[Xfuzz]

Bear,
That set-up is FINE.....