Military 1911A1?

[Retired W4]

Because ALMOST all GI 1911A1's have been re-worked over the years since WW II the price of an unmolested example can be very high, like 2-3 G's and up. It takes a trained eye and knowledge of how and when certain markings, like serial numbers, etc. were applied during manufacture. Late war (1945) unissued/un-used guns with original finish and parts are out there. buyer beware.

 

[AJ]

Because ALMOST all GI 1911A1's have been re-worked over the years since WW II the price of an unmolested example can be very high, like 2-3 G's and up. It takes a trained eye and knowledge of how and when certain markings, like serial numbers, etc. were applied during manufacture. Late war (1945) unissued/un-used guns with original finish and parts are out there. buyer beware.

Have a friend that is a dealer in Colt pistols and especially M1911's & M1911A1's. The prices he realizes out of some will curl your toes. I helped the LGS verify a US&S M1911A1 as completely correct a while back (about 5 years ago) and it sold on Gunbroker for $5000.00 back then.

 

[glenncal1]

Do the US&S guns go so high just due to rarity or is there some other factor that influences the price?

 

[AJ]

Do the US&S guns go so high just due to rarity or is there some other factor that influences the price?

The gentleman that bought the gun lived in Swissville, Pa. Where they were manufactured. He may have had a connection to the gun somehow. The US&S M1911A1 were the second lowest production M1911A1's in WW II (55,000), only Singer's were less (500).

 

[Bo Rich]

After round Four the CMP will be close to have sold 50,000 1911/ 1911A1 pistols. This in fact that you were limited to one a lifetime up until last September when round four started. Now you are limited to two a lifetime, and cannot purchase more then one during a calender year. Whith this said I would say that the demand has been very high for these pistols. I believe that most folks who purhased from the CMP would buy another if they become available to them. It has been kinda of a fun thing following it through the CMP 1911 forum.

 

[AJ]

After round Four the CMP will be close to have sold 50,000 1911/ 1911A1 pistols. This in fact that you were limited to one a lifetime up until last September when round four started. Now you are limited to two a lifetime, and cannot purchase more then one during a calender year. Whith this said I would say that the demand has been very high for these pistols. I believe that most folks who purhased from the CMP would buy another if they become available to them. It has been kinda of a fun thing following it through the CMP 1911 forum.

Could you imagine what it would be like if the had them in the North & South stores like they did the Garands 20 years ago. Back then there were racks and racks of M1 Garands (and other long guns), for you to pick through and get what you wanted. I can imagine what the madhouse would be now if the pistols were sold that way.

 

[VaTom]

Because ALMOST all GI 1911A1's have been re-worked over the years since WW II the price of an unmolested example can be very high, like 2-3 G's and up. It takes a trained eye and knowledge of how and when certain markings, like serial numbers, etc. were applied during manufacture. Late war (1945) unissued/un-used guns with original finish and parts are out there. buyer beware.

^^^^Agree. The design/finish (serrated vs.crosshatched) of some small parts such as triggers, hammers, back straps, safety lever, changed throughout the production years to reduce cost and increase production. Must do your homework before buying an unmolested example. I have a 1943 Ithaca unmolested and would value it in the 2-3 G range.

 

[AJ]

^^^^Agree. The design/finish (serrated vs.crosshatched) of some small parts such as triggers, hammers, back straps, safety lever, changed throughout the production years to reduce cost and increase production. Must do your homework before buying an unmolested example. I have a 1943 Ithaca unmolested and would value it in the 2-3 G range.

I have 7 books on just the 1911's in my library that I use to evaluate M1911's and M1911A1's. The best are by Clawson. I still send pictures to my friend for his thoughts on the guns.

 

[Greyman50]

By chance you " can find" a decent 1911A-1 for less than $1,100.oo, " rots o ruck" is all I can say.
Look online and go to several decent gun shows and you will see.

 

[max]

You can buy a new GI style 1911 from a number of manufacturers. If you just want a 1911, that is what I would suggest. You will get a new gun with better sights on some models. I would not recommend the tiny GI style sights.

The 1911 I sometimes carried in Vietnam was at least 2 years older than I was and could have been much older. It was a mix of parts.

 

[Retired W4]

You can buy a new GI style 1911 from a number of manufacturers. If you just want a 1911, that is what I would suggest. You will get a new gun with better sights on some models. I would not recommend the tiny GI style sights.

The 1911 I sometimes carried in Vietnam was at least 2 years older than I was and could have been much older. It was a mix of parts.

We were issued the 38 M&P, unfortunately.

I wish all those would come out through CMP.

 

[AJ]

You can buy a new GI style 1911 from a number of manufacturers. If you just want a 1911, that is what I would suggest. You will get a new gun with better sights on some models. I would not recommend the tiny GI style sights.

The 1911 I sometimes carried in Vietnam was at least 2 years older than I was and could have been much older. It was a mix of parts.

I was on active duty for 24 years. Every M1911A1 that I carried and qualified with was older than I was by about 6 years at least. Still worked just fine.

 

[AJ]

We were issued the 38 M&P, unfortunately.

I wish all those would come out through CMP.

The S&W revolvers were issued to our aircrews. They did have the choice to carry M1911A1's or a personal weapon (handgun).

 

[Retired W4]

You can buy a new GI style 1911 from a number of manufacturers. If you just want a 1911, that is what I would suggest. You will get a new gun with better sights on some models. I would not recommend the tiny GI style sights.

The 1911 I sometimes carried in Vietnam was at least 2 years older than I was and could have been much older. It was a mix of parts.

The S&W revolvers were issued to our aircrews. They did have the choice to carry M1911A1's or a personal weapon (handgun).

As I remember, the reasoning for the Reg. was you were not allowed to carry in condition 1 and we would be too busy to chamber a round. I only shot my 38 out the door once. I don't really know the "why's" of the whole thing. They mostly came in handy down town.

 

[stu1ritter]

From Sept 1959 to Oct 1960 I was the Division small arms repairman for the 1st Cav, which at the time was a tank division so you can imagine how many 1911's there were. I worked on hundreds and hundreds of 1911's in that 13 months (along with a lot of grease guns and 50's) and I'd swear to the fact that not a one of them had a spec of blue on it. They were all bare metal. What a collection of clunkers at the time.

Stu

 

[BE Mike]

We were issued the 38 M&P, unfortunately.

I wish all those would come out through CMP.

Not genuine issue, but close to the last handgun I was issued in RVN in 1968. The one back then came brand spanking new in the box! One pilot in our unit stuck with the 1911a1 because he had carried one as a civilian! He said that he worked for a company repossessing things in Texas!

 

[AJ]

As I remember, the reasoning for the Reg. was you were not allowed to carry in condition 1 and we would be too busy to chamber a round. I only shot my 38 out the door once. I don't really know the "why's" of the whole thing. They mostly came in handy down town.

The last unit I was in where I was issued an M1911A1, we carried Condition 1 all the time when you were armed. I was in a F.A.S.T. unit out of Marine Corps Security Battalion Pacific.