New Addition - WWII Ithaca 1911A1

"Only In America"

Now that was truly inspiring and kinda choked me up.
A wonderful encounter of how a lasting and "true" friendship
can start and progress into something that touches the heart.

Maybe partly due to the time, place and circumstances
that we are living in, your story brings back to me memories
of growing up in small town, rural America in the 40s and 50s.
And about "AMERICAN VALUES".

Thank you Mr. Faulkner. Only In America.

Pete

p.s. That is one nice 1911A1. A treasure.
 
I was able to swing by the department range and shoot a few magazines through this fine firearm. Here's a view of the first 10 rounds I ran through it on the 15 yard line.

403816849.jpg
 
With a little practice, you might get all the accuracy out of the Old War Horse with a large one-ragged hole group.

Thank you for being a friend in deed to your neighbor. Can you share some of his stories?
 
A great story that did choke me up. Sir, you are a true American and having your son at your side is very inspiring. Thank you for your story and congrats on your new family member.
 
Very nice. Just proves what goes around
eventually comes around.
You are a very good neighbor to help
him out and with it being a Veteran
thats all the better.

Chuck
 
Update on Bob and I . . .

I took Bob to the sheriff's department shooting range not long ago so he could shoot a few guns from my collection for old times sake. He'd told me his primary firearm, besides the 1911, was a M1 carbine when he was an MP, but before that he carried a M1 rifle.

Bob had not shouldered either one for over 50 years and he had a blast. I was impressed that his older eyes still held a fine bead as he put the rounds downrange and even at 100 yards with the M1 rifle I could cover the holes in the target with the palm of my of my hand. We laughed when he mused that the Garand seemed heavier than he remembered, and the carbine seemed smaller, but he said the carbine was his favorite back in the day.

There were half a dozen co-workers at the range that morning doing some range time so I introduced Bob to the guys. Several of the deputies were sighting in new AR's and Bob commented that he'd never held one so the range instructor handed one off to him and another handed him a full magazine and fixed him up on the firing line. After giving him some familiarzation instructions, the range instructor declared the range hot and turned him loose. Bob fired off about 3 rounds, put the gun on safe, and turned around and asked if it was just a .22LR or what? We all laughed and so no, it's the real deal. He emptied that magazine and we handed him another . . . he was like a kid in a candy store.

When he finished and handed the AR back he shook hands all around and thanked the guys for letting him try out the "new hardware". The guys in turn thanked him for his service.

When we loaded up and got in the car to drive home he told me he'd not had that much fun in a loooong time.

404419788.jpg
 
Reading your story made my screen blurry for a second.

Guns are like mountains, nobody really owns them, we're just their caretakers for a while.

This statement by MOON DAWG really struck a chord with me.

Thank you for sharing.



 
You be a good caretaker of it until its time to pass it on to your 15 yr old who enjoyed Bob's stories. Then he will have memories of two good men when ever he picks that old .45 up.
 
Faulkner, You're a good man and a great neighbor. I am glad you reached out to the gentleman like you did and I know you will treasure his gift of the 1911 to you. I am also sure he values your friendship and kindness to him more than you can know. All my very best, Joe.
 
You need a picture of your son with your neighbor. It will give the gun a visual lineage he can pass down to his sons.
 
YUP!!

Joe Kent said:
Faulkner, You're a good man and a great neighbor. I am glad you reached out to the gentleman like you did and I know you will treasure his gift of the 1911 to you. I am also sure he values your friendship and kindness to him more than you can know. All my very best, Joe.
Click to expand...

Joe beat me to it and said it perfectly. Reminds me of my late neighbor, Bill. Gonna go get "his" Super BlackHawk 44 mag out of the safe and wipe it down.
 
Last edited:
My Ithaca is a 43 also..wonder why the serial numbers are so different? Maybe different companies made the frames? I think mine was a Colt frame with a Springfield barrel.

Ithaca1.jpg
 
GREAT story. I hope you wrote down some of the tales he told you. That Ithaca is really the icing on the cake of your relationship.

However, that is one VERY peculiar box of 45 ammo. All the ones I've seen have 10 rows of 5 rounds each, and the ends of the side fold-ins, go between he first 15 rounds on each side of the box. How is this box marked? Has anyone seen one like it?
 
Cyrano said:
GREAT story. I hope you wrote down some of the tales he told you. That Ithaca is really the icing on the cake of your relationship.

However, that is one VERY peculiar box of 45 ammo. All the ones I've seen have 10 rows of 5 rounds each, and the ends of the side fold-ins, go between he first 15 rounds on each side of the box. How is this box marked? Has anyone seen one like it?
Click to expand...

Obviously, the box is very old and has some kind of old tape on the top that obscures any markings. Here's a closer picture of what's in the box.

403885844.jpg
 
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...even got me a bit choked up on that one.

Few men in their lives are lucky enough to have that kind of bond of friendship.
 
Sip, those old GI 45's have been thru so many rebuilds that it is not uncommon to find one with mixed parts. If you have ever seen any pictures of the forward army ord. in WW11 they would field strip what ever type guns they were working on , but the parts thru survey, clean and then reassemble from the respective piles.
 
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