Original Colt 1911 grips

[American1776]

Can someone offer some input about what the original 1911 grips looked like? Standard ww1 style? We’re they rosewood or walnut double diamonds? How dark? My Colt 1991a1 came with dark rosewoods, and I’d like to make this as close to original as possible

Thanks.

 

[824tsv]

Your pistol is the standard M1991 Series. The stocks basically look the same although maybe a bit lighter in colour. I like them.
Check the link to Colt's website for a pic of the 1991 Series:
Colt 1991(R) Series

 

[824tsv]

When you click on the link also click on the link to Model 01991. The picture looks identical to your's, so based on that I wouldn't be surprised if those stocks came on the pistol.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Originally, the Model 1911 pistols were fitted with walnut stocks checkered in the 'double diamond' pattern. Pistols produced by Colt used a specific checkering pattern (number of lines per inch, number of checkering lines between the diamonds), while pistols produced by Remington-UMC and by Springfield Armory used a slightly different checkering pattern. All of those early grips are eagerly sought by collectors and those attempting to restore early pistols to factory standard condition. A quick Google search will provide all the information you desire (and probably more than you really want to wade through).

About 15 years ago I came across an original set of Colt 1911 grips, still in the oiled paper wrapper, brand new and unused. Bidding went off the charts on eBay, and I ended up getting more for that set of grips than I have paid for quite a few of the 1911 pistols in my collection.

 

[DWalt]

Double diamond checkered wood grips were the original standard for the M1911, and they are hard to come by in high condition. I have a fairly nice original pair (dark walnut), except that some former owner crudely carved eight notches in the left panel. They always sort of gave me the creeps.

 

[shottist]

Google Rogers Guns and Grips. They have correct 1911 grips for both WW 1 and WW2

 

[BARgunner]

Here's a picture of my Model of 1911 U.S. ARMY produced in 1918. The wood is walnut. The grips looks about the same as what you have on your pistol except for lines of checkering between the diamonds. If I remember correctly, original Colt grips were made from walnut and had 15 lines of checkering between the diamonds.

 

[chief38]

Yours look to be period correct although I believe the originals were Walnut and had a duller finish. Yours sort of look like Rosewood, glossier and more finely finished.