1914 British-proofed Colt Government Model

varifleman · October 31, 2012, 11:46 AM

I'm posting for your viewing pleasure photos of my British-proofed Colt 1911 Government Model C-13731 made in 1914 and shipped to Colt's London Amoury Agency in late 1914 or 1915. This Colt was property of 1st Lt. G.C. Wilkins as written on the US Model 1912 Cavalry holster which accompanied the pistol. Wilkins graduated from Harvard in 1918 and pistol was apparently privately purchased sometime after shipment to London. I'm awaiting the Colt Archive letter for further shipping details and the Harvard Crimson for possible photo and more biographical details about 1st. Lt. Wilkins.

varifleman · October 31, 2012, 11:49 AM

a few more photos:

varifleman · October 31, 2012, 11:50 AM

a few more photos

varifleman · October 31, 2012, 11:52 AM

and a few more.

aarondhgraham · October 31, 2012, 11:58 AM

It's very cool that you know who originally owned it,,,
If you can establish a provenance with Colt & Harvard that will be even cooler.

Aarond

.

Mrgunsngear · October 31, 2012, 12:30 PM

Very nice. How does it shoot?

KyJim · November 2, 2012, 07:52 PM

Thanks for the photos. I'll be interested in the history of the gun and the man when you get it.

Walter · November 2, 2012, 08:08 PM

Very nice gun. And no idiot mark!

Walter

Hunter Customs · November 3, 2012, 08:10 AM

Very nice gun and holster, you have a treasure there.
Also great pictures, thanks for posting them.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

Pilot · November 4, 2012, 05:53 AM

That's a beautiful Colt.

Kreyzhorse · November 4, 2012, 06:59 AM

Nice. How did this gun end up in your hands? It's got one hell history and has certainly been cared for.

varifleman · March 26, 2013, 08:50 AM

The owner of this pistol was 1st Lt George Carl Wilkins, a 1918 Harvard University graduate. He entered Officers' Training Camp at Plattsburg NY in May 1917; commissioned 1st Lt Infantry August 15; assigned to 301st Machine Gun Battalion, 76th Division and sailed for France July 8, 1918. He was transferred to the 146th Machine Gun Battalion, 41st Division on November 9 1918 and returned to the U.S. on February 25, 1919. He transferred to the 153rd Depot Brigade, Camp Dix on 27February and was discharged on 25 May 1919. I bought this pistol from a previous owner not related to Wilkins.

Walt Sherrill · March 26, 2013, 09:08 AM

Someone asked, how does it shoot. I doubt that I'd shoot it, and I suspect the current owner won't either. This is a COLLECTOR'S weapon, and firing it runs the risk of damaging something that can't be shown to be original, if repaired or replaced, thereby damaging it's value.

I've heard, too, that some of the earliest versions were not heat-treated with the same quality as much later models, and that could be a concern. (1911Tuner knows a bit about these early models, so he may be able to clarify what may be a misunderstanding on my part.)

mwells72774 · March 26, 2013, 09:18 AM

Beautiful piece of history. Thanks for the gun ****.

varifleman · March 26, 2013, 12:48 PM

Hi Walt, you're right, this is definitely a collector pistol and I won't shoot it! The pistol shows minute muzzle wear but other than that doesn't look like it saw much use during WWI or later. I'll shoot my WWI Colt O1918 1911 re-issue and have shot my 1913 British-proofed .45 ACP Government Model pistol once just to see how it performed (still flawlessly after 100 years). I'll post photos later. I'm still awaiting the Colt Archives letter but it must have been one of the very first shipped to England in late 1913 or early 1914.

October 31, 2012, 11:58 AM	#5
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	Nice gun and holster set,,, It's very cool that you know who originally owned it,,, If you can establish a provenance with Colt & Harvard that will be even cooler. Aarond . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

October 31, 2012, 12:30 PM	#6
Mrgunsngear Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2011 Location: Carolina Posts: 3,415	Very nice. How does it shoot? __________________ Mrgunsngear Youtube Channel

November 4, 2012, 05:53 AM	#10
Pilot Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2000 Posts: 4,193	That's a beautiful Colt. __________________ Pilot

November 4, 2012, 06:59 AM	#11
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	Nice. How did this gun end up in your hands? It's got one hell history and has certainly been cared for. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

March 26, 2013, 08:50 AM	#12
varifleman Member Join Date: August 9, 2010 Posts: 70	The owner of this pistol was 1st Lt George Carl Wilkins, a 1918 Harvard University graduate. He entered Officers' Training Camp at Plattsburg NY in May 1917; commissioned 1st Lt Infantry August 15; assigned to 301st Machine Gun Battalion, 76th Division and sailed for France July 8, 1918. He was transferred to the 146th Machine Gun Battalion, 41st Division on November 9 1918 and returned to the U.S. on February 25, 1919. He transferred to the 153rd Depot Brigade, Camp Dix on 27February and was discharged on 25 May 1919. I bought this pistol from a previous owner not related to Wilkins. Last edited by varifleman; March 26, 2013 at 12:51 PM. Reason: add info

November 2, 2012, 07:52 PM	#7
KyJim Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2005 Location: The Bluegrass Posts: 9,142	Thanks for the photos. I'll be interested in the history of the gun and the man when you get it.

November 2, 2012, 08:08 PM	#8
Walter Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2004 Location: North Texas Posts: 641	Very nice gun. And no idiot mark! Walter

November 3, 2012, 08:10 AM	#9
Hunter Customs Senior Member Join Date: March 26, 2005 Location: Osborn, Missouri Posts: 2,697	Very nice gun and holster, you have a treasure there. Also great pictures, thanks for posting them. Best Regards Bob Hunter www.huntercustoms.com

March 26, 2013, 09:08 AM	#13
Walt Sherrill Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: Winston-Salem, NC USA Posts: 6,348	Someone asked, how does it shoot. I doubt that I'd shoot it, and I suspect the current owner won't either. This is a COLLECTOR'S weapon, and firing it runs the risk of damaging something that can't be shown to be original, if repaired or replaced, thereby damaging it's value. I've heard, too, that some of the earliest versions were not heat-treated with the same quality as much later models, and that could be a concern. (1911Tuner knows a bit about these early models, so he may be able to clarify what may be a misunderstanding on my part.)

March 26, 2013, 09:18 AM	#14
mwells72774 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2011 Posts: 325	Re: 1914 British-proofed Colt Government Model Beautiful piece of history. Thanks for the gun ****.

March 26, 2013, 12:48 PM	#15
varifleman Member Join Date: August 9, 2010 Posts: 70	Hi Walt, you're right, this is definitely a collector pistol and I won't shoot it! The pistol shows minute muzzle wear but other than that doesn't look like it saw much use during WWI or later. I'll shoot my WWI Colt O1918 1911 re-issue and have shot my 1913 British-proofed .45 ACP Government Model pistol once just to see how it performed (still flawlessly after 100 years). I'll post photos later. I'm still awaiting the Colt Archives letter but it must have been one of the very first shipped to England in late 1913 or early 1914.