The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Handguns: The Semi-automatic Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old August 16, 2018, 10:45 AM   #1
Me2358
Junior Member
 
Join Date: August 15, 2018
Posts: 3
Colt slide marked 1911A

I have a Colt parkerized slide marked 1911A US ARMY, can anyone tell me what I have? Someone suggested that it is a 1937 arsenal transitional arsenal slide.
Me2358 is offline  
Old August 16, 2018, 11:11 AM   #2
shootsocal_dave
Junior Member
 
Join Date: August 8, 2018
Posts: 6
Photos will most certainly help. Any marks on top? whats the SN on the back where the trigger would strike?
shootsocal_dave is offline  
Old August 16, 2018, 04:43 PM   #3
RickB
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 1, 2000
Location: Boise, ID
Posts: 8,511
1911A1 U.S. ARMY?

I think that would be a 1920s 1911/1911A1 transition slide?

1911A U.S. ARMY would be a fake 1920s 1911/1911A1 transition slide.

EDIT: '20s transition guns still had M1911 on the slide, so agree with above, early, in terms of serial number range, M1911A1.
__________________
Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

Last edited by RickB; August 16, 2018 at 04:48 PM.
RickB is offline  
Old August 16, 2018, 06:47 PM   #4
Me2358
Junior Member
 
Join Date: August 15, 2018
Posts: 3
1911a photos

attached are the photos of the slide, purchased from the estate of a bird colonel, lightly parkerized.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 1911aslide.jpg (179.2 KB, 83 views)
File Type: jpg 1911aslide2.jpg (235.7 KB, 71 views)
Me2358 is offline  
Old August 17, 2018, 09:54 AM   #5
44 AMP
Staff
 
Join Date: March 11, 2006
Location: Upper US
Posts: 28,677
Slide made after the adoption of the 1911A1 (early 20s), Colt marked, parkerized, standard slide made by Colt,for the Army, used through the entire service life of the 1911A1 pistol.

It could have "left the service" at any time since it was made, or it could have been on a pistol, or in an Army parts drawer until the 80s, or even longer. the only thing I can saw with certainty is that it was made before the end of the GI contracts in 1945.
__________________
All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.
44 AMP is offline  
Old August 17, 2018, 10:11 AM   #6
RickB
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 1, 2000
Location: Boise, ID
Posts: 8,511
The slide has the distinct heat-treat line at the front, and I don't think slides were still being marked on the right side at that time; if it's a '41 or later Colt military slide, it will have a serial number surrounding the hole for the firing pin.
__________________
Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.
RickB is offline  
Old August 17, 2018, 01:48 PM   #7
Me2358
Junior Member
 
Join Date: August 15, 2018
Posts: 3
No numbers near firing pin housing.
Me2358 is offline  
Old August 17, 2018, 02:35 PM   #8
RickB
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 1, 2000
Location: Boise, ID
Posts: 8,511
Hard to say what it is.
The "M 1911A" marking shouldn't be an authentic rollmark; early M1911A1s were marked "M 1911 A1 U.S. ARMY".
An M1911A1 slide early enough to have markings on the right side would be blued, not parkerized.
The spot hardening of the front ~inch of the slide started in 1941, so, again, there shouldn't be a rollmark on the right side of a '41 slide, and a G.I. slide from '41 should have a serial number in the 700k range.
The left side looks "correct", so it might be a later Colt slide, after they stopped applying serial numbers, made to look like a refinished early slide?

Colt used two or four different "rampant colt" markings, some fat, some thin, differing mane, etc., during M1911A1 production, so you might be able to match the specific style of your horse to production range that could help date it.
Check out coolgunsite.com
__________________
Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.
RickB is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:18 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.04990 seconds with 9 queries