America's Gun

[Amsdorf]

If any gun can claim to be "America's Gun" it is the 1911 .45ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol, developed by John Moses Browning, the 1911 has been on "active duty" now for over 100 years and still going strong. A gun safe without a 1911 is defective! I love my 1911s and enjoy shooting them. They may not be for everybody, but they sure are for me. I also enjoy my Glocks and polymer-framed handguns. Yes, you can enjoy both.

Here's a video I made on my Springfield Loaded.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtnpgqcf28c

[Cyberfly]

Gee, I dunno.
If I had to say 'America's Gun', I might would go with Samuel Colt's .45 wheel gun. Starting out as a black powder revolver and evolving into a cartridge pistol, it truly won the west. Still in production today under a different name, but using the same tools and dies, the .45 single action revolver has a growing list of enthusiasts and has been around a LOT longer than the 1911.
Can we really say that any ONE gun is 'America's Gun'?
If we did, would we hang that moniker on the 1911?
I'd be hard pressed to. But I'm sure there are many who would agree with you.

[panzermk2]

Here is one in my shop now. Works great just trying to identify it. Ithicas from 1945 like this one should not be blued. This one has complete pre WWII 1911 bluing job. The complete barrel is blued and all of the internals in every way have been. It was brought home from the war this way. There is a possibility it was a pre war 1911 old stock. The only part that is rough on this gun is the 1911A1 trigger finger reliefs. They look like pure hell and look like they where done with a hand file. Yet the rest of the gun is butter smooth. Even inside the slide has virtually NO HEAVY typical Colt machine marks.

It does not have the heart shaped frame cuts under the grip panels indicative of old stock Ithica rework though.

The bluing is stunning old school blue that you only get with arsenic bluing.

[flyingirish04]

That's a lend/lease gun Jay. The United State Property marking, and the bluing instead of parkerizing, and the restamping in different font and size of "US Army" after the US entered the war and repatriated a lot of lend/lease arms. That's how you know.

In that condition, it is easily worth $2000. There is a guy here in Fargo specializing in WWI and WWII weaponry that has one that is in a bit better that is asking $2600.

[panzermk2]

Damn that's makes sense since he got out around 58. Can you point me to more info on these?

Since the A1 frame cuts are so horrid vs. the rest of the gun could of this started life as a 1911 and then converted to A1 before being sent to the brits?

[flyingirish04]

That is how I understand it. Frame was retooled, grips replaced, and blue to Brit specs before being shipped over for them prior to our entrance into war. I will try and find some written info on it.

You may just want to call the guy directly. His shop is called Frontier Americana. It's in Fargo. Number is (701) 241-4440,

He will be able to tell you what it is exactly. But that is my best guess on it.