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1918 Vintage U.S. Military Colt 1911 Pistol w/ 1918-Dated U.S M1916 Holster ** WW1 Colt Rebuilt by Augusta Arsenal for WW2 ** SOLD Guns International #: 101283939 Seller's Inventory #: M19-1455 Category: Military Pistols - US - Colt Pistols - 1911 Pre-45 Seller's Information When emailing or calling sellers direct, please mention that you saw their listing on GunsInternational.com Seller: Antique & Modern Firearms, Inc. Company: Antique & Modern Firearms, Inc. Member Since: 4/27/15 State: Kentucky Zip: 40503 Country: United States Phone: (859) 276-1419 Fax: (859) 278-0838 Platinum Seller Number of Active Listings: 174 Total Number of Listings: 14957 Seller: FFL Dealer Return Policy: 3 day inspection and return policy on used guns. Payment Types Accepted: Visa,Master Card, Discover,Check Description: This is a very cool old warhorse Colt 1911 that served the U.S. Military in both World War 1 and World War 2.  Originally built in 1918 by Colt, this 1911 pistol would have served in the latter stages of World War 1 before serving during the inter-war years in the 1920's and 1930's.  With the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1939 the U.S. found itself directly involved in World War 2, and the subsequent high demand for small arms by the U.S. Military put a huge strain on the supply system in place.  There were simply not enough of the 1911A1's being made at Colt, Remington Rand, Ithaca, etc., to keep up with demand, so the U.S. Military sent all the available WW1-vintage 1911 model pistols that were in storage out to government arsenals to be rebuilt/refurbed and then issued to combat troops.  They continued to do this throughout the war with any un-issued, damaged, or worn pistol in inventory.  This particular Colt 1911 went to Augusta Arsenal in Georgia for a rebuild before serving in WW2, and it comes complete with an original "J.J.M." 1918-dated WW1 M1916 holster.  At Augusta Arsenal the barrel, hammer, and grips were replaced with 1940's parts, likely because they showed wear or damage.  The original "Black Army" finish was then re-finished with the standard U.S. Arsenal-applied parkerized finish, and the gun was stamped with the arsenal's initials "A.A." on the left side of the frame just ahead of the slide stop lever.  As you can see from the pictures, the gun has a great "combat used" look to it with a nice even patina showing on all of the metal parts.  The U.S. Arsenal-applied parkerized finish shows some high-edge and holster wear, typical of a pistol that was carried a lot in combat.  Most of this wear is concentrated on the leading edges of the slide and the underside of the forward section of the frame.  The barrel in this Colt is a Flannery Bolt Company barrel, a WW2 contract barrel commonly used in these rebuilds.  The bore is excellent, bright and shiny with sharp rifling throughout, with no pitting, erosion, or visible imperfections.  The WW2 production checkered brown plastic replacement grips on this Colt are in very good condition, free from any cracks, chips, or repairs.  Both sides are tight to the gun and show only minor handling marks/wear.  All of the controls on this Colt are in perfect working order, and the slide to frame fit is excellent.  The slide moves smoothly when worked by hand and locks into battery perfectly.  This Colt 1911 should function just as well today as it did 101 years ago when it was originally built.  This pistol comes with one original WW1-production 7-round "lanyard loop" magazine (also arsenal refinished).  The original WW1 U.S.G.I. M1916 holster that this Colt comes with is in good condition overall.  It is stamped on the front with the maker's mark and date, "J.J.M. 1918".  It shows some minor carry wear/handling marks and the wire hanger is missing, but the leather is still soft, flexible, and attractive.  The holster is a very pleasing brown color all the way around, and it is free from any soiling or bad stains.  As you can see from the picture of the back of the holster, the belt loop area shows the most wear giving the leather a slight shine from rubbing on clothing.  All of the stitching is original, intact, and tight except for one small 1/2 inch spot below the lower rivet on the right side rear.  This should not cause any issues whatsoever as the rivet holds this area and will revent the stitching from coming out any further.  All 4 of the original brass rivets are intact, the original brass liners on the drain holes are intact, and the original brass stud that holds the top closed is intact and tight.  This is a very neat U.S. Military Colt 1911 pistol rig that has likely witnessed a great deal of history thru two world wars.  If you have been looking for an original U.S. Military 1911 for your collection that looks like it has actually seen combat (likely in 2 wars!), this 1918 production Colt would be a great choice.  SOLD Curio/Relic: Yes Manufacturer: Colt Model: 1911 (WW2-period Augusta Arsenal Rebuild) Serial Number: 429351 Caliber Info: .45 ACP Bore: Excellent Condition: Good Manufacture Date: 1918 Extras: Original WW2 M1916 Holster