Colt .45 with capture papers
 

Ok guys, here's one for ya ! This past weekend, from a garage sale, was this .45 Colt, 1917 mfg. with WW2 capture papers. Why would we issue capture papers on a piece of our own equipment ? Was it because it wasn't issued for the 2nd WW and the SGT. wanted to bring it home ? Was it left in France after WW1 ? I belive there's several possibilitys.... The capture papers ( 2 ) both describe it as a French Remm pistol....... whatever that is.......

Myky@ctesc.net
www.relicsofthereichs.com

myky
Nice gun!
All of your theories sound correct. I am just wishing I could go to garage sales and find a WW1 Colt 45s with capture papers!

Bob

by saying French it enabled them to bring it home

It is a Govt Model, not a lot of them were bought for the gov't and could have been private issue. Yours was made in 1917

I have one I carry, it is nickle plated and from 1922.


Ed

The slide is marked "Colt Automatic Calibre 45"...I'm not into Gov't issued 45's (although I carried several in the Marines) but wouldn't this spelling indicate an export weapon???

No, it was spelled this way until 19xx (unsure of the year).


Ed

didn't the Lt. bother to look at the weapon before
 

issuing the papers??

The gun is a commercial model, not a US issued weapon, (see the "C" prefix to the serial number). This may have been a French officer's private purchase or simply a gun sold in Europe prior to ww2.
I agree that the Lt. probably fudged the "French" designation so that nobody would take the pistol from the GI thinking it was goverment property.

Hi Ed

According to Clawson, Colt changing the spelling from "Calibre" to "Caliber" in 1949.

regards

Vince

According to my references France purchased 5,000 commercial Colt 1911 .45 and the serial numbers range is C-17,000-C-28,000 and were shipped to France late November 1915 - late January 1916. Private purchase theory is as good as any.- Dave

What was the sale price??? :rolleyes:

The next time my sweetie wants to go to a garage sale I'm going too!! NICE FIND! Congratulations.

The gun was manufactured in 1917 and it also looks like the shorter grip safety of the 1911 was replaced with the longer grip safety of the A-1. Can't blame whoever made the swap. Getting bitten by the hammer on the web between the thumb and index finger hurts! Photos of the 1911 A-1 grip safety vs the 1911 below:

Guys........ all of you, thanks so much for your valued input !!! I am completely blank on the history of these pistols. Would it be feasable to get a letter from Colt ? It might give some insight to it's history...... And an answer to one question on the sale price...... $ 450.00.

God bless ! Myky

Well, congratulations, you stole this gun!
In its current, unaltered condition, (both trigger and grip safety are fairly easy to replace with originals), along with the very unusual capture papers this gun is worth 3 thousand and perhaps above.
The fact that it was produced as a commercial model in 1917, at the height of Goverment demand for 1911s makes it even rarer.
For a fee, Colt will research and send you a history of the gun.

Absoloutly get a Colt Factory Letter! Cost will be $100.00 and it is well worth it.

http://www.coltsmfg.com/CustomerServ...eServices.aspx

The correct grip safety and trigger should not require any hand fitting.

Regards,
Doug

Colt .45 with capture papers
 

Holy **** !! 3K ? You gotta be kidding ! Should I really change out the parts ? If so, where do I find them ? As I said, I'm completely blank on these pistols. And, I guess I'll go ahead and get a letter from Colt as I'd just like to know for my own edification. Bud........ you just made my day ! What a guy !!!!! THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!

God bless ! Myky

Trigger:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=242326856


Grip Safety:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=241507871 (The seller is wrong about the date of the changeover to the A1 longer grip safety. It was 1924 not 1945 but the safety looks right)

Hold on to the parts which you take out.

Regards,
Doug

Colt .45 with capture papers
 

Doug........ THANKS !!! As I said before..... YOU ARE THE MAN !
Myky

" One Hell Of A Garage Sale Find " All I see are plastic baby toys and old clothes

Colt .45 with capture papers
 

Yeah......... I know all about that........ been to enough of those. There was an ad in the paper saying WW2 items, nothing more. I expected US cloths, patches, etc. When I got there they hadn't put the stuff out yet, they were just opening up. I went inside and saw all that was there.

You lucky dog!!