1911 Colt

[Arty]

I believe a couple of you can help me with this. My grandpas .45 has been handed down to me. Growing up it was always referred to as "papaws colt"... But the slide says Ithaca. ?
Serial # is 145674x

Would like to know when, and if possible where it was made.

I know condition is very important as far as value goes (although I'd never part with it) but would like to get a ballpark on value.

[Niner]

I'm sure you already know this, but it could well be a "bring back" from "The Great War".

You can find out a lot about the 1911 at http://www.m1911.org/

Hope that helps a tad!

[Captain]

Everybody made the "Colt" 45's for the war. Even Singer sewing machine made them. The one you have is a very good....

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[jb]

Take some good pictures and then post them here. Tons of info.
http://forums.1911forum.com/index.php

[Thumper]

1943 ...

http://www.coolgunsite.com/pistols/colt%20production.htm

Also from the site:

Ithaca (M1911-A1):

Ithaca started production in December of 1942 and was the only established firearms company to produce 1911A1s other than Colt. The total number of pistols produced by Ithaca was 335,466. In early 1942 & 1943 Ithaca did not have all the equipment necessary to manufacture the components so they received parts from other contractors that included 6,200 WWI receivers that Springfield had in storage. These early Colt receivers (frames) can be quickly identified by the cut-outs under the stocks. Colt also supplied many of the small parts. Harry Howland of Ithaca designed a stamped trigger assembly that was approved by the Ordnance Department. This stamped trigger was fabricated by the Yawman Metal Products Co. of Rochester N.Y. and became known as the Yawman Trigger. The new trigger was adopted by all other pistol manufacturers by early 1943, except Colts who changed in April of 1944. Changing to the stamped trigger alone reduced the cost of the 1911A1 by about 5%. Later in the war Ithaca also designed a serrated Grooved hammer as a cost reduction but none of the other manufacturers adopted it. Ithaca pistols were probably the coarsest finished pistols of any 1911A1. This seems puzzling since they were previously a manufacturer of sporting shotguns and as such they must have appreciated the importance of cosmetic appearance.

http://www.coolgunsite.com/collectors_guide.htm

[jb]

Don't know all the info except that I do know Remington also made WII 1911's along with a few others.
Found this:
Colt, Remington Rand and Ithaca manufactured 1911A1s during WWII. There was a test contract for Singer: they are very rare and command thousands. Union Switch and Signal manufactured a few thousand: I forget the number. I believe Remington Rand made the most 1911A1s and Colt was the second leading producers.

[Captain]

"During the Second World War, the 1911A1 was made by a number of manufacturers (not all of them arms-makers) including Colt, Remington-Rand, Ithaca, Union Switch and Signal, and Singer. Guns produced during the WWII period are Parkerized and feature checkered brown plastic grips.

Read more: http://www.gunsandammo.com/2013/10/04/wwii-pistols-pacific-u-s-m1911a1-japanese-type-14-nambu/#ixzz2wWFDKVP8"

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[Arty]

Good info everybody. Thanks!