Leave it as is, consider it lessons learned.
Carry the Wilson and take this one to the range once a year on his birthday.
Carry the Wilson and take this one to the range once a year on his birthday.
What to do with this 1911?
5
Many moons ago when I was 15 years old, my grandfather gave me his Colt 1911 before he passed. He carried this 1911 ever since the war. When he gave it to me, he told me that this gun saved his life on more than one occasion. And if he didn't have it, I probably wouldn't be here today.
Anyway, when he gave me the pistol at 15, I was always out in the back yard shooting it. Grandpa would always visit bearing gifts, usually ammo for me.
This was my first handgun, I had a .22 Ruger revolver but I don't think that counts. About a year later, I had an AD with the weapon. I put a magazine in, pulled back on the slide, and released it. Upon releasing it, a round chambered and the hammer fell. Blew a hole in my floor. Is the pistol too old to continue to use it at the range? I love shooting it, it reminds me so much of the times I had with my grandfather.
So, I did some research to see if I could fix the problem myself (I wanted to learn). I all ready knew how to field strip it. I was so young at the time I didn't realize a few things. I didn't realize that drop in parts often needed some fitting. I bought some new internal pieces from Wilson, didn't work. I must have spent days trying to figure out what the problem was. My stupid ass scratched it in a few places around the trigger. And if the pistol is valuable, should I try and repair the scratches? Can they be repaired? Will refinishing the frame cause it to lose more value?
Since I couldn't fix it, my friend who is a LEO took it from me to have his smith fix it. He replaced a lot of parts, and it works just like it used to. Perfect. Now I'm wondering, should I keep it as is....or put it all back to stock/original where the hammer falls? I'm older now and realize that this pistol could be worth a pretty penny. So does it go in the display case....or does it come with me to the range. I want to keep my word to my grandfather and carry his 1911, but I think he'll be fine knowing I replaced it with a Wilson. Here are some pics...
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Anyway, when he gave me the pistol at 15, I was always out in the back yard shooting it. Grandpa would always visit bearing gifts, usually ammo for me.
This was my first handgun, I had a .22 Ruger revolver but I don't think that counts. About a year later, I had an AD with the weapon. I put a magazine in, pulled back on the slide, and released it. Upon releasing it, a round chambered and the hammer fell. Blew a hole in my floor. Is the pistol too old to continue to use it at the range? I love shooting it, it reminds me so much of the times I had with my grandfather.
So, I did some research to see if I could fix the problem myself (I wanted to learn). I all ready knew how to field strip it. I was so young at the time I didn't realize a few things. I didn't realize that drop in parts often needed some fitting. I bought some new internal pieces from Wilson, didn't work. I must have spent days trying to figure out what the problem was. My stupid ass scratched it in a few places around the trigger. And if the pistol is valuable, should I try and repair the scratches? Can they be repaired? Will refinishing the frame cause it to lose more value?
Since I couldn't fix it, my friend who is a LEO took it from me to have his smith fix it. He replaced a lot of parts, and it works just like it used to. Perfect. Now I'm wondering, should I keep it as is....or put it all back to stock/original where the hammer falls? I'm older now and realize that this pistol could be worth a pretty penny. So does it go in the display case....or does it come with me to the range. I want to keep my word to my grandfather and carry his 1911, but I think he'll be fine knowing I replaced it with a Wilson. Here are some pics...
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I know little to nothing about old Colts and their collector value
I do know by looking at the frame by the trigger area, it's an old one from the WWI era or shortly after.
I'm also guessing that given it's finish condition relative to it's age, it's been refinished.
that has made it lose a ton of collector value
personally, I probably wouldn't shoot it much, if at all.
I'd also put an original parts* on it.
*Not the original dangerous worn out parts, but original parts for the year model.
If you can afford a Wilson, you probably don't need to sell your Grand Pappy's pistol for lunch money
(or maybe you do cause you spent too much money on a Wilson:rofl
never the less, if it were mine, it would be in original condition and a display/sentimental piece.
not a carry, nor a shooter
..L.T.A.
I do know by looking at the frame by the trigger area, it's an old one from the WWI era or shortly after.
I'm also guessing that given it's finish condition relative to it's age, it's been refinished.
that has made it lose a ton of collector value
personally, I probably wouldn't shoot it much, if at all.
I'd also put an original parts* on it.
*Not the original dangerous worn out parts, but original parts for the year model.
If you can afford a Wilson, you probably don't need to sell your Grand Pappy's pistol for lunch money
(or maybe you do cause you spent too much money on a Wilson:rofl
never the less, if it were mine, it would be in original condition and a display/sentimental piece.
not a carry, nor a shooter
..L.T.A.
Very nice my friend:supergrin:
:supergrin:
Try this on for size.
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Personally, I would return it to the original configuration. That means putting the original grips back on it too. That is a beautiful early model Colt 1911. I would not "Bubba" it up for any reason. I have one that is not that pretty, but it shoots great.
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I'll try to help as much as I can. Looks like it was built in 1918 from the ser no. It may not have been refinished. Should be brushed blue with small parts matching the blue. Yours looks refinished but I could be wrong. The blue back then was not as tough and you couldn't carry it in a leather holster and not have wear on at least the high spots.
Hammer, grip safety, trigger, slide stop are not Org. Sounds like you may have those parts though. The kicker is the barrel, it should have an H and a P as such
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For your hammer follow you could have a good gunsmith true up the sear and hammer hooks if they are not too bad.
It woudl be worth it to put it back even if refinished.
Hammer, grip safety, trigger, slide stop are not Org. Sounds like you may have those parts though. The kicker is the barrel, it should have an H and a P as such
For your hammer follow you could have a good gunsmith true up the sear and hammer hooks if they are not too bad.
It woudl be worth it to put it back even if refinished.
Thanks for the help. There are some markings on the barrel, 2 of them. One does look like an H, and I'm guessing the other is a P that you mentioned. All the small parts match the finish of the slide and frame. Here is a pic close up of the barrel...I'll try to help as much as I can. Looks like it was built in 1918 from the ser no. It may not have been refinished. Should be brushed blue with small parts matching the blue. Yours looks refinished but I could be wrong. The blue back then was not as tough and you couldn't carry it in a leather holster and not have wear on at least the high spots.
Hammer, grip safety, trigger, slide stop are not Org. Sounds like you may have those parts though. The kicker is the barrel, it should have an H and a P as such
![]()
For your hammer follow you could have a good gunsmith true up the sear and hammer hooks if they are not too bad.
It woudl be worth it to put it back even if refinished.
1 - 20 of 28 Posts
