Post by CXM on Nov 9, 2018 8:47:52 GMT -5
A few days ago I acquired an early post WWII Colt's government model 45ACP. I was delighted to get the gun, though I paid a little more for it than I wanted to pay... still I'm pleased with the purchase.
So, with out getting too wordy, here is what I got...
The gun came in the original box, in a configuration I had never seen before.
I've included a ruler for scale...
The box is pretty pedestrian looking...
Colt's only used this box and label for about a year from what I can determine. I had never seen this sort of box before... it appears to be a standard WWII Kraft box as used for shipping government contract 1911 pistols. This is speculation, but I am guessing Colt's found some of these boxes is the back of a closet somewhere and decided to use them up... alternately, there may have been some sort of supply problem with the standard boxes they used. This of course is pure speculation... it may well be there was a different reason...
Likewise the metallic gold label is different from the yellow labels they used in later years... possibly that change was due to the higher cost of the metallic label.
So, whats in the box?
The box contains:
1. Anti-rust wrapping paper
2. Original bore brush in it's cardboard packaging
3. Original magazine
4. Glossy instruction sheet
5. Colt's Government model 45
The pistol was made in 1951 and has what appear to be 'Coltwood' grips. This is unusual, because 'Coltwood' (which was some sort of el cheapo com posit material. Most Colt's from the 50s and 60s that came with the 'Coltwood' grips have been fitted with new grips because the 'Coltwood' shrank badly and crumbled...
The story I got from the seller is that he bought the gun when as a young lieutenant in the Air Force he was being sent to Korea where the war was going hot and heavy. Apparently he didn't want to carry the WWII surplus 38 revolvers being issued at the time so he bought the 45... Pretty good move IMHO. Unfortunately, the seller also said the gun had no exciting stories attached to it other than a lot of people in his unit wanting to buy it. The pistol has some light holster wear as a result. It's very clear the pistol has been fired very little. I'm hopeful he can find the sales receipt which he indicated he thought he might still have.
I'd put the gun at about 95% original finish though I'm not very good at such things.
Another view...
Hope this is of interest...
V/r
Chuck
So, with out getting too wordy, here is what I got...
The gun came in the original box, in a configuration I had never seen before.
I've included a ruler for scale...
The box is pretty pedestrian looking...
Colt's only used this box and label for about a year from what I can determine. I had never seen this sort of box before... it appears to be a standard WWII Kraft box as used for shipping government contract 1911 pistols. This is speculation, but I am guessing Colt's found some of these boxes is the back of a closet somewhere and decided to use them up... alternately, there may have been some sort of supply problem with the standard boxes they used. This of course is pure speculation... it may well be there was a different reason...
Likewise the metallic gold label is different from the yellow labels they used in later years... possibly that change was due to the higher cost of the metallic label.
So, whats in the box?
The box contains:
1. Anti-rust wrapping paper
2. Original bore brush in it's cardboard packaging
3. Original magazine
4. Glossy instruction sheet
5. Colt's Government model 45
The pistol was made in 1951 and has what appear to be 'Coltwood' grips. This is unusual, because 'Coltwood' (which was some sort of el cheapo com posit material. Most Colt's from the 50s and 60s that came with the 'Coltwood' grips have been fitted with new grips because the 'Coltwood' shrank badly and crumbled...
The story I got from the seller is that he bought the gun when as a young lieutenant in the Air Force he was being sent to Korea where the war was going hot and heavy. Apparently he didn't want to carry the WWII surplus 38 revolvers being issued at the time so he bought the 45... Pretty good move IMHO. Unfortunately, the seller also said the gun had no exciting stories attached to it other than a lot of people in his unit wanting to buy it. The pistol has some light holster wear as a result. It's very clear the pistol has been fired very little. I'm hopeful he can find the sales receipt which he indicated he thought he might still have.
I'd put the gun at about 95% original finish though I'm not very good at such things.
Another view...
Hope this is of interest...
V/r
Chuck