Need advice on buying a Colt 1911A1

[Pecos Bill 1911]

My dad called me today and said that he can get a Colt 1911A1 marked US Property for $300. He says that it is in rough condition and has a lot of honest holster wear, but is not pitted or dinged-up. Dad says that the gun is blued and not parkerized. The guy who owns it says that it was always in that condition, since his dad brought it back from WWII. Should I tell my dad to buy it tomorrow or better to pass? Best Wishes! Pecos Bill out.

[cocked@locked]

Snatch it up right now, if the guy is sleeping wake him up, if hes dead revive him, what ever you do just get that colt and never look back, most colt1911a1s from world war two are up over the thousand dollar mark or more{ for certain manufacturers like union switch and signal and singer sewing machine there is no price, for they are that valuable, other manufacturers are remington,winchester,and about two or three more, if you knew the manufacturer or the markings on the pistol i would be able to give you a push in the right direction, but i would deffinitly grab that pistol, whats three hundred dollars, two me its less than a days pay, so its know sweat off my back, it is deffinitly a steal even in the condition you describe.

[ElConquistador]

That's like stealing it, the kind of find we all dream about. Seriously.

[Jim Watson]

Any functional USGI 1911A1 is worth double that.

But buy the gun, not the story, and look at it closely. There are a lot of USGI parts sets on aftermarket frames. A friend of mine had a gray market source of parts and put up a number of military-looking guns on Essex frames.

[Pecos Bill 1911]

To update my story - My dad called the guy later that evening, and someone had just told him that his Colt 1911A1 was worth around a grand or so. He then offered it to my dad for $850, and Dad passed. The serial # says that it was made in 1917. As far as I know, the guy still has it and plans to peddle it at next gun show. I did offer him $600, but the guy said no deal! I already own a couple and consider it no big loss. Best Wishes! Pecos Bill out.

[js1392]

To clear up some information that an earlier poster put out, Winchester never made a 1911. Remington UMC (maybe the point of confusion with Wincheter) made 21,000 or so in WWI. 1924 was the start of the transition to the A1 model. The big manufacturers of 1911A1s were Colt, Remington Rand, Ithaca, Union Switch & Signal, and of course the 500 that Singer(Sewing Machine) Mfg. made. The best advice I can give on U.S. Property marked 1911s and 1911A1s is to study and know what your looking at. $300 would've been a smoking deal on that one if you could've snagged it. $850 still might be alright, depending on whether or not it's been arsenal rebuilt. If it's worn, with no pitting, no rebuild, and has all of it's roll marks intact, then it's a steal at $850. Good luck.