Military Versions from 1912 to 1945.
Manufacturer/Serial Number/Date Made
Beginning of M1911:
1) Colt: S/N 1 to 3190 = April 16, 1912 to May 31, 1912
2) Colt: S/N 3190 to 7501 = May 31, 1912 to Oct. 10,
1912
(S/N 3501 to 3799 were first U.S.M.C. pistols made by Colt
delivered June 6, 1912.)
3) Colt: S/N 7501 to (approximately) 20,000 = Oct. 10,
1912 to Jan. 1913
4) Colt: S/N (approx.) 20,000 to 83,856 = Jan. 1913 to
Aug. 19, 1913
S/N 38,001 to 43,900 Navy Model (USS New York) = March 9,
1912 to March 5, 1915
S/N 43,901 to 44,000 Navy Model (USS Texas) = March 9, 1912
to March 5, 1915
S/N 36,401 to 37,650 U.S.M.C. Model made by Colt = July 9,
1913
5) Colt: S/N 83,856 to 89,801 = Aug. 19, 1913 to July
20, 1914
(S/N 83,901 to 84,400 U.S.M.C. Model = May 12, 1914)
6) Colt: S/N 89,801 to 108,601 = July 20, 1914 to Feb.
8, 1915
(S/N 96,001 to 97,537 Navy Model (U.S. Navy Yard, Brooklyn,
N.Y.) = March 9,
1912 to March 5, 1915)
7) Colt: S/N 108,601 to 290,000 = Feb. 8, 1915 to May,
1918
(S/N 109,501 to 110,000 Navy Model, S/N 223,953 to 223,991
Navy Model,
S/N 232,001 to 233,600 Navy Model)
(S/N 151,187 to 151,986 U.S.M.C. Model, S/N 185,801 to
186,201 U.S.M.C. Model,
S/N 209,587 to 210,386 U.S.M.C. Model, S/N 215,387 to
217,386 U.S.M.C. Model)
8) Colt/Springfield: S/N 128,617 to 133,186 = 1916 to
1924 ( These models are
very hard to properly identify)
9) Colt: S/N 290,000 to 450,000 = May, 1918 to Oct. 24,
1918
10) Colt: S/N 450,000 to 629,500 = Oct. 24, 1918 to April 10,
1919
11) Springfield Armory: S/N 72,571 to 133,186 = April 1914 to
April, 1917
12) Remington-UMC: S/N 1 to 15,000 = Aug. 10, 1918 to May 24,
1919
13) Remington-UMC: S/N 15,000 to 21,676 = Aug. 10, 1918 to
May 24, 1919
14) North American Arms: S/N 1 to 100 &
S/N's 111, 222, 333, 444, 555 =
July 1, 1918
to Dec. 4, 1918. They are very
rare and rank in value with Singer models.
( None of these were reported shipped to any branch of the
military but about 100
regular models and about 5 presentation models were
manufactured in Quebec,
Canada by the North American Arms Company, Ltd.)
15) A. J. Savage Munitions Co. was issued a contract on July 20, 1918 and canceled on
Dec. 4, 1918. Some parts were made but no complete pistols.
It is unknown for sure
if any slides were made and no frames were made.
Beginning of M1911A1:
14) Colt ( Transition Models): S/N 700,000 to 710,000 = 1924
15) Colt: S/N 710,001 to 711,000 = Early 1937
16) Colt: S/N 711,001 to 712,350 = Mid to Late 1937
17) Colt: S/N 712,350 to 713,645 = 1938
18)Colt: S/N 713,646 to 717,281 = 1939
Begining in 1940, the slide's muzzel end was hardened after the finish was applied but a
color mis-match was suppose to be rejected.
From 1942 to 1945 all 1911A1 pistols should show a slight to very noticed mismatch of
coloring on the muzzle end of slide, and from 1943 the slide lock notch area should also
show some discoloration from hardening after the pistol's finish was applied.
19) Colt: S/N 717,282 to 721,977 = 1940
20) Colt: S/N 721,977 to 756,733 = 1941
21) Colt: S/N 756,734 to 857,000 = 1942 (S/N's 856,405 to
916,404 were also
duplicated by Ithaca but will have "F.J.A."
Ithaca inspection initials.)
22) Colt: S/N 857,000 to 1,609,529 = 1943 (S/N's 856,405 to
916,404 were
duplicated by Ithaca look for "F.J.A."
Ithaca inspection initials. S/N's 1,041,405 to
1,096,404 were duplicated by Union Switch &
Signal. Look for "RCD" US&S
inspection initials.)
23) Colt: (Commercial/Military Model) S/N 857,000 to 1,609,529
= 1943
(approx. 6,575 Commercial models were converted to
military production.
Colt stop it's commercial production at S/N C215,083)
24) Colt: S/N 1,609,529 to 1,743,846 = 1944
25) Colt: S/N 2,244,804 to 2,380,013 = 1945
26) Remington Rand: S/N 916,405 to 955,000 = 1943
27) Remington Rand: S/N 955,001 to 980,000 = 1943
28) Remington Rand: S/N 980,001 to 995,000 = 1943
29) Remington Rand: S/N 995,000 to 1,041,404 = 1943
30) Remington Rand: S/N 1,279,699 to
1,441,430 = 1943
31) Remington Rand: S/N 1,471,431 to
1,609,528 = 1943
32) Remington Rand: S/N 1,743,847 to
1,816,641 = 1944
33) Remington Rand: S/N 1,890,504 to
2,075,103 = 1944
34) Remington Rand: S/N 2,134,404 to
2,244,803 = 1945
35) Remington Rand: S/N 2,380,014 to
2,619,013 = 1945
36) Ithaca: S/N 856,405 to 900,000 = 1943 ( S/N's 856,101 to 958,100 were duplicated by
Colt, look for "G.H.D." or "W.B."
Colt inspection initials.)
37) Ithaca: S/N 900,001 to 914,000 = 1943
38) Ithaca: S/N 914,000 to 916,404 = 1943
39) Ithaca: S/N 1,208,674 to 1,279,673 = 1943
40) Ithaca: S/N 1,441,431 to 1,471,430 = 1943
41) Ithaca: S/N 1,816,642 to 1,890,503 = 1944
42) Ithaca: S/N 2,075,104 to 2,134,403 = 1945
43) Ithaca: S/N 2,619,014 to 2,693,613 = 1945
44) Singer: S/N S800001 to S800500 = 1941 ( Use great care in evaluating these. They
are very rare and valuable. This pistol is also
counterfeited the most.)
Slide markings are: S. MFG.
CO. ELIZABETH,N.J., U.S.A.
45) Union Switch & Signal: S/N
1,041,405 to 1,060,000 = 1943
46) Union Switch & Signal: S/N
1,060,000 to 1,096,404 = 1943 (S/N's 1,088,726 to
1,092,896 were duplicated by Colt. Look for
"G.H.D." or "W.B." Colt inspection
initials.)
Special Versions:
1) Springfield Armory: U.S. ARMY NATIONAL MATCH = 1954 to 1967 (Very hard to
identify. Early 1954 models looked like regular 1911A1 and later
versions usually had
adjustable sights.)
2) U.S. AIR FORCE MATCH = 1958 to 1970 ( Produced by U.S.A.F. Gunsmiths.
Very hard to identify except should have AFPG stamped on frame. A M1911A1
similar to Army National Match.)
3) Colt "ACE": Caliber = .22 Long Rifle S/N 1 to 10,935 =
April 1931 to July 1941
(The last 190 or so were assembled from spare parts in 1947)
Parts only partially
interchangable with a .45 caliber M1911A1 pistol.
4) Colt Service Model "ACE" : Caliber .22 Long Rifle S/N
SM 1 to SM 3,836 = Feb.
1936 to Jan. 1943 ( Between 1935 and Sept. 1945, 11,961 Colt Service
Model "ACE"
pistols were made and their parts were fully interchangable with the
.45 caliber
M1911A1.
5) Colt Service Model "ACE" : S/N SM 3846 to SM 13,803 = April 1945 to Sept. 1945
( Between 1938 and Oct. 1946, a total of 2149 .22-.45 conversion units
were made
to convert .45 caliber pistols to .22 caliber. They were: S/N U1 to U2670. From 1938
to 1940, .45-.22 conversion units were made to convert Service
Model "ACE" .22
caliber pistols to .45 ACP. They were: S/N
U1 to U112.)
Foreign Service Models:
1) Colt M1911 Canadian Contract: S/N C5400 to C16599 = Sept. to Nov., 1914 ( Only
5000 pistols in this serial number range were shipped to Canada.)
Caliber .45 ACP
2) Colt M1911A1 Canadian Contract: S/N
930,000 to 936,000 = 1943 ( 1,515 military
model pistols were shipped to Canada through the
Lend-Leased Act from this serial
number range.) Caliber .45 ACP
3) Colt M1911 British Contract: S/N W29117 to W97000 and S/N C29 to C74,200 =
May 1912 to April 1919 (Approx. 17,500 pistols were
shipped to England. Serial
numbers that begin with a "C" were .45 ACP and serial
numbers that begin with a
"W" were .455 Webley calibers.
4) Colt M1911 British RAF Contract: S/N
W91,100 to W110,696 = Jan. 22, 1918 to
April 28, 1919 (Approx. 10,000 pistols were shipped to the Royal
Air Force from this
serial number range and were .455 Webley caliber.)
5) British M1911A1 WW II Lend-Lease: From
all S/N's of U.S. M1911A1 models =
March 11, 1941 through the rest of
WW II ( The U.S. furnished
39,592 pistols to
Britain through the Lend-Lease Act.)
6) Colt M1911 Russian Contract: S/N
C23000 to C89000 = Feb. 19, 1916 to Jan. 18,
1917 ( Russia purchased 51,000 M1911 .45 ACP pistols during WW I. from
this serial
number range. Russia purchased more M1911 pistols than any other
country besides
the U.S.) Regular
commercial model Colt except has "English Order" mark in
Russian on left side of frame.
7) Colt
M1911 Norwegian: Colt S/N C18501 to C18850 and Norway S/N 1 to 5000 =
June 1915 to WW II (400 Colt 1911's .45 caliber purchased and
issued to Norwegian
Navy. May 1917, 300 Colt 1911 .45ACP pistols purchased in 1915. In
1917, Norway
obtained licence to manufacture it's M1911 pistols. The first they made
had "COLT
AUT PISTOL M/1912" on the slides and then at S/N 100 this
changed to "11.25 m/m
AUT. PISTOL M/1914" on the slides.
8) Colt M1911 Argentine: S/N C6201 to C11621 = 1914, S/N C20,001 to C21000 = 1916
S/N C86790 to C116000 = 1919 ( 321 shipped in 1914 marked on right side of slide
with "MARINA ARGENTINA". In 1915 another 1000 shipped
within above S/N
range. In 1919 another 400 M1911 Colts shipped in above S/N
range. Imported into
the U.S. in 1960 as surplus but very rare in any condition.)
9) Colt M1911A1 Argentine Modelo 1927: S/N 1 to 10,000 = July 28, 1927 to Feb. 16,
1928 ( Marked on slide with " COLT CAL. 45 MOD. 1927"
and S/N's stamped on
top of slide in Colt's italic numbers.) SYST. COLT pistols made by
Argintina under
licence from Colt marked on right of slide with "EJERCITO
ARGENTINO / SIST.
COLT CAL 11.25 mm. Model 1927". Other M1911A1 pistols made in
Argintina at
Fabrica Militar de Armas Portatiles, Rosario, Argintina S/N 10,001 to 112,000
10) Colt M1911 MEXICAN: After WW I, Mexico procured an unknown
number of
M1911 pistols made by Colt. These are rare because of
Mexico's strict penalties for
illegal possession of military arms (ON SPOT EXECUTION).
Very few made it to
U.S. and would have a "C" prefix serial numbers.
May have "EJERCITO MEXICANO" on right side
of slide.
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