Union Switch & Signal M1911A1 - Opinion

[Doc]

Hi All,

What's your opinion on this M1911A1 Colt? Is it a US government (military) or a commercial item? The price is USD 750 but it is deactivated....
Thanks in advance,
Doc

[Doc]

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[Doc]

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[Doc]

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[Johnny Peppers]

Is that what the serial number looks like, or has it been Photoshopped? There appears to be no markings on the receiver other than what may be a serial number, so I would say that it is an aftermarket receiver with a US&S GI slide. The front sight has either been modified or replaced.
If an aftermarket receiver, the price is too high.

[Ronnie Fry]

I agree with Johnny... In fact, I'm pretty sure that USS made some slides for parts, and there are still a few of those floating around... Looks like an aftermarket receiver.. All have been refinished..
So to directly answer your question, Sir. It is NOT a Colt. USS was a contract mfgr of 1911a1's for the military in WWII.. They made some 50K of them, plus the slides for parts. The slide is military, the receiver is not..
Here's what the serial number on a real one looks like..

r

[Kevin Treadway]

I agree

I agree with all said. My US & S looks nothing like this one. Serial number on one depicted first photos is definately wrong. Whole thing has been re-parked in the typical contemporary light and rough finish parkerizing one will find with a refinish job. This was done to get all parts to look as if they match. Not much history left here in my opinion.

[Johnny Peppers]

The US&S pistols were not Parkerized originally. They were Du-Lite blued over a sandblasted finish. It looks like a phosphate finish because of the sandblasting before bluing. While it doesn't show well in this photo, the triggers were bright blued.

[Ronnie Fry]

Johnny, yours is LOTS nicer than mine !!!

r

[sando]

I think the pistol shown is somehow based on a Chinese Norinco copy of the 1911A1. The front sight is the give away. I've seen similar application of serial numbers on these guns and wouldn't rule out them putting the US&S markings on at the factory if asked to for a production run. Just a theory.

[Doc]

Thank you to all for your help and kind assistance!
Doc

[Johnny Peppers]

If we could see a good close-up of the slide markings it wouldn't be hard to tell if they are original or not. Pantograph markings are easy to apply.

[MarkVolkJr]

I agree with Johnny - it certainly looks like a USGI US&S slide on a commercial frame, possibly an Essex. This sort of combination is very common.

It's possible that it's a made-up pistol, but why would someone make up a phony US&S slide (and go to the trouble to replicate those markings quite well!) and then forget to mark the frame?

-Mark