I am looking at 1911 Colt Army issue pistol and I am baffled by a few things.

The serial number puts in the 1918 bracket (485,XXX).

Its is blued, not parkerized. The slide has darker black color to it and the frame is a nice dark blue. Finish is pretty nice, no rust or damage. "United States Property" marked in front of the slide release on the frame. Above that on the slide are the colt patents followed by the rampant colt logo then followed by the Colt S PT FA MFG CO Hartford CT USA.

On the right side of the gun is ONLY the serial number above the trigger area. No other marking or stamps on that side.

Now this is where Im not sure of things.

Its has the 1911A1 sights. 1911A1 trigger. 1911A1 mainspring cover/handle and safety/beavertail. It has the 1911A1 brown plastic grips.

Now its normal that this can happen if its been rebuilt at an armory but here is where things get WEIRD. There are NO rebuilt or inspected markings. NONE.

The frame shows 1918 Colt serial numbers, but is relief cut behind the trigger like a 1911A1. I have never seen an early frame with relief cuts made by an armory during a rebuild or an example of such.

It also has a "27" stamped into the trigger guard under the trigger itself in the flat triangle shaped area.

Anyone have any input as to whats going on here? Should I be intrigued or run from it? Its in VERY nice shape.

http://www.coltautos.com/1911ci_446933.htm

if you can take it apart here is a 1918 with pictures

http://www.coltautos.com/1911ci_446933.htm

and info on the "black army" editions

https://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php? ... -look-like

Not all arsenal rebuilt 1911's got armory stamps.

Model of 1911 US ARMY is not present of the right side of the slide either.

The frame appears to be of the "black army" finish. The slide appears to be maybe parkerized, but still a rough finish under the parkerizing. Although it has a nicer/gloss than the typical parkerized Im used to. But not blue like the the "black army" ones.

Still the relief cuts baffle me.

Have you posed this to 1911forum.com ?

Should have a checkered solid trigger and fat at the top spur hammer.

No Beaver tail...hopefully they didn't radius the frame tangs or that'd be a deal breaker.

Old OE parts arent that hard to find. I probably have a trigger and grip safety.

The hammer is another thing though....theres a guy at WAC that has old 1911 parts that may have it.

The Serial should be italicized. and follow the " No. XXXXXXX "

Yeah thats suspect....dont know hwhen they started that but should be easy enough to find on Googlefu?



From a site....