HELP!

[Glacier-Blue]

I have been researching the early Colt M1911A1's and I have found that every one I ran across has the serial number stamped under the firing pin stop on the slide that matches the serial number on the frame. However, I did run across one early Colt that had no serial number stamped under the slide stop. Did Colt manufacture some slides without stamping the serial number on the slide?

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Would that be a replacement spare slide?

[Glacier-Blue]

Would that be a replacement spare slide?

I don't believe so Jim, and thanks for responding. The slide has all the required markings except for the serial #. I wish I could show you a photo of the slide so you could better understand my perplexity. If you post me your email address (as long as it's not Yahoo) I'll send you some photos.
Thanks

[browningautorifle]

Check your PMs and I'll post the pics here...

Replacement slides would have all markings except the serial number I think...anyway, we'll see.

[browningautorifle]

Here's pics of the slide for you guys...replacement slide?

[Glacier-Blue]

Thanks again Jim; your assistance is greatly appreciated.
For those looking at the slide, it was on a frame serial# 712611, shipped to Springfield Armory on 5/21/1938.
Thanks for looking.

[John Wyatt]

Thanks again Jim; your assistance is greatly appreciated.
For those looking at the slide, it was on a frame serial# 712611, shipped to Springfield Armory on 5/21/1938.
Thanks for looking.

Your 1938 Colt would have been shipped with its matching numbered slide. Colt stamped the gun's serial on the slide until sometime just before ser# 1,140,000. The gun would have been blued and the slide you show is parkerized. Is the frame parkerized as well? The slide has been replaced at sometime and you may have a typical arsenal refurbished pistol.

[Glacier-Blue]

Thanks for the info John. You may be right. How can you tell if the slide/frame has been parkerized?

[browningautorifle]

How can you tell if the slide/frame has been parkerized?

Send me some pics of the whole pistol and I'll post them. The slide is clearly parkerized...

[Glacier-Blue]

Well I can't say it hasn't been interesting, this trip I've taken to learn more about my Colt M1911A1 pistol. Jim Cutting is right, the slide is a 1944 variation replacement slide that has been parkerized (still don't know how to tell a parkerized slide from a non-parkerized slide). Here are the clues I've learned from Jim and other people:
1.The pistol had been parkerized.
2.The slide has a dark heat treatment line along the forward half.
3.The texture of the finish is not original.
4.The Colt's big belly is reflective of Type 9 in book illustrations, and this is found on other 1944 pistols.
5.The front sight is a Type 3 -- the original oval shape was modified to one with a straight serrated slope to the rear; this began in 1943.
So while the frame is a 1938 frame, the slide is most likely a 1944 replacement slide.
Thanks to all who have been on this journey with me. It was interesting!