Minty 1911a1's

[mike webb]

I am new to collecting 1911's so I may be way out in left field.
But does it strike anyone else as odd that since the value of these guns has skyrocketed there seem to be an awful lot of guns for sale that look to be in mint condition(at least in photo's) and are not marked arsenal refinished.
I am assuming that the vast majority of these 1911a1's were issued and used,sometimes hard.
Like I said, I may be nuts but would anyone care to enlighten me?

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[RayP.]

Any time there are several mllion of an item made there will normally be several thousand that will remain in storage,be issued but not used,be "requisitioned" by G.I.'s,lend leased to other countries,sold to Officials,citizens and so on,I would venture to say that there are probably a few thousand unissued 1911 and A1's still in storage(as what was verified by some of the mint 1911's and A1's sold thru the DCM 40/50 yrs. ago,when we needed replacement weapons overseas we were issued rebuilds,minty pistols have always been out there,it just took the internet auctiions,competition bidding to create those high sale prices and that brought them into circulation.

RayP.

[badabing]

While most of them were probably issued and used over a period of forty years some were taken from the government by either legal or questionable means and then hidden away in a night stand or sock drawer. Sadly, others were stored under the seat of a pick up truck and saw most of their action there. There are certainly some beauties out there in collections and are shown here from time to time. Those are the ones that collectors look for. Every once and awhile you get lucky and find a nice piece and this is part of the fun of collecting. It's a little like fishing sometimes you get a bite other times you come home empty. If they were common, they wouldn't be collectible.

[mike webb]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
Maybe it's just jealousy because these things are really hard to find in Canada

[mike radford]

There are lots of minty looking ones out there. Many are refinished or messed with. That is why you must have Clawson and do your homework.

There are also some nice originals out there for sale. Many have come on the market due to hard economic times. You just gotta do your homework and the best will not be cheap.

The minty guns are not common in the US either. That is why they bring big money even in today's economy.