Help with COlt M1911

[N8Gunner]

I acquired this Colt M1911 last month and am just now getting around to giving it a good look over.Serial 3 4103xx and UNITED STATES PROPERTY marked on the left side of the frame. MODEL OF 1911 US ARMY on the right side of the slide. The finish appears to be a deep blue almost black. The barrel is marked NM7267717 COLTS MFG CO. and has the number 1219696. The bushing is marked NM 7267118. I can find no re-build markings on the frame and the lettering and markings on the gun do not appear to be buffed out, with the exception of the "Rampant Colt" at the left rear of the slide, of wich traces remain.

The magazine that came with it is 2 tone, with an R at the toe .
The grips are nice condition diamond panels, unmarked.

Can anyone tell me what it is worth?
Thanks.

Information

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[Johnny Peppers]

Bright sunlight is the worst place to try to make gun pictures. If you have to make the pictures outdoors, find some bright shade to make the pictures.
In that set of pictures the pistol looks refinished, and has several replaced parts. The barrel came out of a Springfield Armory NM pistol, and the 1219696 is the serial number of the pistol it came out of. Look at the side of the bushing to see it it has four numbers electro penciled there. The grips also appear to be replacements. The contour of the front sight doesn't look right, and could possibly be a late 1911A1 sight. I believe the magazine was a full blued that has been acid dipped to remove the blue at the top to appear to be an original two tone.
Based on the pictures shown, I would say value was somewhere in the $800/900 range. Maybe better pictures would show different.

[Chuckindenver]

i agree with Johnny,
refinish for sure, if all the NM parts fit right, ill bet it shoots well.
and the owner of pistol that needs that barrel would likely give his eyeteeth for that barrel and bushing..
or at least swap a correct HP marked barrel.
grips look to be a reproduction as well.
a nice pistol that you can enjoy for sure.

[Jim K]

The serial number, on the right side of the frame above the trigger, appears blurred or partially missing. 34103xx would not be a valid serial number as the M1911 never reached 700,000. The numbers beginning with 7 are the stock numbers for GI national match parts, used to build match pistols in the 1950's and later. Many were sold as surplus and were then used by civilian gunsmiths and others to repair or rebuild pistols.

The grips are repros.

Jim

[Scott Gahimer]

Jim:

I suspect the OP meant to type serial # 4103xx. The # and 3 are on the same key.