Please look at my 1913 Colt...

[RASelkirk]

Hi All,

I recently bought this 103 year old Colt #23635, incomplete and with finish removed (none too gently) by a previous owner. I'm hoping aficionados here can discern what is original to the gun. My plan is to have it refinished once I can verify all parts are original and if not, what needs replacing. The barrel is marked "P", "H" on top and either "6" or "G" underneath. Could not find any other markings on the mag or small parts. My FFL dealer thinks (at least) the trigger and hammer are original. Rifling looks good, but the muzzle seems to swallow a bullet...

Colt 1911 Slideshow by RASelkirk | Photobucket

Are the grip screws specific to a year range or are they all the same?

Thanks!

Russ

Information

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[browningautorifle]

The muzzle doesn't really swallow a bullet. That's about normal for them. What was that cartridge anyway? Not GI ball...as we've found too, it doesn't take much rifling to direct a .45 correctly. Lots of work to do on that one...show us when it's done?

[RASelkirk]

The muzzle doesn't really swallow a bullet. That's about normal for them. What was that cartridge anyway? Not GI ball...as we've found too, it doesn't take much rifling to direct a .45 correctly. Lots of work to do on that one...show us when it's done?

Good to know on the barrel, to me it looked shot out. Cartridge was a commercial reload. I'll have to BM this thread 'cause it may be quite awhile before the gun looks "normal" again!

Russ

[browningautorifle]

Cartridge was a commercial reload.

That's what it looked like. Keep working on it, it'll come round. I have a couple like that here myself...

[RASelkirk]

Well, I finally got around to having this refinished. Sent it to Cogan's Accurate Plating in AL, $683 and 3 weeks later, this is the result. Pay close attention to the condition of the slide! I put the scratch on it, seems they failed to replace the hammer and safety (which were supplied) so I had to do it upon arrival, too bad I'm a clutz! So, after buying the gun, hammer, safety, repro grips, and refurbish, I've got a few pennies over $1900 in it...

Russ

[skip_c]

There must something wrong with my computer. I can't see any pictures. Is it just me??
Skip

[henry r]

skip, click on the underlined "this" in his post, it is a link to the pictures.

russ, I saw the before photos at the top and thought "oh #### he paid for that, i'd be ****ed!" then I kept scrolling down and saw the after pics. it looks really nice, you have to be happy (bar the scratch, I haven't done that to a firearm (yet) but I have done it on freshly painted car parts and models and house projects and... )

[RASelkirk]

skip, click on the underlined "this" in his post, it is a link to the pictures.

russ, I saw the before photos at the top and thought "oh #### he paid for that, i'd be ****ed!" then I kept scrolling down and saw the after pics. it looks really nice, you have to be happy (bar the scratch, I haven't done that to a firearm (yet) but I have done it on freshly painted car parts and models and house projects and... )

Henry, I've done it to all the above as well. Seems I get clutzier the more I try to be careful! I'm quite happy with the result and would recommend Cogan's to anyone needing a refinish.

I was looking at my Ithaca today, its 48k from the end of production and this Colt is 23k from the beginning. That leaves 97.5% of production between my two 1911's...

Russ