Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Colt 1911 WWI Reproduction - Anyone buy one of these?

http://www.coltsmfg.com/cmci/1911WWI.asp

These look nice in the photos. I'm wondering if anyone has one and what they think of it. Looks like a straight up cool gun.

Haven't seen one yet and would like to. I prefer the long trigger and the flat mainspring housing, myself, and consider the A1 mods to be undesirable.

Nor have I seen USFA's 1911. With an MSRP of $1,895, though, it might be a while before I do.

- Tom

My son has one. I think it's a good looking pistol. The finish is nice.

I only own two 1911 style pistols:

One, a Springfield Armory 1911 A-1 G.I. model that is an (inexpensive) authentic replica of the WWII service pistol, parkerised finish, small G.I. sights- issued to WWII U.S. Troops. This pistol looks and shoots great.

My second 1911 pistol IS the Replica Colt Model Of 1911 WWI, carbonia blue ... and drop dead gorgeous.

My "new" WWI Colt is unfired and will stay that way ... as I can always shoot my Springer.

What do I think of this pistol? ... ... The World.

I think it's a great looking pistol, I'd love to have something like that, really the essence of the 1911. I guess I'm not ready to give Colt my money though, until they show a little more committment to the American shooting public. As far as the civilian market goes, they seem at this time to be almost a boutique gun maker. YMMV

Very nice, but I shopped around for one when they first came out, and each and every one I came across had an improperly fitted slide to frame. That's the only reason I didn't get one back then. I have their WWII Reproduction, and it's 100% perfect and 100% reliable. Very happy with it. That was a very limited run, though, unlike the WWI 1911.

No I have not shot nor handled a re-production, but I have shot and handled an original. My Grandfather brought one back from WW1. This particular pistol couldn't hit the side of a barn from the inside. A careful examination revealed the cause of such inaccuracy. The barrel had been shot soo maaany times that there were no rifling left in the barrel, it was completely smooth bore. A barrel replacement solved the problem and all was well.

Wow, I wonder just how many rounds it takes to shoot out a .45acp barrel like that!?

Kevin, dunno if you're aware, but there's an uptight, over-moderated forum that discusses 1911s in detail. A few guys on the board have bought the pistol you're looking at, and speak highly of them.

I'd love to own one (or several) myself. They look like a 1911 should.

Hang on to that smooth bore barrel. So long as it has any hint of the rifling that was once there, it's a legal shotgun barrel for that handgun and will effectively and tightly pattern .45 ACP shot loads.

I have an original made in 1918, that's good enough for me.

I know, and we're all jealous.

Wait till I get it back from the refinisher, I will post pictures for Y'all.

Looking forward to seeing pictures.

RE, Real Hawkeye:

You mention:
"That (your WWII Reproduction) was a very limited run, though, unlike the WWI 1911."

The information that I researched when I bought my WWI Replica was:
"In 2001 Colt's Custom Shop marketed a reproduction of the parkerized WWII issue USGI M1911 A1 pistol. Close to 4,000 units were made before production ended." (Your pistol)

Following that sucsess:
"Then in late 2003 the Colt's Custom Shop commenced production of a limited run of 4,000 units of a replica "Model of 1911" made for the U.S. Army during WWI with a Carbonia Blue finish." (My pistol)

Following that run, (information I then found on-line) was that Colt wanted to continue the WWI model, but did not want to upset customers/collectors who thought they were purchasing a limited edition pistol ... So they then started manufacturing:
"A COLT 1918 BLACK ARMY 1911 replica, which is the same pistol as the WWI replica- but has a Black Oxide finish."

I guess I don't really know for sure if my Carbonia Blue WWI 1911 replica "remained" limited to only the initial run of 4,000, but I do hope so. Also, that 1918 Black Army model seems to be a sleeper and it's kinda hard to find current information on it.

it looks like i need to look into one of these as i want to add one more 45 again