Or at least all of the rare ones.

quote:

Originally posted by mbinky:
If I didn't already own a nice 1944 Remington Rand I would. I paid $1100 for mine over ten years ago. I don't think $1K for the top grade is bad at all. You don't buy one of these becasue you want a "shooter". You buy a Rock Island if you want a cheap 1911. You buy one of these because they are a piece of history.

I for one am not impressed by the history angle. You have no way of knowing the provenance of the 1911 you receive. You are just as likely to get a worn out gun that spent it's entire life here in the states as one that was carried into battle. What's so special about such a gun?

I already have three. One Ithaca and two Remington Rands. That’ll do me.

Any rare ones they have will end up on their auction. They already stated stated such.

No thanks.

NRA was offering surplus 1911s back in the early 60's for $35 each shipped directly to you. My best friend and I each ordered one; he got a Colt and I got a Remington Rand. He kept his for 38 years, I traded mine (plus other WW II pistols) for an HK91 in 1976. I bought his Colt in '85 for $500.

My late father also picked up an NRA 1911 ($20) and a 1903A3 ($15). He disassembled the 1911, removed all the parkerizing, stoned the surface, and gave it a black oxide finish. It's absolutely beautiful. Both are in my safe now.

Unless the Army finds someone long misplaced crate of firearms that was never issued there is no such thing as an unmolested 1911 or Garand or M1 carbine. All of these firearms are 70 plus years old and have been reconditioned multiple times. The entire premise of these firearms is that all the parts are interchangeble so they would just reassemble them with parts from a bin without regard for which manufacturer they came from.

quote:

Originally posted by honestlou:

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
The window for sending in the order starts on sept 4 and ends a month later.
There are certainly plenty of cheaper 1911’s on the market for general use that will serve that purpose just fine. However if you want an example of THE gun that defeated enemies world wide with rock solid provenance as a usgi pistol with the history that goes with that, it is actually a fair deal. A unmolested usgi 1911A1 in decent shape is in the price range they are selling them for

My question is will they in fact be unmolested? I can't find it quickly, but I'm pretty sure that they go through these guns and sort and repair as needed. You may get a gun with newer parts, etc. IF these were all "unmolested", serviceable, with good provenance, then $1000 would certainly be a fair price.

quote:

Originally posted by Z06:
No thanks.

NRA was offering surplus 1911s back in the early 60's for $35 each shipped directly to you. My best friend and I each ordered one; he got a Colt and I got a Remington Rand. He kept his for 38 years, I traded mine (plus other WW II pistols) for an HK91 in 1976. I bought his Colt in '85 for $500.

$500 in 1985 is equal to $ 1163.38 in today's dollar.

quote:

Originally posted by honestlou:

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
The window for sending in the order starts on sept 4 and ends a month later.
There are certainly plenty of cheaper 1911’s on the market for general use that will serve that purpose just fine. However if you want an example of THE gun that defeated enemies world wide with rock solid provenance as a usgi pistol with the history that goes with that, it is actually a fair deal. A unmolested usgi 1911A1 in decent shape is in the price range they are selling them for

My question is will they in fact be unmolested? I can't find it quickly, but I'm pretty sure that they go through these guns and sort and repair as needed. You may get a gun with newer parts, etc. IF these were all "unmolested", serviceable, with good provenance, then $1000 would certainly be a fair price.

By that I mean a pistol that has not been tinkered with regards to non military parts finishes or modifications. Even a mixed frame slide barrel usgi 1911A1 that is an arsenal rebuild is a thousand dollar pistol today.

and don't forget that even tho the last was built in 1945, there was a continuous stream of replacement parts made after that,
including slides,

also remember the .gov did not number anything but the frame (limited time the slides were numbered under the firing pin stop) , however there is plenty of knowledge on the web (and Clawson's books) to tell you who likely made what and when and for who, if you are that anal about it,

If I could get one in 'good' condition for $600, I'd go for it.

I love the idea of the history- and to pair it with my Garand.

Yet, I bought a British Contract Ballester Molina, issued to the SOE, for $650, and it is is better than good condition.

So, I have a WWII .45acp that was used in Europe to shoot our enemy.

I don't need to have one from 'our team' at twice the price and lower condition.

I found a Remington 1903 from 1942 for $250, in great shape. Sure, the stock isn't original- but otherwise I would expect it to go for closer to $600 around here.

I am an accumulator who likes to use the firearms.

I am not a collector who keeps them without wanting to shoot them- for historical or other reasons.

As such, I cannot justify the expense for myself.

I wish all who did buy it the best, and hope it works out well.

I just can't get past my 'bang for buck' upbringing- even if it is history.

I wanted one, but just couldn't justify the price for an unknown.

All y'all that get one...PICS OR IT DIDN'T HAPPEN!

1911s I got starting back in early 60s to the early 70s, One could buy one a year at $20.45 plus shipping. I got 11 of them. ALL brand new in the issue box: 4 Colts, 5 Remington-Rands, and 2 Ithacas. I also ordered and got 5 M1 Carbines, 3 brand new after war issue, one para trooper stocked, and one WWII issue (no bayonet lug and the crummy rear sight). The Carbines were $22 and change plus shipping IIRCC. Also got in on the first sales of the 1903 and 1903A1, got 2 03s and 3 03A1s, they were also very low priced, I don't remember how much. When I got my M1 Rifles when they were first offered, they were $300 & shipping and I got a Springfield and an H&R and a Winchester. All but the paratrooper carbine were NIB, never issued. Still got em all. They will go to my kids and grandkids AFTER they learn the real histories of the US Armed Forces and our participation in the various conflicts we participated in(to pappys satisfaction). They are all still pretty much LNIB, except for 1 Colt, 1 Inland Carbine, 1 03, 1 03A1, and the H&R M1 which I shoot a few times a year. When I am in a particularly good mood I let the younger kids shoot them. My kids who are currently on active duty or in the active reserve components get first dibs, maybe even before I am gone.
One of the most strict rules is to take special care with the boxes and never use any cleaning gear that came with the weapons. Maybe silly, I think not. One of the carbines came with an M2 stock, sooooo, I made it legal and have fired it lightly. I can see how troops loved them, light recoil full auto. I have heard the stories about Korea and the Carbine, my experience has been much different, both in VN and in August 1968, when a M1 carbine punched through 2 two of the old style US Mailboxes and two newspaper boxes, and a bad guy with a gun. You can Googel a guy named Dean Johnson-the only fatality of the 68 Democratic Convention, but since it happened before the gavel opening the convention fell, King Richard the Greater could say truthfully that no one was killed during the convention. Yeah it was the M1 Carbine that I had selected for use, with GI 130 gr FMJ ammo.

quote:

Originally posted by soggy_spinout:
What the heck is 'auction grade'?

I read a story.. though I don't remember where now, of employees at the arsenal taking it upon themselves and saving rare guns from meeting their fate with Captain Crunch, in hopes that they'd one day be available for sale, rather than turned into scrap metal.

I was under the impression that Auction Grade were ones they'd pick out as best and that those choice examples would be auctioned off to the highest bidder, a way to let many people and the market decide who gets the best of the best ones.

But I don't recall now whether or not I heard that from someone or thought it up, fwiw.

The first pistol I carried and qual'd with was a Remington Rand 1911. I'd really like to get a CMP but to expensive and to much hassle.

quote:

Originally posted by honestlou:

quote:

Originally posted by soggy_spinout:
What the heck is 'auction grade'?

"...the Secretary of the Army allowed only 8,000 1911s to be transferred to the CMP for sale and distribution this fiscal year. Some of those are anticipated to be unusual and worthy of being auctioned."

True and some arms on their auction page were never issued. Every now and then a HRA M1 shows up which was never issued. Those rifles cause a bidding war.

The american Rifleman TV ran a very detailed segment on the CMP 1911's. Worth finding if your interest is in that area.

Too much for me to pay for a well worn, heavily refinished example.

quote:

Originally posted by Fundman:
Unless the Army finds someone long misplaced crate of firearms that was never issued there is no such thing as an unmolested 1911 or Garand or M1 carbine. All of these firearms are 70 plus years old and have been reconditioned multiple times. The entire premise of these firearms is that all the parts are interchangeble so they would just reassemble them with parts from a bin without regard for which manufacturer they came from.....

The only unmolested M1 Garand I ever saw was a new H&R M1 Garand that was issued to me upon my return from Korea in 1959. New, as in new in wrapping.

Two years later, as I was being discharged from active duty, I was given the option of buying that M1 Garand and taking it home for.....$63.

I passed. I had carried those 10lb suckers too often.

Years later, GCA68 killed any such deals.

I got the call and the next day my 1911 was sitting at my FFL. Unfortunaely, I'm in Texas for work and won't be home till the end of August. I know my FFL personally and he took a look at it and said it looks nice. Service Grade.