1962 National Match M 1911-A1

1962 National Match M 1911-A1, this pistol started her life out as a standard Remington Rand 1911-A1, SN# 1600906, she was made in 1944 and looks to be mostly Remington Rand parts, Each year since 1955, Springfield Armory had rebuilt a number of Service pistols to provide Match-grade pistols for competitors and students at the National Matches. Some National Match pistols were sold by the Director of Civilian Marksmanship after the matches. National Match pistols that were not sold would be kept in the rebuild cycle until the receivers were not serviceable and then destroyed. This 1962 National Match pistol According to Springfield Armory records was one of only 3025 pistols were produced in 1962 and only 172 were sold to civilians through the DCM that year. The front strap on the match pistol is milled with a checkered pattern, This pistol has the Micro adjustable sight with the US ordnance mark; the bushings are numbered to the gun with the receivers serial number etched on the inside, the national match barrel is numbered to the gun with the serial number stamped on the top of the barrel, this pistol is marked with the Ordnance Acceptance mark (FJA) is for Col. Frank J. Atwood (Located below Slide Lock), the  "T" stamp indicates passed targeting test requirements, the “P’ proof mark, The SA stamp showing the pistol was rebuilt to a match pistol produced by the Springfield Armory for use in the Camp Perry National Matches. She has the nation match “NM” stamp; It is believed that the dot/prick marks located above the magazine release near the “P” proof mark are SA proof markings. This receiver has one dot thus it is assumed it was in the matches in 1962, this pistol sports the WW2 Remington Rand Keyes Fiber Co grips.  This pistol comes with a WW2 Little Co 1911-A1 magazine.Below is the information I found on Remington rand 1911-A1 pistols.

Union Switch and Signal 1911-A1

Union Switch and Signal 1911-A1 45 ACP pistol. This pistol is one of the best 1911-A1 WW2 pistols to come out of my collection. The grips on this pistol are Keyes Fiber Co. Type 10. the hammer is a Type “E” the safety lock tap is a type “C”, the slide lock is a Type “B”, the Grip Safety is a Long Tang M1911A1 type, Mainspring Housing is a Type 3 arched with coarse checkering, trigger is a short M1911-A1, the magazine release is a Type “C”, the recoil sping guide is a type “B” the front sight is a type “C”, the rear sight is a type “C”, the Barrel is a High Standard with the “H S” stamp with the “P’ proof mark, this barrel is in great shape with a shinny bore and good lands. The inspector initials are present on the left side near the slide release, the marks R.C.D. in a circle where use only on U.S.&S 1911-A1 pistols, the initials stand for Robert C. Downie, Lt Colonel, with the Pittsburgh Ordnance District, Army Inspector of Ordnance from July 1942 thru Oct. 15^th 1945, for all Union Switch and Signal M1911-A1 for the total production, there are no “P” proof stamps on the receiver or slide on the first 18595 + - US&S 1911-A1 pistols produced. There is not an Ordnance Escutcheon (crossed cannons) on any of the US&S 1911-A1 pistols. U.S.&S. pistols are the second rarest of the M1911A1s, only the Singer is rarer.  None of the Union Switch & Signal 1911A1s have the crossed cannons ordnance stamp even thought the practice was standardized in late 1942. Also most of the early pistols up through about serial 1060100 received no “P” proof on the slide and frame. The finish is a very nice Grey-Black Du-Lite finish with only the stain that is on the slide as seen in the pictures. Union Switch & Signal Company of Swissvale Pennsylvania, primarily made railroad signaling equipment but received a contract on May 5, 1942 for the manufacture of 200,000 M1911A1 pistols.  The first pistols were accepted by Ordnance inspectors in January 1943, but the company received word that their contract would be canceled, due to a severe drop in requirements for the pistol.  Within a month U.S. &S. had signed a contract to supply carbine parts. On March 8, 1943 the company was officially notified that their contract had been cut back from 200,000 pistols to 30,000 pistols.  However on June 26^th, when the contract was nearly complete, and many of the workers had been transferred to Carbine operations, the company received a letter of intent to purchase an additional 25,000 pistols.  The last of the pistols was shipped on November 27, 1943. It is reported that Union Switch & Signal produced high quality pistols and did not experience the extreme production problems that Remington Rand and Ithaca had. The ordinance department reported the Union Switch & Signal pistols had a superior finish and consistently rated high in the interchangeability tests. It is reported that Union Switch & Signal produced high quality pistols and did not experience the extreme production problems that Remington Rand and Ithaca had. The ordinance department reported the Union Switch & Signal pistols had a superior finish and consistently rated high in the interchangeability tests. According to the Springfield Research database a lot of these pistols were shipped to the Navy and the OSS. Another interesting fact is the development of the US&S firing range, the design of which was later adopted by various pistol manufacturers including Colt. On the range each of the 55,000 pistols produced was test fired 21 times. Not a single pistol manufactured and assembled by US&S was rejected by the resident ordnance department inspector, of the 55,000 pistols fired by the US&S inspector before being passed to the Government Inspector, only two failed in one test. They were found to be completely automatic in action, firing seven shots with one trigger pull. US&S was consistently rated high in tests for Interchangeability of parts Reference Charles Clawsons “Colt .45 Service pistols”. 55,000 Union Switch and Signal pistols were delivered serial numbered from 1041405 to 1096404 with peak production reaching 650 pistols a day.

Argentine Air Force 1911-A1


Air Force 1911-A1, from my books this Argentine pistol # 74407 was made in 1953 and shipped on the Jan 23 1954, I believe this was the original finish for this pistol, she shows even wear, I can see the case hardening marks on the slide and she sports Argentine markings (Note the Air Force wings on the Argentine Crest). The number 3202 is an issue number; the barrel was an Argentine arsenal replacement and is in great shape, deep lands and a shinny bore. The barrel shows German stamps and a 45 ACP stamp. The markings on the slide and the receiver are German import markings, they where stamped on this pistol when it was imported into Germany, this pistol has a USGI magazine. These Argentine Air Force pistols are very close copies of the Colt 1911-A1, made under Colt license granted to Argentine in 1927. These Air Force pistol are getting hard to find, with these markings and this condition. Should you procure this pistol and if you’re not happy with your purchase, please send her back for a refund. 1911 made in Argentina in 1953, imported into Germany in the early 90’s and brought to the U.S. There are NO U.S. Import markings on this pistol! German markings and other stamps, an Eagle with a “N” is West German nitro proof. Used since 1951 or 1952. The checkered shield is Munich Testing Facility, West Germany; this proof has been used since 1968. The third proof mark indicates when the proofing took place. These two letters indicate the last two digits of the year when the gun was proofed and obviously it is coded.