cracked 1911 frame

[gallogiro]

Here's story that happened to my father in law and I just want to know what is his best option to do in this case.

2 years ago he picked up an old Colt 1911 (not sure of the year, i'm not very familiar with 1911) at a pawn shop in salem. He loves firearms but is isn't knowledgeable in dissassembly/ repairs, he just shoots and I help him keep 'em clean.

This last summer he noticed a scratch on the frame by the slide stop. Thought nothing of it, until the scratch got bigger. I took it apart and the frame is cracked all the way through the top, right across the feed ramp. Upon further inspection, it looked like it was welded back at one point. looking at the trigger guard, it appears to have been welded back once before. So this frame had completely broken in half before. He took it to a 'smith and they would not touch it, just told him he needs a new frame.

Pretty sh*tty of someone to bubba a repair like that and then pawn it off. Just glad we noticed it before someone got hurt. It's been 2 years and the pawn shop wants nothing to do with it as well.

So the question here is, what's next? What would you do? Would you use it as parts or is replacing the frame a good option? Are there people out there that buy parts?

If you were to replace the frame; where would you take it and what do you think the cost will be?

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Just trying to give the old man some options cuz he's pretty bummed, lol.

GG

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[orygun]

I'd contact Colt themselves first. Not that I expect it to be guaranteed, but at least you'll get an idea of how much it will cost to get it fixed with "factory" pieces.

 

[gallogiro]

That's not a bad idea, we hadn't thought about that.

 

[Phil218b]

As you mention it was cracked in half? Could it have been a destroyed frame and rewelded? Is the crack through the serial numbers?

 

[deadeye]

<broken link removed>

 

[gallogiro]

As you mention it was cracked in half? Could it have been a destroyed frame and rewelded? Is the crack through the serial numbers?

Well according to the person he took it too it was defenitely rewelded. The crack does not go through the serial, but awfully close. I was wondering that when I took it apart. Who ever put it back together did a great job because they did not file off the serial in the process. Let me rephrase.. did a great job not damaging the serial in the process, not a great job overall since it is falling apart, lol.

 

[gallogiro]

<broken link removed>

Thanks for the link deadeye. Would these be standard drop in frames. I assume there would be some fitting needed, right?

 

[deadeye]

Some fitting will be needed and I believe they would need to ship to an FFL because of being the frame.

 

[wichaka]

I would find another Colt frame of close to the same vintage and just transfer everything over. If you PM me the serial number, I'll get you the year it was made, and can go from there.

 

[Swedish K]

how thick is the weld section? I've seen several "rewelds" over the years - many of them were "destroyed evidence" or receivers that were "destroyed for parts" on postie samples. I'm guessing that the persons who welded the parts back together most likely gave them new serial numbers as either way the numbers might cause problems selling them. If they were NFA items (post sample) the rule of once a machine gun always a machine gun comes into play and if destroyed evidence you wouldn't want the numbers to come back linked to a crime and destroyed.