Would you carry a WW2 era 1911a1?

[Brownsalamander]

For concealed carry? No. Unless you think you are Walt Kowalski.

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• Relatively large and heavy for the amount of ammo carried.
• Tiny, hard to see sights.

There are better modern choices for concealed carry - even if you want .45ACP - that can give you better sights with less size and weight, more capacity, or both. If you are willing to use something other than .45ACP there are even more better choices with better sights, that are smaller, lighter, and have way more capacity.

I really like them as collectables and at the range

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but not for concealed carry.

That's a nice collection you got there

 

[Brownsalamander]

Which build would be best? Ithaca or Remington Rand?

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Which build would be best? Ithaca or Remington Rand?

"Best" is subjective at , well , best....
Both would have been built to the same specs...The Remington Rand is a bit more common , than the Ithaca ...so there is that...
Andy

 

[jbett98]

A Remington Rand was the preferred choice to build National Match target guns by post WW2 armorers for Camp Perry match competitions.


Note: " Since Remington Rand manufactured more 1911A1s then any other military contractor and the fact that the quality was considered second to none, it is not uncommon to find many Remington Rand receivers as the foundation to the National Match pistols used at the Camp Perry National Matches."

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiM3bzLt6nkAhWuGTQIHc9SCo4QFjAJegQIABAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coolgunsite.com%2Fimages%2Frem%2520rands%2520group%2Fremrandstory.htm&usg=AOvVaw0UfFokBIwrXsrymOMMsJM0

 

[BSG 75]

Which build would be best? Ithaca or Remington Rand?

They are all the same quality. The main problem with all of them besides the small sights is that none of them have slides that have modern levels of heat treatment and hardening. All pre-1946 1911s are vulnerable to slide cracks.






Since you should practice with your carry gun you would be risking a crack if you put a lot of rounds through it. Again, there are better modern choices even if you want to carry a .45ACP 1911.

 

[Kruel J]

I have one. And no I wouldn't. Not because I don't trust it, but because it's a family heirloom and I value it more than anything else I own.

 

[Alexx1401]

I've got a Colt M45A1 that I'm considering taking the proceeds of once it sells, to get an original older colt/Remington/UMC etc. 1911a1. I've recently gotten a desire to get one for a few reasons.

My main question, is would you ever carry one for day to day use, why or why not?

Yes I did for a couple decades use a 1911 made in 1918. It was in bad shape when I bought it so I had to replace some parts and had it refinished. Then had new sights put on it. So basically it had no collector value. It was a GREAT shooter though and would eat anything. It was the last time some part broke on it I decided it was time to retire it from carry. By then these had started to go to insane prices and someone just had to have the damn thing one day. He paid me more for it than it cost to go out and buy a new Loaded SA so he took it home and I took home a new SA 1911 in stainless.

 

[jbett98]

in 1944 Remington Rand solved that issue late in the war by running those areas through a flow of molten lead which annealed the metal.
If you look carefully you can see the finish is discolored as it didn't adhere the same as the rest of the slide.

 

[No_Regerts]

Is it the specs you're attracted to, or is it the guns themselves? If its just the specs, Springfield makes true 1911-A1s.

 

[284guy]

I'll take a Singer..

thanks.

I bought one of these in the early 90's from a pawn shop. Guy told me it was a cheap copy of a 1911, and that I'd be better off paying a little more for the Norinco for $299. 2 years ago I was offered 3K and took it. I've regretted it ever since.

 

[Alexx1401]

Nice. Which parts would you guys swap out right off the bat?

If you are OK with the loss of collector value, sights. Original sucked big time but, as mentioned if you do this you hurt collector value. It is amazing what these sell for now.

 

[No_Regerts]

If you are OK with the loss of collector value, sights. Original sucked big time but, as mentioned if you do this you hurt collector value. It is amazing what these sell for now.

This. Sights, grip safety, hammer, trigger. Or I'd buy one that comes that way and save money, time, and hassle.

 

[Alexx1401]

This. Sights, grip safety, hammer, trigger. Or I'd buy one that comes that way and save money, time, and hassle.

Me too. Kind of miss that last Mil surplus but there was really no reason for them. I sure wish I had kept a couple from when they were floating around all over in nice shape just for what they are worth now. Even when my eyes were young I did not like those worthless sights they had. Now days its far worse. People will pay so damn much for one now I would not want to start chopping on one. Saw a RR a decade or so back that was in poor shape sell for more than a NIB, stainless SA Loaded the same shop had in the same case. To each his own I guess. If I had kept one of the old ones I had long ago I would still of course take them out now and then for fun but, those sights and my eyes now would not go well together.

 

[BSG 75]

in 1944 Remington Rand solved that issue

It reduced it but didn't solve it. Other manufacturers were spot hardening 1911 slides before 1944. This is my Colt from March 1943 and you can see the darker color of the spot hardened area around the slide stop notch and takedown notch. They are still not fully hardened and are still vulnerable to cracks.



Metallurgy and hardening have advanced in the past 75 years. It's not like you can't find a modern new 1911 with a modern fully-hardened and heat-treated slide. Or a modern corrosion-resistant stainless steel slide that is also stronger than a WWII slide. And both will take modern sights. It's not like they stopped making 1911s in 1945 and the only ones you can get are old ones. Why take a chance when there are SO many alternatives available?

Again, I love USGI M1911s and M1911A1s,



but I'm not blind to their shortcomings as a concealed carry gun in the 21st century.

 

[ron]

They are all the same quality. The main problem with all of them besides the small sights is that none of them have slides that have modern levels of heat treatment and hardening. All pre-1946 1911s are vulnerable to slide cracks.

View attachment 612738
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Since you should practice with your carry gun you would be risking a crack if you put a lot of rounds through it. Again, there are better modern choices even if you want to carry a .45ACP 1911.

View attachment 612742
View attachment 612743
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Good post. No I would not use an original 1911 as a carry gun. A 1911 modern production one would be fine.
Original 1911A1 also are not set up to feed anything but FMJ. Throated barrels and lowered ejection ports
are now standard on modern production 1911s. Original GI sights at my age?
Not an original GI 1911. SA

 

[cigars]

Heck, no. I was issued one when I was with USAEUR and it was a real POS. The sights were so bad, the guy next to me scored expert. Rattled like it was going to come apart any minute. I was glad to retire it for the M9 that I was initially trained on in OSUT. Besides an M16 the loader got and grenades, we had no other means of defense dismounted off of our Abrams. And at 7 rounds and only 2 spare mags, not very ideal for any real action.

Your amorer in USAEUR was not doing his job.

Signed,
An armored Cav armorer in USAEUR.

 

[Pops1911]

Yes I would...
One... they were made to be used...
Two...I've carried one in combat...and it still worked ( Desert Shield / Storm )
Three...many were made...many parts are still to be found...
Four..They still work well...

That said...if I were lucky enough to end up with a parts matching and correct Singer...then it would be only be a range shooter.

And with that said , a 1911A1 made by :
Colt
Remington Rand
Ithaca
Union Switch and Signal....
Or a Armory re-built mix master....
Yep...I'd carry and use it....
Andy

What Andy said!

 

[cigars]

What Andy said!

What Pops1911 said!

 

[OldTengu]

Yes.

 

[Brownsalamander]

I appreciate the info gents. You guys posting pics of the Remington or Ithaca's have me droolin over here.

To answer a couple of yalls question, it's the historical wear and significance they have that appeals to me in addition to the specs.

I used to own a GI Springfield 1911a1 but I wasn't very impressed with it. This was back in 2005-6. Are they truly the same spec as a Remington rand or Ithaca?