Ok - local shop calls me and says they got a couple of 1911(s) in.

Tells me they are all Colts.  Sends me picture - and I can see one is a repro/commemorative, one is a 1918 Black Army and one looks polished.

I get there and find this.

I'm stumped.  My first thought was Springfield, but the bomb is in the wrong spot and it doesn't have a Eagle.  Also, doesn't look like a traditional bomb.  No sign of heavy polishing, or enough to remove markings.

Serial appears to be in Colt consecutive, like a Springfield.

What have I got - help me out, I might have a limited window to grab it if it's something.


I'm a 1911 nut, but this one stumps me.

Thanks

L.J.

Savage?

Appears to be on a Colt Frame maybe - no AA marking...

I'm confused still.  Did someone just throw this together?

Value?

IIRC, it was Savage that made these, and they only made slides and some assorted small parts.

Is that finish just badly worn, or has it been reblued?

Badly worn.  Intentionally removed.  

Late 1918-1919 Colt frame with savage slide buffed to hell and reblued a 500 dollar gun

That's what I was thinking.

Just found out the guy wants $1400.  

Guess I'll pass.

I would certainly pass on it. A very bad refinish.

Every Savage slided Colt framed 1911 I can recall seeing were 1918 serial numbered where this one is 1919.

Rumor has it that Savage got a contract but only finished slides before the war ended and then their slides were sent to Colt to complete guns from what otherwise would have been spare parts.

***EDIT***
That was from memory but here is what coolgunsite.com has to say about it

"Savage won a contract to deliver M1911s but it was canceled before they could deliver completed pistols. It is believed that the only truly correct Savage marked guns are the ones that are also marked AA for Augusta Arsenal. AA took into inventory the few completed parts that Savage made and the slides where used as replacement slides in the rebuild process. Notice the AA stamp on the image below. Reference Charles Clawsons “Colt .45 Service pistols”."

I ended up nabbing a sweet 1918 Black Army in original finish with two tone mag and correct grips instead.  

Same guy had it - he brought in the "Savage" and a 100 year Anniversary reproduction.  Wanted $1400 for the Savage, $1500 for the repro and $1250 for the Black Army.  Pretty backwards I thought.  

I'll get some pics up tomorrow.

Thanks for the help guys.

The Black Armies are nice and not a bad price if the finish is decent and the parts correct.

I have two of them and one has almost no finish but the parts are all correct and the other has more finish but a WW2 replacement barrel. I keep meaning to switch them but seems kind of wrong to me some how.

Yeah, I think he was a bit backwards on pricing and CDNN has had the 100 year repro for pretty reasonable a couple times and keep meaning to get one but still haven't