Xmas surprise from 1943!

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Xmas surprise from 1943!

Posted: 12/25/2012 4:36:12 PM EDT

I was given my Grandfather's 1943 Remington Rand 1911A1 for Christmas. A little rust in the bore, but overall pretty good shape I'd say. Pretty excited, though I would share.

One pic with the flash, one without.

Posted: 12/25/2012 4:45:02 PM EDT

[#1]

That is a great 1911! And it belonged to your grandfather, doesn't get any better than that.

Posted: 12/25/2012 5:04:24 PM EDT

[#2]

Nice. Cherish it. Don't ever sell it.

Posted: 12/25/2012 5:16:03 PM EDT

[#3]

Please don't store it in the holster . (but you likely knew that)

Compounds used to tan leather can be corrosive. Usually takes a bit of moisture, many guns were stored long term in dry places with no harm but it is a risky practise.

Wish I had some cool guns from a family member given to me.Never had many firearms that I know of in my family.

On that subject ,I was at a Christmas party just tonight and the uncle of a friend asked me if I knew anything about a model 57 winchester that my father had got from him. (my father passed several years back) I know this gun was never around my fathers house so I asked what time period this transaction took place and to the best recolection it was 1932 or so!

Aparently this Winchester was a bolt action 22short and had been bought for this guy by his father on advise of E.Lyman (Lyman Gunsight)

Posted: 12/25/2012 5:22:19 PM EDT

[#4]

What a wonderful gift ! Some years back I bought a really nice Springfield M-1. Garand. Looked up the born date and found Nov. '43. That was the month my father first saw combat and was wounded. I would carefully clean the pistol and holster and put both in a "shadow box" if you can get a pic of your grandfather in uniform, put that in also.

Posted: 12/25/2012 5:36:56 PM EDT

[#5]

That is awesome....Merry Christmas to you.

Posted: 12/25/2012 5:48:12 PM EDT

[#6]

NICE!!!!!!

Posted: 12/25/2012 6:05:45 PM EDT

[#7]

Awesome gift OP

Posted: 12/25/2012 6:18:21 PM EDT

[#8]

Nice! I got my grandfather's 1945 Colt 1911 for Christmas but he bought his. Cool story and a cool gun...cherish it.

Posted: 12/25/2012 6:27:15 PM EDT

[#9]

Wonderful gift and you should do the same down the road if you are fortunate to have an heir.

Please document as much as you can about Grandpops time in service now and put it with the firearm.

Posted: 12/25/2012 6:43:33 PM EDT

[#10]

Clean the bore right away. Hopefully it won't be pitted.

Posted: 12/25/2012 7:03:22 PM EDT

[#11]

I am not a fan of 1911s but that is so full of win!

Posted: 12/25/2012 7:25:33 PM EDT

[#12]

Epic!

A couple years ago my grandpa gave me his 1943 Ithaca 1911 he carried in Korea along with his US leather holster and belt. It's my favorite gun in my collection.

That 1911 is very cool because of what it is, an old war 1911 but what makes it priceless is that it was your grandpa's. Congrats!

Posted: 12/25/2012 7:33:25 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:

That is a great 1911! And it belonged to your grandfather, doesn't get any better than that.

That.

Posted: 12/25/2012 8:33:37 PM EDT

[#14]

Excellent! I hope it stays in your family for ever.

Posted: 12/25/2012 10:54:55 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Nice. Cherish it. Don't ever sell it.

Posted: 12/26/2012 11:11:44 AM EDT

[#16]

The bore was definitely the worst part. Still looking pretty dirty in there.. Everything else cleaned up nice though! I would never store it in the holster, but I think I am gonna give it a little rubdown with some neatsfoot oil (it's a bit stiff).
I actually have a framed silk map of the Pacific that also belonged to my Granddad from when he was stationed on the USS Enterprise in WW2. I would like to display the pistol with it, but I don't want to have it not locked up when I'm not home.

Posted: 12/26/2012 11:17:27 AM EDT

[#17]

Awesomenss.

I know you siad you idn't want to leave teh pistol out, but a shadowbox of the pistol, holster, and map would be fricken cool. Maybe toss in some medals he got in the PTO.

Posted: 12/26/2012 3:25:19 PM EDT

[#18]

Sounds like the bore has pitting. The ammo was corrosive and sometimes cleaning was a bit sketchy, so many original barrels are pitted. All you can do is clean it as well as you can and keep it oiled. Usually the rifling is still good and most pitted barrels shoot fine. On your holster, please don't use Neatsfoot Oil on it. There are many opinions on what to use, or whether to use anything at all. I have used Obenauf's on a stiff holster with great success, and it does not permanently darken the leather. It's the finest leather product I have found and I have tried them all, either on boots, shoes, jackets, belts or holsters.

Obenaufs

Posted: 12/26/2012 4:00:53 PM EDT

[#19]

The rifling does appear to be ok. I don't plan on shooting it too often, but have to at least once!

Thanks for the link, do you just use their oil, or was it something else? I didn't put the neatsfoot oil on it yet thankfully. Why is it bad, out of curiosity?

Posted: 12/26/2012 4:35:51 PM EDT

[#20]

It turns the leather dark and it pretty much stays that way, like mink oil. I don't know the other reasons but collectors hate it. Something about destruction of fibers. I won't even use it on work boots after discovering Obenaufs. I use the 'paste' and the liquid, depending on application. The liquid for jackets, etc., and the paste for thicker leathers. BTW, here's the holster I mentioned. I treated this one heavily inside and out because it was so dry it was starting to crack. Now it's still properly firm, but supple. I could have cleaned it with naptha - you can see the dark places on it, but did not want to remove any 'patina' - that's how confident I was in the Obenaufs.

As for shooting the pistol, get a new 16# recoil spring and extra-power firing pin spring, sold in sets by Wolff springs. Most would also recommend a Shok-Buf too. This is to reduce battering of the slide when it hits the frame.

Posted: 12/26/2012 5:29:42 PM EDT

[#21]

sweet deal! wish the holster for my ithaca looked that good

Posted: 12/26/2012 6:04:50 PM EDT

[#22]

So much Christmas WIN.

Posted: 12/26/2012 10:31:34 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
It turns the leather dark and it pretty much stays that way, like mink oil. I don't know the other reasons but collectors hate it. Something about destruction of fibers. I won't even use it on work boots after discovering Obenaufs. I use the 'paste' and the liquid, depending on application. The liquid for jackets, etc., and the paste for thicker leathers. BTW, here's the holster I mentioned. I treated this one heavily inside and out because it was so dry it was starting to crack. Now it's still properly firm, but supple. I could have cleaned it with naptha - you can see the dark places on it, but did not want to remove any 'patina' - that's how confident I was in the Obenaufs.

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb27/INLAND44/Guns/holsterrig_zps41ed24f8.jpg

As for shooting the pistol, get a new 16# recoil spring and extra-power firing pin spring, sold in sets by Wolff springs. Most would also recommend a Shok-Buf too. This is to reduce battering of the slide when it hits the frame.

Awesome! Thanks for the help!

Posted: 12/28/2012 4:28:54 PM EDT

[#24]

What a fantastic gift! I am truly envious. My grandfather brought back a 1911 from the Great War, but over the years it was "misplaced."

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Xmas surprise from 1943!

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