This'll keep you occupied...
Keep in mind - these manufacturers are the 'only' ones that are legitimately M1911 and M1911A1 manufacturers - anything else is a clone.
1911 .45 ACP Production Information
Military Versions from 1912 to 1945.
Manufacturer/Serial Number/Date Made
Beginning of M1911:
1) Colt: S/N 1 to 3190 = April 16, 1912 to May 31, 1912
2) Colt: S/N 3190 to 7501 = May 31, 1912 to Oct. 10, 1912
(S/N 3501 to 3799 were first U.S.M.C. pistols made by Colt delivered June 6, 1912.)
3) Colt: S/N 7501 to (approximately) 20,000 = Oct. 10, 1912 to Jan. 1913
4) Colt: S/N (approx.) 20,000 to 83,856 = Jan. 1913 to Aug. 19, 1913
S/N 38,001 to 43,900 Navy Model (USS New York) = March 9, 1912 to March 5, 1915
S/N 43,901 to 44,000 Navy Model (USS Texas) = March 9, 1912 to March 5, 1915
S/N 36,401 to 37,650 U.S.M.C. Model made by Colt = July 9, 1913
5) Colt: S/N 83,856 to 89,801 = Aug. 19, 1913 to July 20, 1914
(S/N 83,901 to 84,400 U.S.M.C. Model = May 12, 1914)
6) Colt: S/N 89,801 to 108,601 = July 20, 1914 to Feb. 8, 1915
(S/N 96,001 to 97,537 Navy Model (U.S. Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y.) = March 9, 1912 to March 5, 1915)
7) Colt: S/N 108,601 to 290,000 = Feb. 8, 1915 to May, 1918
(S/N 109,501 to 110,000 Navy Model, S/N 223,953 to 223,991 Navy Model, S/N 232,001 to 233,600 Navy Model)
(S/N 151,187 to 151,986 U.S.M.C. Model, S/N 185,801 to 186,201 U.S.M.C. Model, S/N 209,587 to 210,386 U.S.M.C.
Model, S/N 215,387 to 217,386 U.S.M.C. Model)
8) Colt/Springfield: S/N 128,617 to 133,186 = 1916 to 1924 ( These models are very hard to properly identify)
9) Colt: S/N 290,000 to 450,000 = May, 1918 to Oct. 24, 1918
10) Colt: S/N 450,000 to 629,500 = Oct. 24, 1918 to April 10, 1919
11) Springfield Armory: S/N 72,571 to 133,186 = April 1914 to April, 1917
12) Remington-UMC: S/N 1 to 15,000 = Aug. 10, 1918 to May 24, 1919
13) Remington-UMC: S/N 15,000 to 21,676 = Aug. 10, 1918 to May 24, 1919
14) North American Arms: S/N 1 to 100 & S/N's 111, 222, 333, 444, 555 = July 1, 1918
to Dec. 4, 1918. They are very rare and rank in value with Singer models.
( None of these were reported shipped to any branch of the military but about 100 regular models and about 5 presentation
models were manufactured in Quebec, Canada by the North American Arms Company, Ltd.)
15) A. J. Savage Munitions Co. was issued a contract on July 20, 1918 and canceled on Dec. 4, 1918. Some parts were made
but no complete pistols. It is unknown for sure if any slides were made and no frames were made.
(Slides 'were' made and marked - usually assembled to left-over Colt frames after WW1, as Ordnance used up all of the spares)
Beginning of M1911A1:
14) Colt ( Transition Models): S/N 700,000 to 710,000 = 1924
15) Colt: S/N 710,001 to 711,000 = Early 1937
16) Colt: S/N 711,001 to 712,350 = Mid to Late 1937
17) Colt: S/N 712,350 to 713,645 = 1938
18)Colt: S/N 713,646 to 717,281 = 1939
Begining in 1940, the slide's muzzel end was hardened after the finish was applied but a color mis-match was suppose to be rejected.
From 1942 to 1945 all 1911A1 pistols should show a slight to very noticed mismatch of coloring on the muzzle end of slide, and from 1943 the slide lock notch area should also show some discoloration from hardening after the pistol's finish was applied.
19) Colt: S/N 717,282 to 721,977 = 1940
20) Colt: S/N 721,977 to 756,733 = 1941
21) Colt: S/N 756,734 to 857,000 = 1942 (S/N's 856,405 to 916,404 were also duplicated by Ithaca but will have "F.J.A." Ithaca
inspection initials.)
22) Colt: S/N 857,000 to 1,609,529 = 1943 (S/N's 856,405 to 916,404 were duplicated by Ithaca look for "F.J.A." Ithaca
inspection initials. S/N's 1,041,405 to 1,096,404 were duplicated by Union Switch & Signal. Look for "RCD" US&S
inspection initials.)
23) Colt: (Commercial/Military Model) S/N 857,000 to 1,609,529 = 1943
(approx. 6,575 Commercial models were converted to military production.
Colt stopped commercial production at S/N C215,083)
24) Colt: S/N 1,609,529 to 1,743,846 = 1944
25) Colt: S/N 2,244,804 to 2,380,013 = 1945
26) Remington Rand: S/N 916,405 to 955,000 = 1943
27) Remington Rand: S/N 955,001 to 980,000 = 1943
28) Remington Rand: S/N 980,001 to 995,000 = 1943
29) Remington Rand: S/N 995,000 to 1,041,404 = 1943
30) Remington Rand: S/N 1,279,699 to 1,441,430 = 1943
31) Remington Rand: S/N 1,471,431 to 1,609,528 = 1943
32) Remington Rand: S/N 1,743,847 to 1,816,641 = 1944
33) Remington Rand: S/N 1,890,504 to 2,075,103 = 1944
34) Remington Rand: S/N 2,134,404 to 2,244,803 = 1945
35) Remington Rand: S/N 2,380,014 to 2,619,013 = 1945
36) Ithaca: S/N 856,405 to 900,000 = 1943 ( S/N's 856,101 to 958,100 were duplicated by Colt, look for "G.H.D." or "W.B." Colt
inspection initials.)
37) Ithaca: S/N 900,001 to 914,000 = 1943
38) Ithaca: S/N 914,000 to 916,404 = 1943
39) Ithaca: S/N 1,208,674 to 1,279,673 = 1943
40) Ithaca: S/N 1,441,431 to 1,471,430 = 1943
41) Ithaca: S/N 1,816,642 to 1,890,503 = 1944
42) Ithaca: S/N 2,075,104 to 2,134,403 = 1945
43) Ithaca: S/N 2,619,014 to 2,693,613 = 1945
44) Singer: S/N S800001 to S800500 = 1941 ( Use great care in evaluating these. They are very rare and valuable. This pistol is
also counterfeited the most.)
Slide markings are: S. MFG. CO. ELIZABETH,N.J., U.S.A.
45) Union Switch & Signal: S/N 1,041,405 to 1,060,000 = 1943
46) Union Switch & Signal: S/N 1,060,000 to 1,096,404 = 1943 (S/N's 1,088,726 to 1,092,896 were duplicated by Colt. Look
for "G.H.D." or "W.B." Colt inspection initials.)
Special Versions:
1) Springfield Armory: U.S. ARMY NATIONAL MATCH = 1954 to 1967 (Very hard to identify. Early 1954 models looked like regular
1911A1 and later versions usually had adjustable sights.)
2) U.S. AIR FORCE MATCH = 1958 to 1970 ( Produced by U.S.A.F. Gunsmiths.
Very hard to identify except should have AFPG stamped on frame. A M1911A1 similar to Army National Match.)
3) Colt "ACE": Caliber = .22 Long Rifle S/N 1 to 10,935 = April 1931 to July 1941
(The last 190 or so were assembled from spare parts in 1947) Parts only partially interchangable with a .45 caliber M1911A1
pistol.
4) Colt Service Model "ACE" : Caliber .22 Long Rifle S/N SM 1 to SM 3,836 = Feb. 1936 to Jan. 1943 ( Between 1935 and Sept.
1945, 11,961 Colt Service Model "ACE" pistols were made and their parts were fully interchangable with the .45 caliber
M1911A1.
5) Colt Service Model "ACE" : S/N SM 3846 to SM 13,803 = April 1945 to Sept. 1945
( Between 1938 and Oct. 1946, a total of 2149 .22-.45 conversion units were made to convert .45 caliber pistols to .22
caliber. They were: S/N U1 to U2670. From 1938 to 1940, .45-.22 conversion units were made to convert Service M
Model "ACE" .22 caliber pistols to .45 ACP. They were: S/N U1 to U112.)
Foreign Service Models:
1) Colt M1911 Canadian Contract: S/N C5400 to C16599 = Sept. to Nov., 1914 ( Only 5000 pistols in this serial number range
were shipped to Canada.) Caliber .45 ACP
2) Colt M1911A1 Canadian Contract: S/N 930,000 to 936,000 = 1943 ( 1,515 military model pistols were shipped to Canada
through the Lend-Leased Act from this serial number range.) Caliber .45 ACP
3) Colt M1911 British Contract: S/N W29117 to W97000 and S/N C29 to C74,200 = May 1912 to April 1919 (Approx. 17,500
pistols were shipped to England.
Serial numbers that begin with a "C" were .45 ACP and serial numbers that begin with a "W" were .455 Webley calibers.
4) Colt M1911 British RAF Contract: S/N W91,100 to W110,696 = Jan. 22, 1918 to April 28, 1919 (Approx. 10,000 pistols were
shipped to the Royal Air Force from this serial number range and were .455 Webley caliber.)
5) British M1911A1 WW II Lend-Lease: From all S/N's of U.S. M1911A1 models = March 11, 1941 through the rest of WW II
(The U.S. furnished 39,592 pistols to Britain through the Lend-Lease Act.)
6) Colt M1911 Russian Contract: S/N C23000 to C89000 = Feb. 19, 1916 to Jan. 18,1917 ( Russia purchased 51,000 M1911 .45
ACP pistols during WW I. from this serial number range. Russia purchased more M1911 pistols than any other country besides
the U.S.)
Regular commercial model Colt except has "English Order" mark in Russian on left side of frame.
7) Colt M1911 Norwegian: Colt S/N C18501 to C18850 and Norway S/N 1 to 5000 = June 1915 to WW II (400 Colt 1911's .45
caliber purchased and issued to Norwegian Navy. May 1917, 300 Colt 1911 .45ACP pistols purchased in 1915. In 1917, Norway
obtained licence to manufacture it's M1911 pistols. The first they made had "COLT AUT PISTOL M/1912" on the slides and
then at S/N 100 this changed to "11.25 m/m AUT. PISTOL M/1914" on the slides.
8) Colt M1911 Argentine: S/N C6201 to C11621 = 1914, S/N C20,001 to C21000 = 1916
S/N C86790 to C116000 = 1919 ( 321 shipped in 1914 marked on right side of slide with "MARINA ARGENTINA". In 1915
another 1000 shipped within above S/N range. In 1919 another 400 M1911 Colts shipped in above S/N range. Imported into
the U.S. in 1960 as surplus but very rare in any condition.)
9) Colt M1911A1 Argentine Modelo 1927: S/N 1 to 10,000 = July 28, 1927 to Feb. 16, 1928 ( Marked on slide with " COLT
CAL. 45 MOD. 1927" and S/N's stamped on top of slide in Colt's italic numbers.) SYST. COLT pistols made by Argentina under
licence from Colt marked on right of slide with "EJERCITO ARGENTINO / SIST. COLT CAL 11.25 mm. Model 1927".
Other M1911A1 pistols made in Argentina at Fabrica Militar de Armas Portatiles, Rosario, Argintina S/N 10,001 to 112,000
10) Colt M1911 MEXICAN: After WW I, Mexico procured an unknown number of M1911 pistols made by Colt. These are rare
because of Mexico's strict penalties for illegal possession of military arms (ON SPOT EXECUTION). Very few made it to U.S.
and would have a "C" prefix serial numbers.
May have "EJERCITO MEXICANO" on right side of slide.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colt Commercial Production: Govt. Model: 1912 to 1981
Model 1911
Serial Numbers Date Number Made
S/N C1 to C1899 1912 1899
S/N C1900 to C5399 1913 3500
S/N C5400 to C16599 1914 11,200
S/N C16600 to C27599 1915 11,000
S/N C27600 to C74999 1916 47,400
S/N C75000 to C98999 1917 24,000
S/N C99000 to C105999 1918 7000
S/N C106000 to C120999 1919 15,000
S/N C121000 to C126999 1920 6000
S/N C127000 to C128999 1921 2000
S/N C129000 to C129999 1922 1000
S/N C130000 to C133999 1923 4000
Some special military orders and military contractor orders were made.
The following pistols were shipped to Major Cyrus S. Radford, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, on Feb. 13, 1917. with a prefix of 1 to 25 added to serial numbers.
S/N's 1-C92505, 2-C92332, 3-C92227, 4-C91632, 5-C91739, 6-C91936, 7-C92359, 8-C91710, 9-C92326, 10-C92290, 11-C92239, 12-C92335, 13-C92291, 14-C92250, 15-C92347, 16-C92244, 17-C92343, 18-C92249, 19-C92156, 20-C92337, 21-C92358,
22-C92245, 24-C92243, 25-C92294
S/N C201069 shipped to Springfield Armory on Sept. 28, 1919 for prototype tests.
__________________________________________________________________
Model 1911A1
Serial Numbers Date Number Made
S/N C135000 to C139999 1924 5000
S/N C140000 to 144999 1925 5000
S/N C145000 to C150999 1926 6000
S/N C151000 to C151999 1927 1000
S/N C152000 to C154999 1928 3000
S/N C155000 to C155999 1929 1000
S/N C156000 to C158999 1930 3000
S/N C159000 to C160999 1931 2000
S/N C161000 to C164799 1932 3800
S/N C164800 to C174599 1933 9800
S/N C174600 to C177999 1934 3400
S/N C178000 to C179799 1935 1800
S/N C179800 to C183199 1936 3400
S/N C183200 to C188699 1937 5500
S/N C188700 to C189599 1938 900
S/N C189600 to C198899 1939 9300
S/N C198900 to C199299 1940 400
S/N C199300 to C208799 1941 9500
S/N C208800 to C215018 1942 6219
Production Stopped because of World War II.
Commercial models converted to military use except for limited production of Service Model "ACE" with S/N's around SM2715.
.22 to .45 Conversion Units made from S/N U1400 to 1700.
In 1943, commercial models used to fill military orders. A limited amount of Super 38 & Super Match 38 produced. .22 to .45 Conversion Units made S/N U1701 to S/N U1750.
In 1944 no commercial production of any kind recorded.
S/N SM3725 to SM13803 Service Model "ACE" .22 made, some gaps in numbering produced in 1945. Commercial production resumed in 1946.
S/N C221001 to C222000 1946 1000
S/N C222001 to C231999 1947 9999
S/N C232000 to C238500 1948 6501
S/N C238501 to C240000 1949 1500
S/N C240001 to 247700C 1950 7700
S/N 247701C to 253179C 1951 5479
S/N 253180C to 259549C 1952 6370
S/N 259550C to 266349C 1953 6800
S/N 266350C to 270549C 1954 4200
S/N 270550C to 272549C 1955 2000
S/N 272550C to 276699C 1956 4150
S/N 276700C to 281999C 1957 5300
S/N 282000C to 283799C 1958 1800
S/N 283800C to 285799C 1959 2000
S/N 285800C to 287999C 1960 2200
S/N 288000C to 289849C 1961 1850
S/N 289850C to 291299C 1962 1450
S/N 291300C to 293799C 1963 2500
S/N 293800C to 295999C 1964 2200
S/N 296000C to 300299C 1965 4300
S/N 300300C to 308499C 1966 8200
S/N 308500C to 315599C 1967 7100
S/N 315600C to 324499C 1968 8900
S/N 324500C to 332649C 1969 8150
S/N 332650C to 336169C 1970 3520
During 1970 the change to the new series "70" begins and serial numbers changed also.
S/N 70G01001 to 70G05550 1970 4550
S/N 70G05551 to 70G18000 1971 12,450
S/N 70G18001 to 70G34400 1972 16,400
S/N 70G34401 to 70G43000 1973 8600
S/N 70G43001 to 70G73000 1974 30,000
S/N 70G73001 to 70G88900 1975 15,900
S/N 70G88901 to 70G99999 1976 11,099
During 1976 a range change of serial number begins.
S/N 01001G70 to 13900G70 1976 12,900
S/N 13901G70 to 45199G70 1977 31,299
S/N 45200G70 to 89185G70 1978 43,986
S/N 89186G70 to 99999G70 1979 10,813
During 1979 a range change of serial numbers begins on March 20, 1979.
S/N 01000B70 to 30008B70 1979 29,008
S/N 30009B70 to 72989B70 1980 42,981
S/N 72990B70 to 99999B70 1981 27,009
During 1981 a range change of serial numbers begins on Oct. 17, 1981.
S/N 70B00001 to 70B11246 1981 11,246
Some special orders made for military or military contractors. These are as follows:
S/N C211458 Sept. 22, 1942 shipped to Scovill Manufacturing Co. Waterbury, Conn.
S/N's C212147, C212332, C212486, C212495 Sept. 29, 1942 shipped to Winchester Repeating Arms Co.
S/N's C213341, C213242, C213343, C213345 May 27, 1942 shipped to Remington Arms Co. Bridgeport, Conn.
S/N C214360 Jan. 2, 1945 Shipped to U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
S/N's C214752, C214753, C214754 April 3, 1942 Shipped to Winchester Repeating Arms Co.
S/N C214833 Nov. 10, 1942 Shipped to Capt. A. H. Harris, Hartford Ord. District.
S/N C213905 Oct. 8, 1942 Shipped to J. A. Lorch, Washington, D.C.
S/N C214016 Oct. 9, 1942 Shipped to Dominion of Canada.
Vaya,
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