WWI Springfield 1911

[Leggett71]

Found this WWI gem at a local pawn shop recently.
Springfield 1911 DOB March 1915
Still cleaning as internals were caked in cosmoline and not coming apart easily.
So far parts are mixed but appears to be a post WWI rebuild with WWI parts.
Gun was not in the shop case but never hurts to ask if the shop has any old stuff stuck around.
This is what he brought out and it went home with me.

A pic for your viewing.

Leggett71

 

[Seadog]

Found this WWI gem at a local pawn shop recently.
Springfield 1911 DOB March 1915
Still cleaning as internals were caked in cosmoline and not coming apart easily.
So far parts are mixed but appears to be a post WWI rebuild with WWI parts.
Gun was not in the shop case but never hurts to ask if the shop has any old stuff stuck around.
This is what he brought out and it went home with me.

A pic for your viewing.

Leggett71
View attachment 383863

Lucky dog

 

[MilitantBEEMER]

Nice, I see the flaming bomb; so that makes it an Arsenal rebuild? Any initials on the serial side?

 

[Leggett71]

Nice, I see the flaming bomb; so that makes it an Arsenal rebuild? Any initials on the serial side?

Springfield stamped arsenal bombs on the slide & frame, as shown on this 1911, on original manufacture as well as the eagle on the opposite side of the slide. No other inspection markings were used other than the small "s" on the other parts to denote Springfield manufactured parts. On this serial number series in 1915 even the barrel only was marked with a single "s" on the left lug.
Rebuild theory is based on none of the internals are Springfield & marked with the small "s" stamp typical of Springfield original 1911's. There is no arsenal rebuild stamp noted on the frame and in post WWI SA did not stamp their rebuilds with a "SA" on the frame.
No other stamps are found anywhere on the pistol. Per documents I have read Springfield was contracted post WWI to refurbish 1911's with the new parts left over from WWI Colt, UMC & Springfield. Parts I have disassembled match types manufactured for the 1911 in WWI as detailed by Poyer. I have not contacted Scott Gahimer the 1911 expert but will for his comments once I have the parts cleaned.

Being it is 107 years old anything could have happened to it and anyone could have rebuilt it with original parts. if only it could talk.
The thick dried cosmoline points me to an arsenal / potential post WWI rebuild.
The cosmoline had dried on the internals and acted like glue, so it has been applied for a considerable length of time. Cleaning & disassembly has been slow as not to damage the parts.

Thanks for the comments & I will post an update as I find out more.

Leggett

 

[D.M.]

Found this WWI gem at a local pawn shop recently.
Springfield 1911 DOB March 1915
Still cleaning as internals were caked in cosmoline and not coming apart easily.
So far parts are mixed but appears to be a post WWI rebuild with WWI parts.
Gun was not in the shop case but never hurts to ask if the shop has any old stuff stuck around.
This is what he brought out and it went home with me.

A pic for your viewing.

Leggett71
View attachment 383863

Sweet. Look’s better than some of the stuff the CMP has kicked out.

 

[Snattlerake]

Drool!

 

[Taprackfire]

CMP is such a rip off. Use to be a good place to purchase old weapons at affordable prices. But they got greedy.