Was ist hier los? (What's up here?) Number on WW1 Colt 1911 hammer?

[Marcus]

I just noticed that my WW2 refurbed (Parkerized, bakelite grips, SA barrel, looks like 1911A1 grip safety) WW1 era, 1919 production, Colt U.S. Model 1911 has a small number stamped on the right side of the hammer.

It looks like C 365 573 - not sure exactly what the numbers are, especially the last 3 because I don't have anything capable of more powerful magnification than my weak reading glasses handy right now.

I've never seen anything like this before on any of the WW1 era 1911 pistols I own or have owned.

The finish and wear pattern match the rest of the gun, so I don't think this is a recent or non-military addition.

Hammer spur also looks just a little shorter than the one on my original 1918 Colt 1911. It's a wide spur hammer, not the later WW2 narrow spur type.

Is this a Ww1 or WW2 era military replacement, or early Colt 1911A1 part, or what?

thanks,
Marcus

[Johnny P]

The part is thought to be aftermarket, with the drawing number added to give it authenticity even though the military did not put the drawing number on the 1911A1 small parts.

To give a little background on the drawing number, the C is the size of the piece of drafting paper the part is found on with A, B, C, and D being used, A being the smallest sheet and D being the largest. The 3839 is the part number for the hammer, and the -3 is the revision number. The drawing sheets were filed by this number.

http://i42.tinypic.com/33ze5j9.jpg

[Marcus]

Interesting....on closer examination in bright sunlight, that is indeed the marking. Is that a cast or milled hammer in the photo? Looks cast, but that might be just the parked finish under high magnification? My hammer looks like a machined part and appears much smoother than the one in the photo, even with it's grey parked finish....though maybe to have that number in it, it would have to be a casting...or could it be stamped on a part that small?

[Johnny P]

From the looks of the checkering on the hammer I would say it was cast. The phosphate (Parkerized) finish isn't necessarily rough, as the sandblasting prior to the finish determines how rough the finish will be.

http://i43.tinypic.com/sz7soz.jpg

[Marcus]

On my hammer the checkering is a lot sharper and more distinct, as are all the corners and edges and other details.

It almost looks like a hammer like mine was used to make a casting mold that was then used to produce the hammer in the photos. Is this a hammer in your collection, or photos from a reference source? I'm wondering if there are any visible casting marks on it like one sees on late production M1/M2 carbine parts, or cast Soviet AKM parts - I don't see any casting marks on mine, but I haven't taken it out of the pistol yet.

thanks,
Marcus

[Johnny P]

The hammer and photos are mine.

I don't see any casting lines, but the sides of mine are heavily sandblasted. This is a 1911A1 Colt wide spur hammer for comparison.

http://i42.tinypic.com/210g568.jpg