Remington Rand Type 1

[Ken Hill]

For those who track such things I ran across a Type 1, serial number 9301xx, with CBI provenance and in the hands of the family whose Uncle saw WWII service and was issued same. All correct and original parts with a Type 6 Colt barrel with the small "G/N" stamped under the lug.

These are terrific variants!

[Johnny P]

The Colt G/N barrel is probably a bit late to show up in a 930000 Remington Rand. The G/N barrel doesn't show up in Colt production until the March 1943 time frame, while the Remington Rands with the Colt barrels are in the November/December 1942 and very early January 1943 production, and are the large G variety.

[Ken Hill]

The Colt G/N barrel is probably a bit late to show up in a 930000 Remington Rand. The G/N barrel doesn't show up in Colt production until the March 1943 time frame, while the Remington Rands with the Colt barrels are in the November/December 1942 and very early January 1943 production, and are the large G variety.

Johnny,

That's why I posted the observation. Gun is right as rain and documented to the owner's separation from the US Army serving in CBI theater as a 1Lt in 1945. Barrel is well shot and perfect wear pattern to slide/hood. /Ken

[Duane Hansen]

Johnny,

That's why I posted the observation. Gun is right as rain and documented to the owner's separation from the US Army serving in CBI theater as a 1Lt in 1945. Barrel is well shot and perfect wear pattern to slide/hood. /Ken

I guess that stranger things have happened in these pistol's history.

I would love to see a picture or two.....Thanks Ken

[Scott Gahimer]

I agree with Johnny. A specific matching wear pattern is key to determining originality of a barrel, but only if the barrel was in production at the time. A matching wear pattern, in this case, probably just indicates the original barrel (most likely HS) was changed out very early, before the pistol had been fired enough to establish wear patterns.

One of the type 1 RR pistols I have is exactly the same way...930xxx serial range and large G/N barrel. Nice matching wear pattern, but the G/N barrel just wasn't in use yet in Jan 1943. The only way that barrel could be original to the pistol is if the pistol was held back for in-house repairs and Colt transferred more barrels to RR. However, that's a pretty slim chance. Otherwise, I think we'd see a lot more RR pistols in the same serial range with that particular style Colt barrel. I'd like my pistol to be all original, but after studying the serial range where that barrel shows up in Colt pistols, I don't think that's the case.

[Duane Hansen]

Maybe not very probable but indeed possible, as you said yourself, there were on ocassion pistols held back for one reason or another and at that time some of these odd combinations do show up. Maybe ever so small is the chance but I've learned that sometimes we can't rule out possible legit examples. I like all my pistols to be correct and original too! Just sayin......

[gfguns]

Maybe not very probable but indeed possible, as you said yourself, there were on ocassion pistols held back for one reason or another and at that time some of these odd combinations do show up. Maybe ever so small is the chance but I've learned that sometimes we can't rule out possible legit examples. I like all my pistols to be correct and original too! Just sayin......

Duane I agree anything is possible but most collectors/buyers will shy away from the pistols that require slim chance scenario explanations which hurts the value. The Clawson books are the standard the 1911's are held to by most collectors. I know there a few exceptions where new data has become available since the latest edition was printed but those are very easy to prove.

[Ed P]

The early type 1 rands I have seen with colt barrels have had the small g with them.. That being said, if it is a nice high condition Type 1 Remington Rand with a probable late barrel it would be unlikely it would be passed up just because of the barrel. I think a lot of collectors just use that for and excuse to negotiate the price down. I have picked up some pretty nice guns in my day that had wrong barrels and I never had any problems selling them for high book prices.

[Johnny P]

I would also consider a small G Colt barrel to be incorrect in a Type I Remington Rand. Colt was transitioning from the small G to the large G in the June/July 1942 time period, and Remington Rand didn't deliver a pistol until November 1942.

[Scott Gahimer]

What a pistol sells for has nothing to do with whether it is original or correct. It only reflects what someone is willing to sell/pay for that gun on a given day. Nor does it mean everyone agrees on the value.

[Duane Hansen]

Valid points all but just expanding our thinking and not ruling out certain possibilities even when not probable or even likely. I would shy away from buying one for all the reasons spoke of above and and have steered other collectors away too.

[Ken Hill]

Interesting take on the G/N from each of you on the 9301xx gun. The service member was in the medical corps in the CBI theater so (at least to me) it seems less likely he, unlike a line officer, would consider a sidearm a tool of the trade. He simply packed it up after the VJ and took it home. There were many Type 1 RR's sent to the OSS/CB in this range as per SRS so there was opportunity for the barrel to be swapped upon acceptance at the CBI base it wound up at. I own 931459 with a High Standard and fully expected to see a HS in the survivor pistol.

Personally I have thought the Type 1's spent some months in storage after the Feb 1943 RR plant shut down. The Type 1 and II slides overlap and are present from 935k to 955k but I've never seen a Colt barrel in that range either!
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