Springfield 1911

[barretcreek]

Friend says he's got a Springfield 1911, not 1911a. Didn't know they made any.

[Randy]

Yes. There's a M1911 and A M1911a1. It's one of the few modifications made over the years.

[Chaz]

Yes, Springfield Armory made 1911s

The Armory made batches of them between 1914 and 1917. But it didn't produce 1911A1s.
SA 1911 004.jpgSA 1911 002.jpg

[PhillipM]

The original 1911 contract with Colt specified that 1/3 of every order was to be made at Springfield Armory. This went on until 1917 when the world found out Springfield Armory couldn't supply the Army with enough rifles to fight WWI, so they discontinued them to concentrate on 1903 production.

[Johnny P]

The contract specified that after Colt had produced 50,000 of the Model 1911 pistols that Springfield Armory "had the right" to manufacture up to 1/3 of the 1911 pistols, but it was not a requirement. Colt reached 50,000 pistols in October of 1913, but Springfield never came close to manufacturing the number of pistols they were allowed. Less than 26,000 pistols were manufactured from 1914 to 1917. Springfield also had to pay a royalty of $2 per pistol to Colt.

[macPA]

Have one that was one on the last ones sold
by the DCM. Has all paper work as well as a flier
explaining that no more will be sold through the program

[Johnny P]

Late Springfield

[PhillipM]

Thanks for the info, Johnny P.

126353 doesn't look as good as yours. I've seen conflicting data. Have you a production date? Also, are all the eagles somewhat lightly struck?

20161215_213434.jpg

[Johnny P]

Springfield Armory did not keep a detailed record of their pistol production like Colt, and Springfield only issued a yearly report of pistols produced. The Springfield shown falls into the 1917 reported range of 125587 to 127798.

The eagle stamp on the Springfield Model 1911 slide is never deep due to it's large size compared to a single letter or number. Trying to stamp it deeper would probably result in a bent slide.

One of the stranger reasons for the delay of pistol production at Springfield Armory was setting up a production line for the Model 1913 or "Patton Saber". Military minds work in strange ways.

[CPC]

Johnny, that is a beautiful pistol. Thank you for sharing.

[Johnny P]

Johnny, that is a beautiful pistol. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks. It came in a General Officer's holster, but I could never trace it's history.

[Scott Gahimer]

Springfield Armory did not keep a detailed record of their pistol production like Colt, and Springfield only issued a yearly report of pistols produced. The Springfield shown falls into the 1917 reported range of 125587 to 127798. ...

I believe 125567-127130 is reported as being procured between July 1 and December 31, 1916 on page 392 in Clawson's big book. He shows only 848 pistols produced in the 1917 procurement report covering Jan 1 through June 30 that year. He notes, however, that production actually terminated April 15, 1917.

Is there conflicting information somewhere else?

[Johnny P]

Page 193 of Meadow's U.S. Military Automatic Pistols 1894-1920 lists serial numbers 125587-127998 as 1917 production. This by fiscal year, and not by calendar year.

[Scott Gahimer]

Thanks. I appreciate that. I hadn't considered the fiscal year thing.