The firearm that started it all

[paddywonka]

Thanks,since then,have aquired firearms of almost every nation involved in WWII. Mauser rifles(German and Polish),Walthers (pre,WWII,and post)P-08,P-35,P-38,Sauers,Colt autos,S&W,1911,Webley,Italian ,Jap,modern and more.Think I have a bit of a collection till I come here and see some of Bill Grist's and others. Drive a Willys M-38 Jeep,arround town.This was my last purchase at a local gunshow.

[Ty Revelo]

Nice example, the firing ping hasn't broken yet has it?? It is my favorite of all theaters that it has seen.

Thanks for showing

rgds, Ty

[paddywonka]

Thanks Ty,no the firing pin has not broken yet.Have put some rounds through it,do they have a habbit of breaking?

[Ty Revelo]

Yup, they did. It was a common problem as i have broken a couple on my own but i put too many rounds to count.

Just enjoy it. It really is not a big thing should it break. If you know how to dismantle the firearm then it will be an easy fix. Your not in battle so if it breaks your not risking your life for it's failure

rgds, Ty

[Ty Revelo]

Also note if yours is an early version korean war or earlier then it was prone to that failure.

[Sam11]

one of my first guns which I still have is a Ruger min 14, unable to show it becuse i haven't been able to download these pictures, but i fired the gun for many years and i still love it.

[Kilroy Was Here]

Very Nice pistol paddywonka, Why the WWi pistol with WW2 items? looks good, no problem, just wondering. Maybe you need to collect some more World War One stuff : ) What's the ser# of the pistol?
if anything I think is going to break on it, I think it would be the very narrow front site. Besides being narrow, they have a very small staking pin. I used to shoot my orig. 1911 back in the 80's and the front sight flew off. I was lucky to find it. I super glued it in and never shot the old pistol again. No pics of it, and it was sold a long time ago. It was refinished though, nicely done, but refinished, so no big loss.
I did keep, and still have the belt, holster, pouch with AEF soldiers name, and 2 clips with orig WWI ammo that came with it. I just need a pistol again for it. Never got around to it yet. It's a bit too late price wise though with these 1911's. I probably should not have broken them up, now I know better.

A couple pics of first guns. The US&S in the pic I have had 32 years. The other for along time too. My very first is a 8mm Lebel Mannlicher-berthier carbine my Grandmother gave me when about 10 years old. I will dig out and post pics of it.

Great idea for a thread paddywonka!! There is another good one, that asks if anybody has any other hobbies besides WWII collecting.

Regards, Steve

[paddywonka]

Kilroy,thanks.Nice collection you have there!The serial is #498662.The pistol appears to be all original,HP on barrel. The reason WWI pistol with WWII webbing is,that is the way I bought it.Our gun club puts on 2 shows a year.My duties also include checking firearms at the door.A young man with a family of 5 in tow,came to the gunshow.He wanted to sell this rig,but did not want to pay the $5 admission.Asked what he wanted for the 1911,he said was worth$600,as he saw on the internet.Agreed to $550.He had inheritted recently from his grandfather,who carried it in WWII.The spare magazines still had a mix of WWII ammo in them.In my haste I did not think to ask his grandfathers name.The belt,holster,firstaide pouch are dated 1942,the pistol ammo pouch1918.Put a new set of Wolfe springs in,and have put a few boxes of mild reloads through it.Good shooter.

[Kilroy Was Here]

Hello! thanks for the info and story. I have similar stories also. You stole the pistol. Very nice WWi 1911. Looks to have it's orig finish. I would put the proper springs etc back in and retire the old girl. Dose'nt hurt to shoot a few boxes of reloads though. According to Clawsons book your pistol was made in 1918, and one of approx 320,000 sent to the military towards the end of the year.

Great pistol, I would love to have it. It has a good used look to it. does the other side look as nice?

Regards, Steve

[Ty Revelo]

Stole the pistol is correct. I have not seen a good one for under $900

Congrat's


rgrds, Ty