Colt Super .38 Automatic Pre-War First-Series, 1929 Production, Bright Nickel, Full-Size 1911
Made in 1929, this first-year Colt Super .38 Automatic belongs to the highly sought-after Pre-War First-Series. Serial number 57XX places it among the earliest commercial .38 Super Government Models ever built. It retains the original 1911-pattern features—vertical rear cocking serrations, small combat sights, flat mainspring housing, and lanyard loop—while wearing a bright nickel refinish and aftermarket synthetic grips that set it apart visually.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Good - Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling - Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Widespread finish loss, scattered scratches, and small spots of surface rust are visible on the nickel finish. The yellow synthetic checkered grips display embedded grime that remains after cleaning.
What’s Included
- Two 7-round steel single-stack .38 Super magazines
This pistol represents the launch configuration of the Colt Super .38 Government Model. The early slide roll-mark reads "COLT SUPER .38 AUTOMATIC" accompanied by the Rampant Colt logo, matching the historic pattern from its debut year.
The carbon-steel frame and slide have been refinished in bright nickel, giving the gun a distinctive appearance while helping protect the steel underneath. Vertical rear serrations, a half-moon front sight, and square-notch rear sight remain as originally configured by the factory.
Functionally, it keeps the classic single-action 1911 operating system with a short spur hammer, grip safety, and thumb safety. The trigger face is vertically serrated for a consistent feel, and the 5-inch barrel still shows clean lands and grooves.
Chambered in .38 Super, the full-size Government platform delivers the flat recoil impulse and magazine capacity that made the caliber popular with law enforcement and competitive shooters of the era. As a true first-year example, it offers collectors a tangible link to Colt’s early .38 Super history.