Colt M1911A1 U.S. Army, 1942 W.B. Inspected, .45 ACP, Parkerized, British Nitro-Proofed Barrel, WWII USGI 5-inch
This 1942 Colt M1911A1 is a U.S. Army-marked, wartime-production pistol with the boxed W.B. inspector mark attributed to Colonel Waldemar Broberg. It carries UNITED STATES PROPERTY on the frame, P proofs on the slide and frame, and a barrel bearing British commercial nitro proofs (NP .45 7 TONS). The pistol retains hallmark A1 features and wears non-factory target sights, combining documented WWII provenance with later sight upgrades.
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.
Specific Condition Notes: This firearm is in solid shape. It has various cosmetic imperfections, scratches, blemishes, and areas of finish loss. The bore remains clean and shiny.
What’s Included
- Colt M1911A1 .45 ACP pistol (1942 U.S. Army-marked)
- 1x 7-round unmarked steel single-stack magazine
- Micro adjustable target rear sight (installed)
- Tall aftermarket front sight blade (installed)
Produced in 1942, this USGI Colt retains correct military identifiers: the right-side slide legend reads M1911A1 U.S. ARMY, the frame is marked UNITED STATES PROPERTY, and both slide and frame carry P proof marks. The boxed W.B. inspection stamp on the left side of the frame denotes acceptance by Colonel Waldemar Broberg during early-war Colt production.
The barrel shows British commercial nitro proof markings (NP .45 7 TONS), indicating a later British-proofed barrel. These proofs provide a documented layer of postwar commercial verification separate from the original U.S. military acceptance process.
Core M1911A1 features are present, including trigger relief cuts and an arched mainspring housing. Controls and small parts include a short, serrated trigger; a wide-spur, checkered hammer; a checkered recoil spring plug; and slide serrations. The pistol is finished in a Parkerized/phosphate scheme over carbon steel and is fitted with diamondless brown checkered plastic panels often referred to as Coltwood or phenolic.
The sights have been upgraded with a non-factory Micro adjustable target rear and a tall non-factory front blade, delivering a target-style sight picture. The platform remains the classic Government-length configuration with a 5-inch slide and barrel, single-action operation, and a single-stack detachable magazine.
Chambered in .45 ACP, this M1911A1 follows the short-recoil, tilting-barrel system and includes a frame-mounted thumb safety. Capacity is 7+1 with the included magazine. The build reflects WWII-era Colt production paired with later barrel proofing and practical sight enhancements.