Colt M1911A1 U.S. Army .45 ACP, 1943 G.H.D.-Inspected WWII Service Pistol, Parkerized, 5-Inch Barrel
This 1943 Colt M1911A1 is a U.S. military contract .45 ACP service pistol with wartime frame markings and finish. It bears the G.H.D. inspector stamp of Brigadier General Guy H. Drewry, along with UNITED STATES PROPERTY and M1911A1 U.S.
ARMY designations on the frame, confirming a genuine WWII Colt. Note: the slide carries a non-factory right-side "M1911A1 U.S. ARMY" rollmark, which was not used by Colt during WWII. It features a 5-inch barrel, matte gray Parkerized carbon-steel construction, and period-correct checkered brown grips with an arched mainspring housing and lanyard loop.
Condition
Overall Condition: Fair condition, showing extensive signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Fair - Generally clean, some residue or smudges, slight corrosion.
Bore Rifling: Fair Rifling - Worn rifling, slight loss of definition.
Specific Condition Notes: This Colt M1911A1 retains approximately 40–50% of its original Parkerized finish with heavy holster wear and scattered surface peppering. The bore appears dark with visible frosting. Military markings are softened but remain legible. It appears to retain original components consistent with a WWII service pistol.
What’s Included
- Colt M1911A1 pistol (1943)
- 1x 7-round steel single-stack magazine with witness holes
The left-side G.H.D. stamp indicates inspection by Brigadier General Guy H. Drewry and identifies this pistol as a genuine wartime Colt rather than a replica. This mark, paired with its 1943 production date, places the gun squarely within mid-war U.S. Army procurement.
Military frame markings include UNITED STATES PROPERTY and M1911A1 U.S. ARMY on the frame, Ordnance crossed-cannons acceptance, and a P proof. The slide bears a non-factory right-side "M1911A1 U.S. ARMY" rollmark; on WWII Colt production, the right slide face was typically unmarked aside from a small "P" proof on top, with the two-line Colt patent/date block and Rampant Colt on the left.
Built with a carbon-steel slide and frame and finished in matte gray Parkerized phosphate, this full-size 1911 features a 5-inch barrel and 7+1 capacity. It wears checkered brown, diamondless grip panels and an arched, checkered mainspring housing with a lanyard loop—hallmarks of the M1911A1 service configuration.
Functional details include fixed sights (staked blade front, fixed rear notch), vertical rear slide serrations, a short trigger, a checkered magazine release, and both a manual thumb safety and a grip safety. Together, these features represent the standard U.S. service sidearm pattern of the WWII era.