OLD COLT: WE PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH AN ONLINE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE FOR OLD COLT GUNS.
This Colt M1911A1 was shipped on December 19th, 1941 in a 1,200 gun shipment to the Commanding General at the Springfield Armory.
This particular pistol has a number matching slide, WB final inspectors mark but an RS inspectors mark for the lower assembly.
During the assembly of these pistols the inspectors would perform a function check on the lower assembly. If a pistol lower were to pass it would get an inspectors stamp on the top of the frame next to the disconnector hole. Once the upper assembly was added and the entire pistol passed it's function check the inspectors stamp on the frame below the slide stop was added.
Timing of the change of oversight on inspectors allowed for the the dual inspectors on this particular pistol to take place. There have been other pistols in this serial number observed at the time of this writing.
The RS Inspection mark is for Colonel Robert Sears. Col. Sears was the the Army Inspector of Ordnance at the Hartford Ordnance District office from August 3rd 1937 - June 30th, 1941. His inspection mark is seen on pistols in the 723000-750500 range.
The inspector stamp of W.B. is for Colonel Waldemar S. Broberg. He was the Army Inspector of Ordnance from July 1st, 1941 to June 16th, 1942 in the Hartford/Springfield Ordnance District.
