M1911/M1911A1 Serial Numbers...

[St. George]

This'll keep you occupied...

Keep in mind - these manufacturers are the 'only' ones that are legitimately M1911 and M1911A1 manufacturers - anything else is a clone.

1911 .45 ACP Production Information

Military Versions from 1912 to 1945.
Manufacturer/Serial Number/Date Made

Beginning of M1911:

1)  Colt: S/N 1 to 3190 = April 16, 1912 to May 31, 1912

2)  Colt: S/N 3190 to 7501 = May 31, 1912 to Oct. 10, 1912  
    (S/N 3501 to 3799 were first U.S.M.C. pistols made by Colt delivered June 6, 1912.)

3)  Colt: S/N 7501 to (approximately) 20,000 = Oct. 10, 1912 to Jan. 1913

4)  Colt: S/N (approx.) 20,000 to 83,856 = Jan. 1913 to Aug. 19, 1913
     S/N 38,001 to 43,900 Navy Model (USS New York) = March 9, 1912 to March 5, 1915
     S/N 43,901 to 44,000 Navy Model (USS Texas) = March 9, 1912 to March 5, 1915
     S/N 36,401 to 37,650 U.S.M.C. Model made by Colt = July 9, 1913

5)  Colt: S/N 83,856 to 89,801 = Aug. 19, 1913 to July 20, 1914
    (S/N 83,901 to 84,400 U.S.M.C. Model = May 12, 1914)

6)  Colt: S/N 89,801 to 108,601 = July 20, 1914 to Feb. 8, 1915
     (S/N 96,001 to 97,537 Navy Model (U.S. Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y.) = March 9, 1912 to March 5, 1915)

7)  Colt: S/N 108,601 to 290,000 = Feb. 8, 1915 to May, 1918
     (S/N 109,501 to 110,000 Navy Model, S/N 223,953 to 223,991 Navy Model, S/N 232,001 to 233,600 Navy Model)
     (S/N 151,187 to 151,986 U.S.M.C. Model, S/N 185,801 to 186,201 U.S.M.C. Model,  S/N 209,587 to 210,386 U.S.M.C.  
    Model, S/N 215,387 to 217,386 U.S.M.C. Model)

8)  Colt/Springfield: S/N 128,617 to 133,186 = 1916 to 1924 ( These models are  very hard to properly identify)

9)  Colt: S/N 290,000 to 450,000 = May, 1918 to Oct. 24, 1918

10) Colt: S/N 450,000 to 629,500 = Oct. 24, 1918 to April 10, 1919

11) Springfield Armory: S/N 72,571 to 133,186 = April 1914 to April, 1917

12) Remington-UMC: S/N 1 to 15,000 = Aug. 10, 1918 to May 24, 1919

13) Remington-UMC: S/N 15,000 to 21,676 = Aug. 10, 1918 to May 24, 1919

14) North American Arms: S/N 1 to 100 & S/N's 111, 222, 333, 444, 555 = July 1, 1918
     to Dec. 4, 1918. They are very rare and rank in value with Singer models.
     ( None of these were reported shipped to any branch of the military but about 100 regular models and about 5 presentation
     models were manufactured in Quebec,  Canada by the North American Arms Company, Ltd.)

15) A. J. Savage Munitions Co. was issued a contract on July 20, 1918 and canceled on  Dec. 4, 1918. Some parts were made
     but no complete pistols. It is unknown for sure  if any slides were made and no frames were made.
     (Slides 'were' made and marked - usually assembled to left-over Colt frames after WW1, as Ordnance used up all of the spares)


Beginning of M1911A1:

14) Colt ( Transition Models): S/N 700,000 to 710,000 = 1924

15) Colt: S/N 710,001 to 711,000 = Early 1937

16) Colt: S/N 711,001 to 712,350 = Mid to Late 1937

17) Colt: S/N 712,350 to 713,645 = 1938

18)Colt: S/N 713,646 to 717,281 = 1939

Begining in 1940, the slide's muzzel end was hardened after the finish was applied but a color mis-match was suppose to be rejected.
From 1942 to 1945 all 1911A1 pistols should show a slight to very noticed mismatch of coloring on the muzzle end of slide, and from 1943 the slide lock notch area should also show some discoloration from hardening after the pistol's finish was applied.

19) Colt: S/N 717,282 to 721,977 = 1940

20) Colt: S/N 721,977 to 756,733 = 1941

21) Colt: S/N 756,734 to 857,000 = 1942 (S/N's 856,405 to 916,404 were also duplicated by Ithaca but will have "F.J.A." Ithaca  
     inspection initials.)

22) Colt: S/N 857,000 to 1,609,529 = 1943 (S/N's 856,405 to 916,404 were  duplicated by Ithaca look for "F.J.A." Ithaca
     inspection initials. S/N's 1,041,405 to 1,096,404 were duplicated by Union Switch & Signal. Look for "RCD" US&S
      inspection initials.)

23) Colt: (Commercial/Military Model) S/N 857,000 to 1,609,529 = 1943
      (approx. 6,575 Commercial models were converted to military production.

      Colt stopped commercial production at S/N C215,083)

24) Colt: S/N 1,609,529 to 1,743,846 = 1944

25) Colt: S/N 2,244,804 to 2,380,013 = 1945

26) Remington Rand: S/N 916,405 to 955,000 = 1943

27) Remington Rand: S/N 955,001 to 980,000 = 1943

28) Remington Rand: S/N 980,001 to 995,000 = 1943

29) Remington Rand: S/N 995,000 to 1,041,404 = 1943

30) Remington Rand: S/N 1,279,699 to 1,441,430 = 1943

31) Remington Rand: S/N 1,471,431 to 1,609,528 = 1943

32) Remington Rand: S/N 1,743,847 to 1,816,641 = 1944

33) Remington Rand: S/N 1,890,504 to 2,075,103 = 1944

34) Remington Rand: S/N 2,134,404 to 2,244,803 = 1945

35) Remington Rand: S/N 2,380,014 to 2,619,013 = 1945

36) Ithaca: S/N 856,405 to 900,000 = 1943 ( S/N's 856,101 to 958,100 were duplicated by Colt, look for "G.H.D." or "W.B." Colt
    inspection initials.)

37) Ithaca: S/N 900,001 to 914,000 = 1943

38) Ithaca: S/N 914,000 to 916,404 = 1943

39) Ithaca: S/N 1,208,674 to 1,279,673 = 1943

40) Ithaca: S/N 1,441,431 to 1,471,430 = 1943

41) Ithaca: S/N 1,816,642 to 1,890,503 = 1944

42) Ithaca: S/N 2,075,104 to 2,134,403 = 1945

43) Ithaca: S/N 2,619,014 to 2,693,613 = 1945

44) Singer: S/N S800001 to S800500 = 1941  ( Use great care in evaluating these. They are very rare and valuable. This pistol is
    also counterfeited the most.)
     Slide markings are: S. MFG. CO.   ELIZABETH,N.J., U.S.A.

45) Union Switch & Signal: S/N 1,041,405 to 1,060,000 = 1943

46) Union Switch & Signal: S/N 1,060,000 to 1,096,404 = 1943 (S/N's 1,088,726 to 1,092,896 were duplicated by Colt. Look
     for "G.H.D." or "W.B." Colt inspection initials.)


Special Versions:

1) Springfield Armory: U.S. ARMY NATIONAL MATCH = 1954 to 1967  (Very hard to identify. Early 1954 models looked like regular
  1911A1 and later versions usually had adjustable sights.)

2) U.S. AIR FORCE MATCH = 1958 to 1970 ( Produced by U.S.A.F. Gunsmiths.
   Very hard to identify except should have AFPG stamped on frame. A M1911A1 similar to Army National Match.)

3) Colt "ACE": Caliber = .22 Long Rifle S/N 1 to 10,935 = April 1931 to July 1941
    (The last 190 or so were assembled from spare parts in 1947) Parts only partially interchangable with a .45 caliber M1911A1  
   pistol.

4) Colt Service Model "ACE" : Caliber .22 Long Rifle S/N SM 1 to SM 3,836 = Feb. 1936 to Jan. 1943 ( Between 1935 and Sept.
  1945, 11,961 Colt Service Model "ACE"   pistols were made and their parts were fully interchangable with the .45 caliber
   M1911A1.

5) Colt Service Model "ACE" : S/N SM 3846 to SM 13,803 = April 1945 to Sept. 1945
   ( Between 1938 and Oct. 1946, a total of 2149 .22-.45 conversion units were made  to convert .45 caliber pistols to .22
   caliber. They were: S/N U1 to U2670. From 1938  to 1940, .45-.22 conversion units were made to convert Service M
    Model "ACE" .22  caliber pistols to .45 ACP. They were: S/N U1 to U112.)


Foreign Service Models:

1) Colt M1911 Canadian Contract: S/N C5400 to C16599 = Sept. to Nov., 1914 ( Only 5000 pistols in this serial number range
  were shipped to Canada.) Caliber .45 ACP

2) Colt M1911A1 Canadian Contract: S/N 930,000 to 936,000 = 1943 ( 1,515 military model pistols were shipped to Canada
   through the Lend-Leased Act from this serial number range.) Caliber .45 ACP

3) Colt M1911 British Contract: S/N W29117 to W97000 and S/N C29 to C74,200 =  May 1912 to April 1919   (Approx. 17,500
   pistols were shipped to England.
   Serial numbers that begin with a "C" were .45 ACP and serial numbers that begin with a  "W" were .455 Webley calibers.

4) Colt M1911 British RAF Contract: S/N W91,100 to W110,696 = Jan. 22, 1918 to April 28, 1919 (Approx. 10,000 pistols were
   shipped to the Royal Air Force from this  serial number range and were .455 Webley caliber.)

5) British M1911A1 WW II Lend-Lease: From all S/N's of U.S. M1911A1 models =  March 11, 1941 through the rest of WW II
  (The U.S. furnished 39,592 pistols to Britain through the Lend-Lease Act.)

6) Colt M1911 Russian Contract: S/N C23000 to C89000 = Feb. 19, 1916 to Jan. 18,1917 ( Russia purchased 51,000 M1911 .45
   ACP pistols during WW I. from this serial  number range. Russia purchased more M1911 pistols than any other country besides
   the U.S.)  
   Regular commercial model Colt except has "English Order" mark in  Russian on left side of frame.

7) Colt M1911 Norwegian: Colt S/N C18501 to C18850 and Norway S/N 1 to 5000 = June 1915 to WW II  (400 Colt 1911's .45
  caliber purchased and issued to Norwegian Navy. May 1917, 300 Colt 1911 .45ACP pistols purchased in 1915. In 1917, Norway
   obtained licence to manufacture it's M1911 pistols. The first they made had "COLT AUT  PISTOL M/1912" on the slides and
   then at S/N 100 this changed to "11.25 m/m AUT. PISTOL M/1914" on the slides.

8) Colt M1911 Argentine: S/N C6201 to C11621 = 1914, S/N C20,001 to C21000 = 1916
    S/N C86790 to C116000 = 1919  ( 321 shipped in 1914 marked on right side of slide with "MARINA ARGENTINA". In 1915
    another 1000 shipped within above S/N range. In 1919 another 400 M1911 Colts shipped in above S/N range. Imported into
    the U.S. in 1960 as surplus but very rare in any condition.)

9) Colt M1911A1 Argentine Modelo 1927: S/N 1 to 10,000 = July 28, 1927 to Feb. 16,  1928 ( Marked  on slide with " COLT
   CAL. 45 MOD. 1927" and S/N's stamped on top of slide in Colt's italic numbers.) SYST. COLT pistols made by Argentina under
   licence from Colt marked on right of slide with "EJERCITO ARGENTINO / SIST. COLT CAL 11.25 mm. Model 1927".
   Other M1911A1 pistols made in Argentina at Fabrica Militar de Armas Portatiles, Rosario, Argintina S/N 10,001 to 112,000

10) Colt M1911 MEXICAN: After WW I, Mexico procured an unknown number of  M1911 pistols made by Colt. These are rare
    because of Mexico's strict penalties for illegal possession of military arms (ON SPOT EXECUTION). Very few made it to U.S.
    and would have a "C" prefix serial numbers.
    May have "EJERCITO MEXICANO" on  right side of slide.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colt Commercial Production: Govt. Model: 1912 to 1981

Model 1911
Serial Numbers                              Date                Number Made

S/N C1         to C1899                      1912                          1899                
S/N C1900   to C5399                      1913                          3500                
S/N C5400   to C16599                    1914                          11,200              
S/N C16600 to C27599                    1915                          11,000              
S/N C27600 to C74999                    1916                          47,400              
S/N C75000 to C98999                    1917                          24,000              
S/N C99000 to C105999                  1918                          7000                
S/N C106000 to C120999                1919                          15,000              
S/N C121000 to C126999                1920                          6000                
S/N C127000 to C128999                1921                          2000                
S/N C129000 to C129999                1922                          1000                
S/N C130000 to C133999                1923                          4000                

Some special military orders and  military contractor orders were made.
The following pistols were shipped to Major Cyrus S. Radford, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, on Feb. 13, 1917. with a prefix of 1 to 25 added to serial numbers.
S/N's 1-C92505, 2-C92332, 3-C92227, 4-C91632, 5-C91739, 6-C91936, 7-C92359, 8-C91710, 9-C92326, 10-C92290, 11-C92239, 12-C92335, 13-C92291, 14-C92250, 15-C92347, 16-C92244, 17-C92343, 18-C92249, 19-C92156, 20-C92337, 21-C92358,
22-C92245, 24-C92243, 25-C92294

S/N C201069 shipped to Springfield Armory on Sept. 28, 1919 for prototype tests.
__________________________________________________________________

Model 1911A1
Serial Numbers                                 Date                      Number Made

S/N C135000 to C139999                 1924                          5000                
S/N C140000 to 144999                   1925                          5000                
S/N C145000 to C150999                 1926                          6000                
S/N C151000 to C151999                 1927                          1000                
S/N C152000 to C154999                 1928                          3000                
S/N C155000 to C155999                 1929                          1000                
S/N C156000 to C158999                 1930                          3000                
S/N C159000 to C160999                 1931                          2000                
S/N C161000 to C164799                 1932                          3800                
S/N C164800 to C174599                 1933                          9800                
S/N C174600 to C177999                 1934                          3400                
S/N C178000 to C179799                 1935                          1800                
S/N C179800 to C183199                 1936                          3400                
S/N C183200 to C188699                 1937                          5500                
S/N C188700 to C189599                 1938                          900                  
S/N C189600 to C198899                 1939                          9300                
S/N C198900 to C199299                 1940                          400                  
S/N C199300 to C208799                 1941                          9500                
S/N C208800 to C215018                 1942                          6219    
           
Production Stopped because of World War II.

Commercial models converted to military use except for limited production of Service Model "ACE" with S/N's around SM2715.
.22 to .45 Conversion Units made from S/N U1400 to 1700.
In 1943, commercial models used to fill military orders. A limited amount of Super 38 & Super Match 38 produced. .22 to .45 Conversion Units made S/N U1701 to S/N U1750.

In 1944 no commercial production of any kind recorded.

S/N SM3725 to SM13803 Service Model "ACE" .22 made, some gaps in numbering  produced in 1945. Commercial production resumed in 1946.

S/N C221001 to C222000                 1946                           1000                    
S/N C222001 to C231999                 1947                           9999                    
S/N C232000 to C238500                 1948                           6501                    
S/N C238501 to C240000                 1949                           1500                    
S/N C240001 to 247700C                 1950                           7700                    
S/N 247701C to 253179C                 1951                           5479                    
S/N 253180C to 259549C                 1952                           6370                    
S/N 259550C to 266349C                 1953                           6800                    
S/N 266350C to 270549C                 1954                           4200                    
S/N 270550C to 272549C                 1955                           2000                    
S/N 272550C to 276699C                 1956                           4150                    
S/N 276700C to 281999C                 1957                           5300                    
S/N 282000C to 283799C                 1958                           1800                    
S/N 283800C to 285799C                 1959                           2000                    
S/N 285800C to 287999C                 1960                           2200                    
S/N 288000C to 289849C                 1961                           1850                    
S/N 289850C to 291299C                 1962                           1450                    
S/N 291300C to 293799C                 1963                           2500                    
S/N 293800C to 295999C                 1964                           2200                    
S/N 296000C to 300299C                 1965                           4300                    
S/N 300300C to 308499C                 1966                           8200                    
S/N 308500C to 315599C                 1967                           7100                    
S/N 315600C to 324499C                 1968                           8900                    
S/N 324500C to 332649C                 1969                           8150                    
S/N 332650C to 336169C                 1970                           3520
                   
During 1970 the change to the new series "70" begins and serial numbers changed also.

S/N 70G01001 to 70G05550           1970                           4550                    
S/N 70G05551 to 70G18000           1971                           12,450                
S/N 70G18001 to 70G34400           1972                           16,400                
S/N 70G34401 to 70G43000           1973                           8600                    
S/N 70G43001 to 70G73000           1974                           30,000                
S/N 70G73001 to 70G88900           1975                           15,900                
S/N 70G88901 to 70G99999           1976                           11,099
               
During 1976 a  range change of serial number begins.

S/N 01001G70 to 13900G70           1976                           12,900                
S/N 13901G70 to 45199G70           1977                           31,299                
S/N 45200G70 to 89185G70           1978                           43,986                
S/N 89186G70 to 99999G70           1979                           10,813
               
During 1979 a range change of serial numbers begins on March 20, 1979.

S/N 01000B70 to 30008B70           1979                            29,008                
S/N 30009B70 to 72989B70           1980                            42,981                
S/N 72990B70 to 99999B70           1981                            27,009
               
During 1981 a range change of serial numbers begins on Oct. 17, 1981.

S/N 70B00001 to 70B11246           1981                            11,246                

Some special orders made for military or military contractors. These are as follows:

S/N C211458  Sept. 22, 1942 shipped to Scovill Manufacturing Co. Waterbury, Conn.
S/N's  C212147, C212332, C212486, C212495 Sept. 29, 1942 shipped to Winchester Repeating Arms Co.
S/N's C213341, C213242, C213343, C213345  May 27, 1942 shipped to Remington Arms Co. Bridgeport, Conn.
S/N C214360  Jan. 2, 1945 Shipped to U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
S/N's C214752, C214753, C214754  April 3, 1942  Shipped to Winchester Repeating Arms Co.
S/N C214833  Nov. 10, 1942  Shipped to Capt. A. H. Harris, Hartford Ord. District.
S/N C213905  Oct. 8, 1942  Shipped to J. A. Lorch, Washington, D.C.
S/N C214016 Oct. 9, 1942  Shipped to Dominion of Canada.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Deadeye Dick]

St. George,
Excellent!!!!
Thanks,
Dick

[St. George]

De Nada - glad you like it.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Tascosa Joe]

St George:

Thank you for doing all the work to put this SN list on the thread.  It is awesome.

T-Joe

[Border Ruffian]

Great work on the SN data base!!

Here is my grandfather's M1911 that he carried in WWI and WWII as an Army Officer.  I was given this pistol by my Grandmother after I was commissioned and graduated from Airborne School in 1981. The sn is in the 63,000 range (1913)

[St. George]

Airborne!

Out