Barrel marks

Well I'm no expert but the barrel appears to be a standard HP marked colt barrel of the ww1 time frame. The lettering would almost have to be an inspectors stamping. I have an early commercial barrel that shows all the correct colt characteristics but the lettering on the lugs is not familiar to references. I would be led to believe that there are some obscure inspectors stamps that where used that are not known. FWIW Truman

 

Thank you so much Truman !
That's what more or less I was thinking about. I guess that there is a lot of inspector's stamps on these 1911 not yet identified. On the big Clawson's book there is a little list of Colt located inspectors marks (letters and numbers) of that period, but I found on my 1917 Colt some discrepancies about the years they were stamping their marks. Thanks again.
Fausto

 

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Thank you so much Scott!
Thanks for your kindness and for your knowledge...Could you tell me why the barrel looks refinished to you? This pistol - as I said - is virtually new and looks unfired and surely unissued. The bore is mirror like. I must add that the barrel finish, in person, is much more smooth than it appears in the macro pictures. It has just some very light scratches in the friction points with the slide. Just the magazine is not correct, but this is another story... Thanks a bunch !
Fausto

 

This is a vertical H P barrel with a D on the left side of the lug, and a B on the right side of the lug with no marking in front of the lug.. Some have no markings on the lug, but two markings in front of the lugs.
Unless some Colt document comes to light identifying the employee who was identified by the letter or number that worked in the barrel shop, I am afraid that we will never know who or what the person did.

 

Thanks Johnny!
Thanks for the informations and for the nice pictures. By the way, can I ask you if you too think that the barrel of my Colt has been refinished? The signs of milling on your one seem like the ones on mine. In the pictures my barrel looks more black than yours but I think this is the flash. My barrel is blued, not much different in colour than the whole pistol, which is "brushed blue" as expected in a July 1917 specimen. Thanks again.
Fausto

 

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Scott and Johnny, I'm speechless for your kindness. Thanks a lot!
Thanks Scott for your hints and for the picture. I'm posting some more photos of the Colt we speak about. Taken in hurry (it's near work time here...) and no close details of the barrel. Sorry.
Btw,Scott, how can I join your 1911 & 1911A1 site?
Thanks to you all !
Fausto

 

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Wow. That's a beaut! Here's what most of them look like after 93 years. It's mine, so I don't mind showing it

 

Nice Old Lady, 1Saxman !
And, ok, mine has a better finish, but your one has a flavour of "life" that mine has not, having spent all her previous life in a Government Armoury and the last 40 years in a drawer at my home.
And...last but not least, your one has a correct unlooped magazine. Mine has a looped magazine not matching to the year the pistol was released by Colt. When I got this pistol it had a WWII G.I. magazine inside (Scoville). I got some time after the purchase a mint looped magazine and I put it inside... Thanks to you all.
Fausto

 

here is my 1914 colt 1911 looks similar, grips are in pretty good shape the barrel is original but not black any more

 

Fausto,
I would love to see some larger photos of that pistol. It looks to be a real dish!

 

Hi Scott! The first sunny day I will try to take better pictures in natural light. I would have the experience and the skill of Johnny Peppers to take pictures. I really think that this 1911 would deserve that ! Thanks.
Fausto