Rear sight M1911 (1918)

It is fitted in a dovetail - remove by driving from the left side ( if you're holding the gun) towards the ejection port side. Use a heavy vise bolted to a solid bench or don't even try it. If you don't need to change the sight then leave it in place and Park the whole slide. If a proper degreasing is done there won't be any oil left under it. I use solvent then acetone then high pressure air. If the sight is loose then look at new ones.

Wait is this a 1911 made in 1918?

darude said:

Wait is this a 1911 made in 1918?

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Yes.

You can tell me to go pound sand but unless the pistol is a complete basket case why would you want to destroy any collector value of 1918 M1911 by parkerizing it?

GI dovetail rear sight only go one way in and the opposite way out. Make sure you follow what drail said. If you drive it out in the wrong direction, you will opening up the dovetail and need to stake the sight when you try to reinstall.

mlin said:

GI dovetail rear sight only go one way in and the opposite way out. Make sure you follow what drail said. If you drive it out in the wrong direction, you will opening up the dovetail and need to stake the sight when you try to reinstall.

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Thank you. I understand that.

Leave it alone. Worse case, you have it reblued, not parkerized. But I’d leave it as is.

You might just think of protecting the gun with oil and/or Renaissance wax

Like others have said, friction fit, left to right. It may be really tight or even rusted on the underside so it may take a little determination.

Richard Garcia said:

Thanks. The pistol is in very good condition, but most of the original finish has been polished off. I'll post a photo.
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THAT is a very nice 1911. Thanks for the photo. Very cool pistol. If the sight won't move soak it in Dexron and heat it (heat gun/hairdryer - NO TORCH) Let it set. Tap it moderately with a heavy hammer and brass punch. Repeat as necessary. It will come out. That gun would look fabulous with a pro blue job if you're willing to pay the price. I would go with 400 to 600 grit prep and then hot blue. Thanks for posting the photo. Can I be in your will???

A Doug Turnbull Restoration candidate? Colt Model 1911 U.S. Army

Dude, that's like posting porn on here......... Of course, I didn't look at it.......

Turnbull does awesome work! If you can afford Turnbull send it to them. If you can't then leave it just like it is. If you are worried about rust put it in a humidity controlled safe in a pistol sock after oiling it.

By all means leave it alone or send it to Turnbull.

Thanks Dad

Phreddie30.06 said:

Turnbull does awesome work! If you can afford Turnbull send it to them. If you can't then leave it just like it is. If you are worried about rust put it in a humidity controlled safe in a pistol sock after oiling it.

By all means leave it alone or send it to Turnbull.

Thanks Dad

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Turnbull is out of the question. My wife wouldn't be around much longer if I did that. I just looked at some DIY hot bluing videos and the results are impressive as are parkerizing results. But I may just keep it as is, well-oiled, etc.

I would not even remotely consider touching that pistol. You will ruin it if you do.

Richard Garcia said:

Thanks. The pistol is in very good condition, but most of the original finish has been polished off. I'll post a photo.
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That is a 1918 transition period slide still have the older ball cut. but have the rollmark moved Pony to the middle. I guess it was one of those with fragile "Black Army" blue finish flaking badly that someone decided to remove it.

corpsman5 said:

I would not even remotely consider touching that pistol. You will ruin it if you do.

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According to many of the purists on this forum, the gun is ALREADY RUINED b/c most of the original oxidized finish has been removed.
But, that aside, thanks for the vote of confidence.

mlin said:

That is a 1918 transition period slide still have the older ball cut. but have the rollmark moved Pony to the middle. I guess it was one of those with fragile "Black Army" blue finish flaking badly that someone decided to remove it.

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@mlin The serial # is 305XXX and that puts its manufacture at around June 1918. It may be pre-"black army." Not sure. Take care.
RG