Rare Deactivated Colt 1911 Eley .455 Cal Semi-Automatic

It’s a very rare piece as it takes a .455 Eley (Webley) cartridge not the .45 one.

These pistols were only issued to the Royal Flying Corp and the Royal Naval Air Service too for taking pot shots. The magazine is fitted with an extra lanyard ring as the pilots would have them strung on a piece of twine for quick changes with their heavily gloved hands.

The Colt 1911 comes with its deactivation certificate dated 12/06/2013.

These pistols were serial numbered in the normal commercial Government Model serial range except they had a prefix of "W" for "Webley" instead of the normal "C". The serial number ‘W101076’ indicates that it was an export piece for Great Britain.

Just over 10,000 pistols were shipped to the Royal Air Force, the serial numbers were from W91,100 to W110,696 and production ran from the 22nd of January 122, 1918 to 28th of April 1919.

This pistol was issued in a limited series by the Colt Factory and designated as ‘Government Model’ not ‘Model 1911’.

The left side of the frame is stamped with a British proof mark (G2A beneath the Crown) and the broad arrow above crossed swords.

The G2A stamp means it is one of the 400 pistols shipped to Captain Sir Connop Guthrie, Pier 60, North River NY NY on March 12, 1918. Guthrie was the Special Representative for the British Ministry of Shipping in the U.S. and a member of the U.S. Shipping Commission in 1918. The G2A is the view mark of G.W. R. Steadman, the British government inspector at Colt's Hartford CT plant.

The opposite side of the frame is stamped ‘Government Model W101076.’

The slide is stamped near the hammer with the cross swords and Colt’s mustang logo.

Also on the left side of the slide is stamped the patent number and ‘Colt’s PT. F. A. MFG. Co Hartford, CT. U.S.A’

The reverse side is stamped ‘Colt Automatic Calibre 455’.

The magazine is stamped Cal.455 Eley.

The pistol comes with a recent leather carrying bag made by Bianchi Holster Co.

~ Dimensions ~

The barrel length is 5 inches (12.7 cm) and the overall length of the pistol is 8.5 inches (21.5 cm).

It weighs 1.06 kg.

~ Condition ~

The pistol has minimum signs of wear and preserves its original finish on the frame. The blue on the slide is worn. The grips are complete. An excellent example.

It cocks and dry fires.

ref. GS5075B74 / PQB000ZXRTCLT