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Feds Releasing Military Surplus 1911's?

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7K views 33 replies 17 participants last post by  gdmoody 
#1 ·
I have read in two different places that the Feds are looking at releasing a large amount of old surplus Government 1911's.
Can someone here confirm this?
It it is true, how would someone go about trying to purchase one?
 
#2 ·
Grandpa - I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for this to happen.

IF - and that "IF" is bigger than my Mother-In-Law's black heart, the Gov't were to release any small arms to the civilian market - it would certainly be thru the DCM. The likely hood of this ever happening again is just about as great as Obozo 'growing a pair' and ending his last year-and-a-half as a Good President. Ain't gonna happen.

The last time the Gov't had any 'surplus' small arms to get rid of, they contracted with a salvage dealer and chopped them into finger-nail sized bits and pieces. The small arms waiting to be returned from foreign countries are on a forbidden list because they possess a feature keanely sought by gang bangers and drive by shooters everywhere - bayonet lugs. Thankfully, the rate of drive-by bayonettings have fallen drastically since the ban.:confused:
 
#6 ·
Well, it would be the CMP now.
Problem with this is the CMP is prohibited from selling handguns. This would mean a legal change to their charter, which is something very unlikely to happen.
As you can imagine though, there's much chatter on the CMP forums regarding this, the vast consensus is; this is not going to happen. No comment from the CMP beyond the typically dry "we don't know what the future holds" and a restatement that they are prohibited from selling handguns.
They're known to be coy though...
Bottom line; anything is possible!
 
#8 ·
Can't think of any reason that I would ever want an old service pistol with 40,000 rds through it. I'd rather buy a Kimber, Ruger,Remington, Springfield, ETC,ETC. Most of what is left in government inventories is 1950's junkers, wouldn't waste my money. When was the last shipment of new 1911's received , 1945,1950? The one I was issued in 1967 was a 1940's vintage. The guys are right, there will be no CMP involvement, and no bargain prices either.
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
Can't think of any reason that I would ever want an old service pistol with 40,000 rds through it. I'd rather buy a Kimber, Ruger,Remington, Springfield, ETC,ETC. Most of what is left in government inventories is 1950's junkers, wouldn't waste my money. When was the last shipment of new 1911's received , 1945,1950? The one I was issued in 1967 was a 1940's vintage. The guys are right, there will be no CMP involvement, and no bargain prices either.
To each his own. I can think of lots of reasons I'd want one.
Pretty much the same reasons I've purchased 7 Garands and 1 Carbine from the CMP. All are roughly 7 decades old, have unknown rounds fired, and arrive without knowing the specifics on the rifle purchased.
However, they all have much history, cannot be bought from a better source and are all worth FAR more than the price paid.

http://weaponsman.com/?p=23807
Once again,I may have spoke too soon-Thanks-Mike Rogers-R-AL
I still say it's not going to happen...
HOWEVER..... the CMP did release last week original NIW 1911 mags. $8 each, limit 5...sold out in 3 days.
Geez, I hope it's a sign of things to come....
 
#11 ·
Why would anyone want a tired 50+ year old 1911? History you say? Anyone of them might have been in the holster of an MP hauling drunk solders out of bars somewhere in the world or holstered by a guard at a military installation in Timbuktu. There is no history to these guns without it written down and verified. They would just be old pistol owned by the government for many decades.

So if not historic how well do you think they would shoot? All the military versions have a terrible history of being loose as a goose. When some were brought home by military servicemen decades ago there was a whole industry at the time that "accurized" them to be relatively accurate. Modern version 1911's normally do not need this to be accurate enough.

If is is a 1911 that you want for cheap then get the Rock Island Armory basic version for right around $500. They shoot well enough out of the box and even better with drop in accrurizing parts from Brownells. I bought one for the frame to use with my Marvel 22LR Conversion Unit #1. I gutted it and replaced the internals of the frame with drop in match parts. It makes an excellent platform for the super accurate Marvel Conversion Unit #1. I then took the upper and added parts and pieces (retained the original RIA barrel) to make it into a 1950's style bullseye gun. It is amazingly accurate.

Besides all of that the democratic presidents have a history of destroying all salvage firearms even though they have real value. They don't want to add to the total number of firearms in the hands of the American public. The gun banners plan is to eventually confiscate all the guns in America. Remember, those with the guns have the power. Adding more is counter productive to their cause.

I feel completely differently about M1 Garands and have a couple. One is a CMP special totally re-built with a new match barrel. I sold a poor shooting WWII Garand made in the last month of WWII but with an econo replacement barrel. I hate guns that are not minimally accurate. I also have a Beretta parts (US made receiver) Garand with a scope on it but it is barely minimally accurate.

LDBennett
 
#12 ·
Well LD, I guess there's more for me then.
If the CMP miraculously begins selling 1911s, care to make a bet on how many they sell?
I predict a stampede of folks that will buy them up at an incredible rate.
It's been 30,000 Garands a year for the past several.
Most old and tired and their history is as unknown as you say.
But the demand is very high.
When the second IHC release came a few months ago, they couldn't sell field grades for nearly $1000 each fast enough.
The 1911s would be an absolute bonanza.
 
#13 ·
CCHolderinMain:

It is not possible to account for the actions of some people. I follow my logic in this case but most certainly do NOT expect others to do the same. I am not a historian or do I pursue items of history. I am a shooter first and pursue guns that fascinate me. I have a Colt 1911 in 10mm (Colt Delta Elite made in 1988) and a RIA 1911 45ACP bought new in 2007. I don't need a 60+ year old loose Military surplus 1911. But as you suggested others will flock to them. I expressed my logic to maybe make people think about their desire to have one of these old 1911's as a shooter. Collectors will buy anything they remotely think they can later make a profit on or get bragging rights on. Again, my opinion.

LDBennett
 
#14 ·
I would buy one if the price was right, I don't much care how "shot out" it is. I also am not a historian and you don't have to be to want to have a small piece of history. Who cares where it was or what it was doing, maybe it never made it out of the holster as the guy was being led out of a bar somewhere. Who cares if it was in a holster of that guard in Timbuktu. If I can save one of those beat up 1911's instead of allowing the gun haters to cut it into pieces, I will.
 
#15 ·
There is absolutely no worry that if released for public consumption that there will not be plenty of potential purchasers and every one offered will be snatched up and saved. But if you want a 1911 to shoot (well) these probably are not the best choice.

All of this is academic to me as the Obama administration will NEVER allow these surplus guns into the hands of US citizens. The have even tried to keep surplus AR ammo from us with a trumped up scenario in defense of their actions. Fortunately the howl was so deafening that they had to back down for now ("They'll be baaack" as Arnold once said or something like that).

LDBennett
 
#17 ·
There is absolutely no worry that if released for public consumption that there will not be plenty of potential purchasers and every one offered will be snatched up and saved. But if you want a 1911 to shoot (well) these probably are not the best choice.

All of this is academic to me as the Obama administration will NEVER allow these surplus guns into the hands of US citizens. The have even tried to keep surplus AR ammo from us with a trumped up scenario in defense of their actions. Fortunately the howl was so deafening that they had to back down for now ("They'll be baaack" as Arnold once said or something like that).

LDBennett
I certainly agree with you 100% on that
 
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#16 ·
The Ithaca M1911A1 roosting in our safe was a DCM purchase back in the '60s. It was made the same year I was (1943), and was carried eight to ten hours a day, five or six days a week for 30+ years. It's had umpteen thousand rounds fired through it and never failed to function perfectly - not once. Is it a match grade pistol? Of course not. Would it have held its' own in a dustup at 10 or 15 yards? Absolutely. Does it represent a bit of US history? Yes, very much so, and that's one of the reasons I treasure it. Yes, it's old, kinda loose, rattles a bit more than it used to (so does its' owner), but it remains my favorite among the 11A1s I own - which include a SA GI Model, Remington 11R1, and Norinco M1911A1.
 
#21 ·
If you could get it at a reasonable price, snatch it up, clean it up and put it into storage. It sounds like Colt isn't doing too well so all that stuff may increase a lot in value.
 
#24 ·
One thing about those 'old' 1911's - the last of them were put into inventory in 1945 - but they share one thing with the ever-popular AR rifles - you can do just about anything with them. Say they are "shot out" or "shot loose"? The frames and the slide can very often be tightened up, or the barrel bushings replaced with off the shelf parts. I bought a 1943 Colt and the interior of the barrel was horrible. It looked more like an old stove pipe than a barrel. I happened to have a NIB Colt 1911 barrel in my stash box, and presto - the problem was solved in under 5 minutes.

I never tightened up the slide. It is a tad loose - just enough to notice if you try hard enough. But it shoots great and is exceptionally reliable. I'm no expert pistol shot - but I've seen my pistol in the hands of a great shooter - and it shot amazing groups at 10 yards with 230 grain FMJ ammo. Not too shabby for a 70 year old War Horse. Shoots much better than I can hold it. (I've always been a rifle shooter......)
 
#32 ·
Actually, most everything they sell is priced well under market value. Over the last couple years as their inventory is winding down, their pricing is coming up closer to market.
Still, there's a 12/year limit on Garands and limits on ammo. Special releases are generally limited to 1.
They do this to try to limit resellers as virtually any Garand you get can be immediately flipped for at least a small and sometimes very large profit.
They just had a special release of GI surplus factory sealed 1911 mags at $8 per. Look at what they're going for in the aftermarket today.
There's been 2 IHC special releases in the last year or so. Most priced around $1000. Look what IHC mixmasters go for on GB.
Some of the options at $1000 had LMR barrels.
Staying up to date on what the CMP releases is hard on your wallet...but GREAT for your gun safe.
 
#31 ·
This will tell you how long it been, but the last M1 Garand that bought from the CMP cost me $495. The last time I went over to the CMP South Store in Anniston, AL, the cheapest M1 in the place was over $1000, that was about 3 years ago.

I would still buy a 1911 from them if it became available and I could afford it.
 
#33 ·
This will tell you how long it been, but the last M1 Garand that bought from the CMP cost me $495. The last time I went over to the CMP South Store in Anniston, AL, the cheapest M1 in the place was over $1000, that was about 3 years ago.

I would still buy a 1911 from them if it became available and I could afford it.
Depending on grade, $495 wasn't all that long ago. What did you get?
A Garand can be bought right now from the CMP for $595 plus $35 ship.
Any day that you walk into the South or North stores, you never know what will be there.
 
#34 ·
That one was a Springfield and it was rack grade. I have been trying to remember when I bought and I do believe it was about 11 years ago. I keep a "CMP File" in my desk and I found where I bought one M1 for $295 in 2005, but that was one they called a "Woodless Dane", because it did not have any wood and it was one they got from the Danish Government. I also found where I bought a 1903 and a 1917.

The one I paid $495 for was bought before that woodless Dane. I don't have any paperwork on it because I sold it to JLA a few years ago and sent all the paperwork with it.
 
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