SOLD EARLY 1913 COLT 1911 US ARMY…. SHIPPED FEB 10, 1913 TO BENECIA ARSENAL ……VERY BRIGHT SHARP EXAMPLE…..VERY RARE BARREL MARKING

In 96% very sharp condition,100% factory original,  we have a Colt Model 1911 US Army that was shipped on February 10, 1913 to the  Benecia  Arsenal in California. This pistol is 100% factory original and is a textbook example.  The roll marking of the slide is extremely well defined.  This pistol is extremely rare and desirable due to the very rare barrel marking of the “H” being moved from the end of the barrel hood to the top of the barrel hood and no “P” marking.  In March of 1913 Colt received proof ammunition from Springfield Armory and at serial number 24251 began to proof test and “P” mark the barrels at the end of the barrel hood and very shortly there after to the top of the hood which began the visible  ‘PH” marking of the barrel.  This pistol, serial number 21218 was factory issued with a barrel with the “H” moved to the top but prior to additional proof testing procedure.  The use of this “H” only barrel marking probably only occurred for  perhaps a month until the proof ammunition arrived for the additional test.   This pistol has all the very early features such as the short hammer and rounded rear sight and lanyard loop mag.  This is a very attractive extremely sharp looking early Colt 1911 US Army with some very interesting features.