Colt 1911 finish question

**LastManOut** · February 6th, 2008, 08:32 PM

When did Colt's start using Parkerizing as a standard finish on their 1911's?

**BUCKMARK** · February 6th, 2008, 08:45 PM

Never... that I know of.

What gun/guns are you talking about?

Colt makes the XSE, Special Combat, Golt Cup, Delta Elite and 1991A1 in Stainless steel.

They also make the XSE, GC Match and 1991a1 in blued.

The WWI reproduction gun is also blued, just of the correct type for the period.

The older 1991A1 guns from the 1980's - 1990's were blasted and blued matte...looked like park... but was just matte blue.

Maybe you have seen I gun that I'm not aware of. I learned long ago never say never when it come's to Colt Mfg.

**LastManOut** · February 6th, 2008, 09:10 PM

Have they ALWAYS been blued? Never Parkerized?

**BUCKMARK** · February 6th, 2008, 09:17 PM

I thought you were talking about current production guns based on one that you recently looked at.

In that case, yes. Colt did parkerize a lot of 1911's most of them for Uncle Sam. I'm not sure the exact time that they started but I think that WWI guns were blue and WWII guns were Parkerized. I have seen 1942 guns that were parkerized and gubbermint guns were parkerized up till the very last one left the assembly line.

If it's a true gubbermint 1911 made around WWII or later....it's parkerized.

**brian** · February 6th, 2008, 10:09 PM

the 1911's, never.
the a1's, may '41, but it was'nt until early '42 that bluing was completely phased out. blued parts continued to show up well after that.

this is a mid '42 sample.

**BUCKMARK** · February 7th, 2008, 08:10 PM

Nice Colt Brian.

1942 was as early as I have even seen a park Colt. I know the prior years were all blued. I'm sure Colt could give a person the exact date that they began.