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LOT 3337
Rare North American Arms Co. Model 1911 Semi-Automatic
Pistol, Serial Number “62” - Serial no. 62, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch round
bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Manufactured c. 1918, this is a solid
representative example of the rare and iconic North American Arms Co.
Model 1911 semi-automatic pistol that was produced in Quebec, Canada.
In early July 1918, the U.S. Government issued a contract for 500,000 Model
1911 pistols to the North American Arms Co., previously the Dominion
(Ross) Rifle Plant. The company leased the plant for manufacturing, and, as
part of the contract, the U.S. Government was to supply all of the raw materials necessary for production.
However, due to material shortages during the war and the time it took the plant to get tooled up for production,
the government was only able to supply enough material to produce approximately “100 sets” of initial start-up
or prototype parts. Due to the armistice of November 1918, the contract was canceled in December of 1918 with
no examples of completed pistols ever being accepted by the U.S. Government. As part of the contract termination
settlement, the U.S. Ordnance Board did eventually accept/reclaim a large portion of the manufactured and completed
parts and assemblies, most of which were later disposed of. Some, however, were later assembled into completed
pistols. These 100 pistols were uniquely stamped with only a controlling serial number in three locations: the left lower
area of the frame under the grip panel, the left of the trigger, and the left upper rear corner of the slide, with this example
numbered “62”. Bady in his book “Colt Automatic Pistols” theorizes that the unique placement of the serial numbers on the
known “standard” examples of the North American Model 1911s suggests that none were ever submitted for government
approval, which would indicate that the pistols were assembled after the suspension of the contract. Information on these
“standard” examples from North American can also be found on p. 219-221 of “U.S. Military Automatic Pistols 1894-1920”
by Meadows and on p. 201-204 of “Colt .45 Service Pistols: Models of 1911 and 1911A1” by Clawson. The left side of the slide
is marked “MANUFACTURED BY/NORTH AMERICAN ARMS CO. LIMITED/QUEBEC, CANADA.”, and “62” is marked behind the
serrations, on the left of the trigger, and under the left grip on the frame. The blued barrel is unmarked. It is fitted with a serrated
slide stop, checkered thumb safety, checkered magazine catch, short grip safety, smooth spur hammer, a correct smooth straight
mainspring housing (without lanyard staple), checkered diamond pattern grips, and a dual-tone magazine.
Serial
Number 62
CONDITION: Fine, retains 40% of the original blue finish with the balance
on the frame mostly a grey patina, the balance on the slide mostly a brown
patina, and a few scattered patches of light pitting. The grips are very fine
with a few scattered light handling marks and otherwise crisp checkering.
Mechanically excellent. This is a solid example of a North American Arms
Co. produced Model 1911 that would fill a void in some of even the most
advanced Model 1911 collections!
Estimate: 30,000 - 50,000