Springfield 1911 Found on WW1 Battlefield!

[@lesterchristensen4287]

Carried 1911 45 two tours in Nam and all over in my Military carrier before I retired. It saved my life more than once in combat, best weapon I ever had still have and I carry it all the time.

[@commiesarehorrible7622]

I need a 1911. So many companies make them now. Been shooting guns for almost 30 years and never shot a 1911.

[@adolfoserna6302]

Thank you for serving our country and I’ve always wanted one as they look fancy and they are beautiful and hard hitting

[@bernardbarn]

Awesome pistol. Thank you for your service.

[@propbraker]

@@commiesarehorrible7622 1911's are great, I own two 45's myself. Are they a better pistol for concealed carry defense against a modern pistol design? Darn close. I actually prefer the way 1911's feel in my hands, and the way they perform. Just make sure not to buy any Kimbers, they have had a lot of issues as of lately. Good luck.

[@freddieray6660]

TY for your service sir

[@Anchor-Supreme]

Such a beautiful weapon, truly timeless. Even in this one’s battered state, it still is a sight to behold. John Browning was truly a visionary.

[@sheeeitmayn4384]

Lol a visionary that profited off of the death and slaughter of millions upon millions of men, women, and children lol. A true legend.

[@mattdurjak4973]

A true legend indeed.

[@solidsnek3677]

@@sheeeitmayn4384 he was indeed based

[@TyCetto]

@@sheeeitmayn4384 Bla-bla-bla... go hug a tree.

[@adamg7984]

I don't know if you could find or point to a gun maker who had more long serving and pioneering weapons than John Browning. The fact that many of his guns are still used today and are still adequate for modern combat in their basic configurations is a testament to his ridiculous ability to design weapons that were not only reliable and accurate but easily transitioned to mass production.

[@patraic5241]

When I joined the National Guard in 1984 we had the M1911a1 in our arms room. Some of those weapons had 4 and 5 digit serial numbers. We looked up the numbers and figured out they were of WW1 era manufacture. They worked perfectly.

[@razvan19010]

M1911A1 were manufactured after ww1, precisely after 1924. M1911 was used in WW1 and soldiers had some complaints so they made some small changes and they came up with M1911A1 which was used in WW2 and up until 1985 when it was swapped with the M9 Beretta.

[@patraic5241]

@@razvan19010 A lot of the WW1 weapons were modified during WW2 as well.

[@wingracer1614]

@@patraic5241 Not non A1 1911s. It's a different frame. A1s are 1924 or later, not WWI.

[@robertlyon8009]

My guard unit had them until about 1991. The last qualification date I have for myself with the 1911 is FEB 1990.

[@ATHikers]

may the soldier who owned that 1911 be resting in peace

[@hozhuofeng9877]

Maybe he is still alive,who knows

[@IronBard]

@@hozhuofeng9877 WW1 battlefield suggests it was used in WW1, given you had to be an adult or at least look like one to be enlisted, we can assume they were 18 or 20ish. WW1 ended in 1918, and it's 2020. They'd have to be roughly 120 years old by now. The oldest living person is 117.

[@kilo393]

@@hozhuofeng9877 Nobody that served in WW1 is alive anymore dude

[@hozhuofeng9877]

@@kilo393 oh right i forgot I mistaken it with ww2

[@Travis_22]

@@IronBard I'm 130 years old.

[@markpoore3260]

They built those 1911s for reliability over 100 years old and still shoots that tells us something that John Browning was an intelligent man

[@Stevarooni]

His M2 machine gun has seen action in Iraq and Afghanistan. His designs have stood the test of time.

[@roeng1368]

And yet the man only had probably the minimum of education, but he was a design genius.

[@almbpkeyenorwitopbineye1000]

sultab hamid Ii

[@craigscott5661]

There’s no other gun designer that even comes close to John Browning most other gun makers were happy with one successful gun. Browning had multiple successful gun designs many still used today.

[@Provo647]

Stevarooni I dont agree. His only remarkable designs were the over and under shotgun and, the 1911, a quite primitive design of which few pistols I see running reliably. His other designs, like the Auto 5, a design that multiplies recoil, with his moving barrel lock, his BAR rifle, extremly heavy and promitive, or his machine guns, or his FN 1900 and 1910 pistols designs, didnt stand the pass of time. The germans developed far more advanced designs in both pistol and machine guns in the 1920s and 30s. A good Astra 400 pistol is far nore reliable than a Colt 1911.

[@ampstamp]

The 1911 is like the ak version of a pistol. Bigger bullets, still works after being under dirt for years, iconic

[@bradymischler4438]

The ak is like a rifle version of the 1911

[@overlyobsolete2797]

@@montanapharmaceuticals7881 lol, a 1911? Low price? Reliable? I think you meant a glock...

[@overlyobsolete2797]

@@montanapharmaceuticals7881 lol, his point was that it's reliable, cheap, and iconic. The Glock serves all of those purposes a few hundred times better than a 1911 does.

[@1242-x5q]

@@overlyobsolete2797 1911's have served that purpose atleast over 50 years longer than a glock has which is just a testament to it's timeless design.. Glocks are great too.. I guess

[@overlyobsolete2797]

@@1242-x5q 1911s are not a great design. Feeding issues, extraction issues, weird gremlins like if you change the firing pin it'll stop ejecting, it's an overly complex design too.

[@andrewstickley6681]

The pitting on the metal is actually consistent with being in the ground for 100 years and being cleaned with electrolysis. Some parts have obviously been replaced (the safety, barrel bushing, springs, etc as they have no pitting at all, and the grips.) It's quite possible this did come from a WWI or WWII Battlefield, or at least out of the ground somewhere. I've seen videos of Russians finding handguns from WWII, Popping them in electrolysis baths, and having them come out almost exactly like this. There are also groups in eastern Europe who specifically dig up and restore guns and explosives to be sold on the black market.

[@glenerickson358]

Grips wouldn't be rotted away? 🤦‍♂️

[@finscreenname]

Ya there is guys on YT that do it with guns they find in rivers and such. We also don't know how it was buried. Was it in a box or leather holster, under pine trees that don't let a lot of rain hit the ground around them? Need more info.

[@TarmanTheChampion]

@@glenerickson358 not in the right conditions

[@johnsheppard1476]

I used to legally sell them as deactivated or blank guns in Russia and also even registered some on my license,obviously the best ones!I can tell you the condition of the ones from the field varies from literally rusted all the way through,so that a Mosin rifle for example can be broken in half over the knee and you see that there is no metal left at all,although such cases are quite rare..And on the other hand I personally found a sniper SVT-40 that didn't have any signs of corrosion and retained all it's wood in next to perfect condition,which looked rather surreal like it was placed there yesterday as a joke for me to find but in fact it was there for almost 70 years!Obviously also a very rare case..And all the rest were somewhere in between..So this one is likely genuine.. By the way we once found a 1911 in similar condition but it was from WW2 because it was a land-lease and had been an A1,or just whatever different iteration of the model there was..Couldn't find any ammo for it for a while but when finally got some-it quickly developed a crack right above the chamber and the whole gun almost destroyed itself..Didn't have any regrets selling it just as it was,and would certainly never carry one like that because of low capacity magazine,thin barrel,unpleasant recoil and low muzzle velocity,that's my opinion..

[@andrewstickley6681]

@@johnsheppard1476 Very interesting and good information. What is the legality of keeping relic weapons like that in Russia? Is any further deactivation required or do they have to be registered with a firearm license? Unfortunately for me finding treasures like that are nearly impossible in the US. Our only major conflict was the Civil War, which was not fought near me, and the soldiers didn’t leave as much behind. Still, I managed to find a lot of old Springfield rifle parts at an old military academy.

[@rocklord01]

Most likely an ex-resistance gun, stored in a barn or outbuilding and forgotten. You would not believe the stuff that they still find in barns out there.

[@MURDOCK1500]

I know an English guy who works as a roofer in the south of France. He pulls off roofing tiles and peers inside attics of old houses. He says he often sees Nazi relics squirrelled away out of sight. In the North, I'm sure they'll be plenty of allied stuff

[@Eat.It.From.The.Back74]

One of my french friends found a completly intact (though very pitted snd rusted) tula mosin in his attic a couple months back

[@kurtb2522]

Thank you! This is close to home for me. My dear sweet mother thought firearms belonged in the garage. (Dirt floor garage in Illinois-90% humidity, etc.) My father rescued them and had things re-blued. I have a 1918 Colt Mod 11 with that "expensive" bluing. I am constantly told how much more valuable it would have been had he not done that, but it looked pretty bad before he had it done. I really love your presentations. Thank you again!! Kurt

[@jerrypauling7809]

MY friend who was born in 1912 had his dad's springfield he carried in the first world war, the weapon in my eyes was in excellent condition, he passed it on to me when he was 95 which later I gave to my son. It had the ring mags (2) and a worn US leather holster.

[@rhg1911]

Just found this video... very cool history and video! The one thing I can add is that the slide is most certainly a Springfield slide. There are 2 characteristics that easily identify it. First one is more easily seen on a less pitted gun... the front sight is milled from the slide. It was not a separate piece that was staked in place. Since most of the front sight was corroded off of the gun - this might not be as visible. The second if the radius ball cut on the front of the slide for the dust shield. The Springfield ball cut is a tighter radius than Colt.

[@ronadpaugh44]

when I was in the army in 1959 the 1911 was the only gun I qualified expert with.love that gun

[@ELW2940]

You’re one of the few. I qualified expert with the M-14, Sharpshooter with the M-14A1, later, expert with the M16 but could have done as well throwing the 1911 at the target as I did shooting it at the target. I did,however, love shooting the 1911. In fact the only thing I didn’t like about any range training was the march to get there !

[@NorthwoodsShooter]

It’s still a beautiful piece of history! Man, if that thing could talk, imagine the story it could tell! 😘👍

[@sxienaplays]

yea just left burried on the ground xD

[@provenancemachining]

Meh.... Buy the gun, not the story. If my Type 56 could talk, it would tell me how it sat in storage for 50 years, carried by a sweaty Albanian one time, and then put back into storage.

[@hanswambach8285]

@@sxienaplays Zaza Z Z 0 A M . , A

[@Gloomlight]

Sure, let's see. "Its dirty down here."

[@Nerdsfever]

I think that about a a lot of things

[@thisolesignguy2733]

Nobody can knock a 1911, the greatest handgun ever made! A simple, reliable, stable design. I still can't believe the military switched to the Berretta, They should have just switched to the 1911 9mm, or even the 1991. I have a korean war era 1911 9mm with the interchangeable 38 special barrel & clip. I love the way my 1911s feel, shoot, and carries. just an all around beautifully built gun. Also, I noticed you have an Idiot scratch on your 1911. Many people don't use a feeler gauge under the slide release button when pressing the slide release. A common thing, but also a huge taboo.

[@gregorykuske725]

Thank you for the video! I'm downright jealous of your more pristine 1911, mine is a circa 1915 version , and it started out almost as pitted as yours. However, I got lucky, the pitting on mine was external only, it cycles like a champ. There is a story about Springfield 1911s that I just love because it illustrates just how long these old girls have been around. The letter from the Armory to the Ordnance Dept. requesting to be relieved of responsibility for 1911 manufacture lists the need to devote so much of the armory's time the 'the production of the new cavalry saber'. If that fails to put the era into perspective, then I don't know what will.

[@taxxxiddriver]

This only proves that the 1911 is one of the best designs ever made. Im glad i have mine

[@iwillnotcomply2002]

100% USA wins the best semi auto hand gun and the Russian AK47 wins it with the semi auto rifle.

[@squidy4082]

Over a 100 years old and still works, absolutely crazy

[@gabrielmcollazo6675]

Thank you for this opportunity to see a fantastic weapon! Still fires ! One by One but still can defend! 100 yrs of a :still responding; side arm! Thank you!

[@JK-mu8vs]

I have 117141 that I carried on duty for years. It was probably the oldest gun in service on any pd. It’s still totally dependable and beautiful from 1916

[@AlainHubert]

I'm sure that with a little sanding, and oiling, that gun would still work almost as good as any other 1911. The fact that it still fires at all in this rather sorry state is a testament to John Browing's superb design.

[@patriotkieler9750]

if it could speak it would be cussing up a storm pissed off about the owner's neglect.

[@just_that_crazy1484]

More than likely in an Irish dialect

[@m808bscorpionmbt3]

If it were underground for so long and they attempted to bring back as much of it as possible this is actually the best this can get.

[@Avallachgrey]

So an American cussing or the fluent, artful ass chewing of an old school Irishman finding out his daughters stepping out?

[@iminyourmailbox6700]

Well... it’s owner could have died, I think it would be telling some good stories if it could talk.

[@richardkluesek4301]

Reminds of 2 beater edc guns owned by 2 different customers of mine on my franchised tool distribution route in the Bronx. Both guns were straight Colt 1911 s before 1925 "A1" upgrades, dont know if they were commercial or military. And were being carried for business protection for a junk yard and a radiator repair shop by the owners, in harsh environments after being made about 80 + years at the time these were in private use service. Finishes were gone and the sidearms were down to bare metal, both carriers had soaked the guns in transmission oil and cleaned them off in partswashing bins, and a gunsmith changed out new grips, recoil and hammer springs, and magazines before holstering up. Still served well to the best of my knowledge, they were both range tested before returned to duty.

[@MrDavkoz]

There are not too many devices that can still operate after 100 years of inactivity. My Kimber 1911 has yet to experience a FTF or FTE and that's after firing FMJ, HP, reloads, etc. Truly, the finest semiautomatic pistol ever made.

[@lisar3006]

Looks like all my friend Pete's guns after he has owned them a while. He is the only guy I know who managed to get rust on a stainless steel gun. I own a nice 1911 made in 1916 it has a nice brown patina with crisp lettering and nice grips.

[@leathercoatguy]

The flaming bomb is an ordinance marker. It got put on a lot of guns that saw action, many times after the war was over. The ordinance bomb is also really valuable on guns like the model 12 from Winchester, and I imagine others as well. Not exclusive to Springfield.

[@ELW2940]

I once owned a model 97 with ordnance bombs and the vented sleeve. I’ve kicked myself a thousand times for selling it. Hard times when I did and I got a good price for it still today I know I screwed up. Should sold the wife instead as I found out later she was making the rounds !

[@ps2hacker]

Guns are famous for incompatibility of parts between them, and that 1911 is no exception. The problem was only addressed with the 1911A1. Colt didn't have any technical drawings to give the government when they bought out the design rights. So the task of creating those, and setting the standard was given to Singer Sewing Machines. They only made 500 examples, those were issued to Army pilots at Wheeler AAFB in Hawaii on December 6, 1941, the day before before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Very few survived the war, and finding one of those is the "Holy Grail" of 1911 collecting. I saw one in 90% condition go for almost half a million.

[@OpasJDGarage]

What a legacy........you’re shooting a version from WW1, my father taught guys how to shoot a version for Korea, while he was in the Iowa National Guard. My father-in-law used a version in Vietnam. My father-in-law told me it could stop most anyone.

[@kenibnanak5554]

I still shoot the one my grandfather brought home from WWI. 3 generations of shooters and it still runs just fine.

[@Jsworld01]

by far the coolest intro on youtube

[@PolishBigfootCircle11]

Fudd be like: barely used, 30000 dollars, price is firm, i know what I've got.

[@vancouvertorontorome]

I SAID NO LOW BALLERS! I know what I've got.

[@0326Vet]

Bet he also has a vette for sale for 100,000 bucks and lists it's "one of a kind" factory features that makes it valuable lol

[@Techcensorshipbot]

Ain’t nobody making lots of money off of this but me. Screw the old woman I got it from. I know what I’ve got.

[@DeadlyBreath9790]

@@0326Vet ONLY -1989 CORVETTE WITH SILVER PAINT AND CHROME WHEELS AND RED SEAT BELTS BUILT ON JULY 29 OF 1988

[@1970bosshemi]

@@DeadlyBreath9790 that shit cracks me up. There is absolutely nothing valuable about a non zr1 C4 corvette🤣

[@stevepowell8866]

Depending on the composition of the ground it could certainly have been in the ground for a very long time. Just look up videos of modern day European battlefield scavengers and you'll see some guns come out of the ground looking almost new including the wood while others are rusted solid.

[@youtubeshypocrisy]

So someone dug it up, replaced the safety switch and the bushings then buried it again? Lol

[@angrymike2423]

Yup, I've seen some fine guns dug out of the Russian clay, they usually need new wood but come out of that clay looking like new except the wood !

[@RazorbackGrasshopper]

Like the tanks they pull out of bogs!

[@bassassassinnn7459]

Wow! I don't think I would've even thought of attempting to fire that pistol. Beautiful!

[@malikjordan833]

I have a bad temptation for wanting to shoot old guns like this

[@glenhutchcraft4605]

wow is right, no way would i shoot a gun that bad off with rust, just would not happen but just goes to show its a badass gun after over 100 years.

[@glenerickson358]

Weakened barrel. 🤦‍♂️

[@bassassassinnn7459]

@@glenerickson358 that's what she said!

[@outre111]

Imagine that you drop your gun in a war then 100 years later someone else buys the gun and treats it as a great historical piece

[@joelarson1733]

Hard to imagine if you'd be honored or sickened. I believe most likely the latter

[@jonhedrick7440]

This channel is awesome. I have been watching forgotten weapons and he recommended this channel. Both channels are awesome thanks guys

[@bodieb.1239]

W O W . I just purchased a Springfield Mil Spec. Guess it could be in the family for a while. Thanks GRETA job..... Glad everyone's safe.

[@dmw1262]

My guess would be a Dough Boy brought it home wrapped in something like a shirt, or in a sock, tossed his kit bag in the closet and forgot about it. It eventually made its way to a damp basement where it languished until granmp (now) passed away, when it was found.

[@13bravo72]

Yep. Battlefield pick up? Sure, the Doughboy found it on the ground, smiled, probably thought, its mine now! Stashed it in his duffle bag, got home, and stashed it in the cellar. Now 100 years in the ground? No i don't think so. Found it while metal detecting in Europe, and brought it back? How? Nope, not believing it.

[@totherepublic358]

You guys should become psychics.

[@Baltic_Hammer6162]

I agree not in the ground a century. The soils of northern France/southern Belgium are tough on steel plus that region gets a lot of moisture.

[@andrewstickley6681]

@@Baltic_Hammer6162 Look up gun relics cleaned with electrolysis. They look exactly like this. Some parts on this one have definitely been replaced because they have no pitting at all and still have bluing ( safety, barrel bushing and the springs) so this definitely wasn't "found" like this. Someone went to considerable effort to restore it.

[@ELW2940]

I lived directly on the coast, on a barrier island, for 15 years. That 1911 looks like my rifles and a shotgun(none high value) just from the salt air. There’s always salt bearing moisture in the air from the pounding surf. It doesn’t take long for firearms(especially if you’re careless…me) to rust just like that.

[@mfree80286]

The gun may very well have been a battlefield find as the plunger tube is smashed flat and the thumb safety replaced as if it was too mangled to operate. That left side grip panel would have shattered or crushed under that kind of impact or pressure. The heads of the grip screws are also mangled on the edges where torque would have been applied to remove them. There's also no qualification of *when* it was found... could have been last month, 1995, 1960... or even during minesweeping in WWII.

[@heaven-is-real]

Serial #

[@jcmaxie4758]

hr 777 over your head!!! Go back to sleep 😴

[@mfree80286]

@@heaven-is-real Not sure how the serial number nails down when someone drug this unfortunate chunk of mud-caked iron out of a field.

[@claudiodiaz9752]

@@mfree80286 I didn't know serial numbers could reveal this kind of information either. Fascinating.

[@ericschulze5641]

Never thought of that it may have been found many years ago whoever thinks the serial number will tell something has no clue this is a WW1 or early ww2 gun the backstrap gives it away immediately

[@nathanstrickland6508]

What a testament to the craftsmanship that went into these great iconic handguns of our countries past. Im 46, I have my share of polymer handguns. But you just can't beat a good old 1911!!!!!! But I still cant get use to them shooting a 9mm cartridge yet, lol. Im working on it!!

[@travischilders1]

Absolutely the best sidearm ever produced. It is beautiful, even with all of its imperfections this late in it's life. If it's on the market, I'm very interested.

[@AmorAmor360]

the most influential sure, the best? debatable.

[@jc_montero]

Send it to one of those guys who do restorations videos, it would be nice to watch the process and see it shining again. My 1942 Beretta Mod. 1934 has been restored and refinished and it’s a joy to look and shoot.

[@motor4027]

Hey, I have a 1917 P08 luger that has about a 6th of the pitting that that gun has. All the actions work beautifully but would it be safe to fire?

[@Stevarooni]

Definitely take it to a good gunsmith if you have a chance, they've got an eye for problems I know I would miss. But if the action works, that's a good step toward a functioning firearm.

[@motor4027]

@@Stevarooni Thanks a lot. It would be quite a wonder to see a 103 year old piece of wwi/wwii history fire after after all this time

[@Stevarooni]

@@motor4027 sure, why wouldn't it? Lots of people buy pre-1899 Swiss straight pull rifles (because they're "antiques" and don't require a background check, can even be sent through the mail) and plink with them all the time. Just make sure it seems to be in good firing condition, clean and lubricate it, and use ammunition appropriate for the time; 9mm +P+ defensive ammunition isn't going to give good results.

[@danschneider9921]

Take it to a competent gunsmith. Diagnosing the health of a worn or damaged antique weapon based on what "experts" tell you online is about as wise as trying to diagnose yourself for something other than a cold off of web md.

[@Stevarooni]

@@danschneider9921 good suggestion, I'm glad I made it.

[@MatthewsSloan]

The new pieces alone prove that it was fired more recently than 100 years ago. Who knows, cool find. I'd assume it's been in an old barn or the glove box of an old rusted out pickup in the woods before I'd of gone basement. What a waist. Just bought a 1918 Colt all original and it works like a dream. An Amazing gun.

[@Puuha1]

I had one deactivated Finnish Mosin Nagant what was in war and was hided by soldiers and uppers etc after ww2 because they feared that Soviets gonna get our weapons. There was lots of hidden weapons in my country, probably still is. Rust and those spots looked just like in this pistol. It was rusted from outside but inside was oiled so well that bolt, reveiver and barrel from inside is in mint condition. Nice piece of history :)

[@gymshoe8862]

I am a 1911 enthusiast--I specialize in making whole guns out of cast off parts. It would take five minutes and a little valve grinding compound and the pitted gun would work slick like a new one.

[@srspower]

Since the damage was done in a basement etc rather than the battlefield would it be okay in terms of value to partially restore it? I don't mean re finish it or anything but maybe strip off the excess rust and clean it up a bit leaving the pitting.

[@kathyarmstrong649]

I followed a fellows channel, (forgot the name ) he saved a .45 in as bad or worse shape. Gun was found in the ditch alongside a known bootleggers road from prohibition . He used electrolysis to clean it up. Seems like he replaced the springs, barrel, and grips. Grips were rotted away and the slide would not move for several days.

[@rocksandoil2241]

I knew a guy who was good at counterfeiting old duck decoys and he dunked the ducks into salt water, drug them through a field to antique the paint, then hung them in an active sheep shed until they were very dusty. Sold them at Canton, Texas. I wonder if someone did that or simply neglected it. I recall a gun that fell behind a tool bench in a garage with dirt floor. When the new owner of the property found it, it was very rusty and pitted just like that one and the wood was not rotten. It had so much oil in it apparently the termites didn't want it.

[@vista1417]

*HA HA HA )))) you are probably right*

[@olrikparlez3152]

+Rocks and Oil One hundred years of moist Western Front soil would have eaten not only the grips and their oil but most of the metal in that gun.

[@paulsimmons5726]

As pitted as it may be, this 1911 is probably working much better than the infantry man who lost it! Cool piece, thanks for posting!

[@FreedomsLife1776]

So glad you guys shot it. What an awesome video; thank you.

[@blackdiamondA1]

It's my dream to have one. Beautiful peices of history and will look good in a showcase with some led lights and a fresh rose in front of the mounted shadowbox just amazing how this firearm tells stories. Beautiful

[@78FullSizeBronco]

You guys are braver than me! I'd be terrified to shoot that thing with as pitted as the barrel was. But it's pretty damn cool it still works, 1911's are tough to beat. I just bought a brand new Springfield mil-spec .45 ACP a couple weeks back, I'm sold!

[@Ye-ci2ti]

I have a 1911 from ww2 and it’s fully rusted. You’re very lucky to have a 1911 from ww1 that is still kinda functional.

[@emerald640]

I ave a 1911 from 1918 fully functional . It looks like it may have come out from a school that had an ROTC program. the receiver had been parkerized after W W ll. but it had never been fired. Guns can last nearly forever if stored properly.

[@RazorCustoms]

Remember, non A1’s WERE issued during WW2 as well. That could have been in the ground since then. I wonder if it could have been one that was in European hands, left from WW1, but used and possibly lost during early WW2, prior to America joining the war. Who knows, a French resistance fighter could have used it, having somehow acquired it from someone who had acquired it during or after WW1 My grandfather, a PBY pilot, was issued an M1911 non updated to A1, while serving in the South Pacific mid WW2. He flew search and rescue and sub hunting missions.

[@russclewley6945]

We recovered my Great Uncle's issued and carried Colt 1911. He was the Battalion commander for 2 years from Italy to Germany. It is in amazing condition with the issued holster. It was issued in 1917.

[@MA-wq2ih]

The original contract with Colt to supply 1911s specified that 25% of the total production was to be made by Springfield Armory, with their own tooling. This was for national security reasons more than production capacity, so that the military's pistol supply could not be interrupted by loss of the Colt facility during a crisis. It was never a high priority project at the Armory, and the project was terminated in 1917 before the full serial range was used, because the production capacity was needed to make rifles.

[@harryalpert8002]

love it! i have a Springfield 1911! a great solid piece of iron! stock! nothing fancy!

[@scooterbob4432]

Sold my Springfield a few years back but now have a RIA/ Armscor 1911 hi-cap. Although it’s reasonably priced, it’s quite accurate and very reliable.

[@LookOfDisapproval]

I have found a lot of 1911 and 1911a1 in the ground and i can tell you there is absolutely no way this one has spent more than 10 years in the ground. Probably a barn find

[@jerryrobinson5163]

What a testament to John Browning and American ingenuity. I have a 1911 Remington R1 enhanced and I will pass It down to my son and he shoots It well and accurately.

[@gordonloessl2822]

I was very impressed that it was able to shoot in that condition. I wish I could get such beautiful piece like that here in Toronto.

[@jackd2083]

You can’t own a handgun in Toronto or just can’t find one this old?

[@gordonloessl2822]

Ya. You can own hand guns here. I own several and shoot at the range. It very regulated. I just wouldn't be able to afford a 1911 from WW1, if you could find one.

[@keithagn]

Hi Gordon, I'm afraid you won't have your handguns for long because your Mayor Tory is going to ban them as per PM Blackface instructions. You know, to make Canadians safer...

[@grayharker6271]

X girl friend threw my series 70 in the sound. It took weeks to find it. Boiled it in fresh water disassembled and boiled in motor oil. Still shoots great. It's not horrible but it's not pretty either. I jumped with it while in the 82nd so it has a lot of personal value.

[@johnjones4096]

There's no way that gun was In the ground for 100 years. There wouldn't be grips left on it, and definitely wound not be able to rack it back.

[@memberberries9782]

Looks like it was rubbed in a bucket of coal 😂

[@Dan-di9jd]

You can be surprised. They found a 132 years old Winchester rifle propped up against a tree and it still had the wooden stock on it but not in any ideal condition. Good guns were built to last. A 1911 and many of the older weapons tend to be made to last a very, very long time.

[@ourtime-downhere6931]

@@Dan-di9jd yeah but they claimed this one was found with a metal detector and dug up from the ground which would be way more corrosive that just leaning up against a tree.

[@jc1979af]

@@ourtime-downhere6931 also the gun was leaning against a tree was in a semi-desert and exposed to less humidity. I agree this 1911 was in the ground, but not for 100 years. It was also cleaned up a lot prior to the video. You can tell they put new parts on it.

[@memberberries9782]

You 100% would not be able to cock the slide back on a gun that spent 100 years in the ground.. Not without pulling the thing into two parts.

[@RunFast64]

What's the procedure to deal with the serial number? Must the firearm be destroyed if the number is not restorable?

[@tacitusthehistories5417]

The safety thumb switch has got its original matte finish?

[@thomaswhiteman4261]

yes, but likely a replacement

[@evil1st]

they obviously did it to shoot it

[@angrymike2423]

I had a P-38 that was in someone's attic inside the holster, it was pitted and actually turned black. It was a rare phosphorus gun from March of 45 and all matching. I only paid $199.00 out the door. I sand blasted the nasty off the slide with a tiny sand blaster, which cleaned up the black and actually matched the phosphorus pretty well. Needless to say, I made a bit of money on it, was honest with the person that bought it and now it's his pride and joy.

[@mrhamburger6936]

There were quite a few 1911's that were not turn back in by the soldiers after world war 1

[@broznkyra4853]

Back in the mid 90s I had a chance to buy WW II era 1911...guy wanted $700 for it but I was dissuaded from buying it by a fellow employee...and collector...who said that price was waay too high...seems the original owner was a fighter pilot in WWII who ditched in the Channel on his way back to his base in England..he reported the pistol lost at sea and it wound up in the collector's hands...my bud at work never said anything more but I highly suspect he wanted that relic for himself and bought it...I wound up buying a DCM Garand and a 1903A3 along with a WWI era Springfield bayonet in the original leather scabbard from that collector....

[@breebw]

I live in New Zealand. My neighbor(deceased now) was a New Zealand sailor and served on a supply ship in the pacific at the end of WWII. Like others he traded rations with an American GI. In his case a 1911. It hung on his kitchen till he died. He would bring it down to show interested people. "I couldnt hit a bard door" he would say. I was surprised at its weight.

[@broznkyra4853]

@JAG you buy the firearm...NOT the story...stories have a way over time...as Mark Twain said through Huvkleberry Finn of ..."gappin' an' stretchin'..."

[@txgunguy2766]

"not turn it in"? No soldier would ever even THINK of not turning his pistol in! Who am I kidding. I wouldn't have turned in a 1911 if could get away with keeping it.

[@DayZcustomMods]

I love my 1911s just the history behind them and military use. I usually buy whatever the military is using current or past. Lots of use and field time so you know if it’s good or not

[@mememcloafskate4320]

I love the look of pitted metal, makes it look like it has a story to tell.

[@bumpercoach]

You can save stress on the extractor by loading during reassembly so the case rim goes under the extractor claw while the barrel is reseated

[@fivizzano]

WATERLOGGED in mud remains are at times like this, organics are essentially untouched especially wood and leather, if the actual mud was fairly oily or rich in mineral manganese it actually preserves it.

[@giantgiraffe5356]

When shooting the pitted 1911 he does a tactical butt scratch before every shot to ensure maximum accuracy

[@brt-jn7kg]

I carried a 1911 on three continents in deserts and the jungle. Shed fire every time. John Browning was a genesis

[@johntmccrakin109]

Since Nov3 2020 I have not found a more calming video to watch. Thank you sir.

[@redram5150]

Which town is the range in? That doesn’t look like Pa at all

[@LegacyCollectibles]

Randy lived in NJ at that time and that's where his range was located. Pine Barrens area. Good Eye !!

[@jamiehay4994]

Made in USA! What a beauty! Hi from Canada.

[@dwizzleusa4202]

Look at the safety button has wear from lots of use 100 years ago meaning it's been fired a ton of rounds and still works in that shape..good godly what a reliable weapon.

[@chuckschillingvideos]

This pistol has been on the receiving end of the none-too-tender mercies of a grinding wheel or wire brush at least once before. There's a reason you can't find any markings on the slide and only the barest outline of the eagle on the frame. And just look at the way the slide serrations have been ground nearly off at 6:31.

[@arnox4554]

But why would someone do that though?

[@chuckschillingvideos]

@@arnox4554 That is a very good question I could not possibly answer.

[@peghead]

The slide stop pin/shaft end where it protrudes on the right side of the frame looks as if it was ground almost flat.

[@DJSHaKa]

There is a good chance, that that pistol has witnessed a frightened screaming soul before being taken out. Great vid btw!

[@HootOwl513]

Three-In-One oil and steel wool are what I'd start with. Repolish the feed ramp, and maybe replace the barrel and spring to be a shooter again. 'Provenance' be damned. Dunno if I buy the yarn of a French trench digout. More likely it spent a lot of time lost in an after-lazarette on some runrunner's cigarret boat in the '20s. And only just found when the boat was scrapped, or rennovated... [Makes a better seastory than the basement hypothesis.] I wouldn't pay a lot for this pistol, but it is entertaining.

[@butchMoreOrLess]

This is ONE weapon that I have always wanted all my life and still have not been able to afford one.

[@additudeobx]

Thanks for showing that piece.

[@BamaChad-W4CHD]

Great video. No better display of the legendary 1911! In 5tat shape and still deadly and doing it's thing.. for the most part

[@jeffsilver4730]

Randy is brave. Too bad it has been so neglected, great gun!

[@maverickfoxbmsn]

I know a guy who owns an actual WW1 M1911 that's over 100 years old and the gun still works the same way it did over 100 years ago the owner told me he got it from his grandfather.

[@stelleratorsuprise8185]

Wow, even the wooden handle is still in good condition. Maybe I should bury some items on the WWII battlefield next door, so I can 'recover' it again in the next year.

[@MrPanos2000]

100% my thoughts. Man in the video said so himself

[@tapio83]

Playing devils advocate here but things erode differently depending on where they are buried. In oxygen free environment, such as some swamps - things can stay in pretty good shape for relatively long time. But usually swamps don't replace parts.

[@verycreativ233]

@@tapio83 If its from ww1, wich in itself is barely possible due to the little involvement of US forces there and the most that did fight used mostly french equipment hence the bad reputation of the chauchat in america , the wood would be rotting away you cna still find alot of weaons at verdun and other ww1 battlefields and none have the wood unharmed like this.

[@buckshot4428]

My Grandfather was in the Mexican Campaign in 1916 and went to France in WWI. He carried a 1911 and was awarded two Silver Stars. He could have used that very same gun. When he was discharged he realized that he still had his .45 and being an honest man he went back and turned it in.

[@williamkeith8944]

Buck, my grandfather Paul Dieter also served in the Mexican Campaign with the Pennsylvania National Guard and went on to serve in WW 1 as a sergeant. He lived his life in Pittsburgh as a tool and die maker for F W Woolworths. He was a good man, died in 1973.

[@buckshot4428]

@@williamkeith8944 Wow. What are the chances. After the war my Grandfather returned home to Plains, Pa. where he became a rural route postman and was also a Sunday School teacher for many years. He was a smoker and a drinker as many were. He quit drinking after he wrecked his car and then my Dad's car. He smoked until he was about 65 and one day he just quit cold turkey. He lived to be almost 92, but suffered greatly from his lungs. I remember when I was about 16 he made the trip to Fl where we live and he brought his second Silver Star to show us along with the commendation letter from the DOD. This was around 1968 or maybe a few years later. He said the Army was going through all the records and saw that he was owed a second Silver Star which he proudly showed us. I wish now I would have paid more attention to the letter as it may have given me a clue as to how he earned it. I have tried in vain. One of our ladies at our church did find some of his papers, but not the commendation letter. He was a first sgt. when he was discharged. I have most of his medals and my cousin has some too. My sister has his spurs as he was mounted artillery.

[@buckshot4428]

@@williamkeith8944 Our Grandfather's served together. My Grandfather was in the Pa National Guard too. He was in the Pa 109th Field Artillery and was mounted on horseback. He was awarded one Silver Star during the Great War and was awarded another around 67 or so when the Army, DOD were going thru their records and discovered he was owed another. After the Army he became a Rural Route Postman and was a Sunday School Teacher for many years. He was a drinker and a smoker, but by the grace of God he was able to quit, but not before the cigarettes got to him. He lived to be almost 92 in Plains, Pa. He never talked about his service as most did not. He took me fishing as often as he could and I have fond memories of him. God rest their souls.

[@Banshee365]

When the gloves are protecting the hands from the gun, not the gun from the hands.

[@ahuman2695]

Lol

[@matthewrutherford6164]

The gun is an extension of the hand when held properly who needs gloves.

[@matthewrutherford6164]

@Hunter Smith not from fear of the gun exploding

[@kaptkrunchfpv]

Holy cow! A brave soul shooting that barn find!

[@historybuff9276]

First thought I had was "that looks like its been in a damp basement for a while". I love 1911s I have a Springfield Armory A1.

[@martystamey69]

I have the Remington Ran. Love those oldies!!!👍

[@timhallas4275]

The wooden grips would be completely gone, and the steel wouldn't be pitted uniformly. This gun was subjected to salt water for a few weeks , and it had no bluing at the time.

[@slopolopez7741]

Great video! Hats off to Randy.

[@markwatson3135]

You give me hope! I have my grandfathers WW1 M1911. ( 149th field artillery, 42nd Division), and the pistol is in fantastic shape except for some sight fouling in the barrel. I may take it out and fire it now. I was concerned if the barrel would hold up to today’s loads, and it’s nowhere near as bad as this barrel.

[@steviebob4]

Wow, makes me wonder if the 1911 actually got its name for how many years the thing will run for if you maintain it. Makes me proud to own one.

[@chuckschillingvideos]

Indefinitely if you keep it clean and lubricated.

[@stillwater62]

That new piece is the safety, not the slide stop. The slide stop is over the trigger guard. I am sure you knew that but, I just wanted to clarify it for the viewers.

[@matt1576]

What I want to know is what the previous owner was thinking. Leaving that in a basement or wherever to rot away like that. That's a shame.

[@looloo6322]

A good soak in Kroil oil, maybe a little polish job on the internals, and a bit of sanding on the feed ramp along with a new set of springs and you'd probably get another 100 years out of it. A detail cleaning takes me about 40 minutes, add the polishing and such and I could have that thing running in about 2 hours.

[@JD-tl7ld]

It could be true. I follow several channels where they pull things like crashed wwII planes from swamps, and more than once they pulled up guns in holsters that looked like they could be put back into service with just a bit of work.

[@loganyoung2408]

J D sounds like a cool video. You have a link to such?

[@dustyak79]

Your probably talking about those Russian guys and they find most their stuff in bogs and permafrost areas little oxygen gets down there. Look at the channels that detect in the western front and you will see that those guns are throughly degraded.

[@tafino]

There’s actually many battlefield scavenger type videos out of Ukraine, Germany, France, etc. a simple search will net you results

[@trefod]

With a careful restoration of the feed ramp and slide rails, a new barrel and spring. This would be a great looking piece, like nature's engraving.

[@para1324]

Agree with you interested in it’s history.

[@2Aknight762]

Randy is brave. I have heard the metalurgy on the WW1 1911s was not as good as today's steel. To shoot a severely rusted and pitted pistol and not have it grenade is amazing and lucky.

[@chuckschillingvideos]

The metallurgy is good enough for the low pressure of the .45 ACP. The 1911 has an unsupported case head and, as a result, the .45 ACP was standardized with a low case pressure, so it is extraordinarily uncommon for a 1911 to have anything like a catastrophic failure with GI loads.

[@lwilton]

When I look closely at the image at 6:29, I see a serial number I read as 183635, not the number you quoted. I do see the Springfield eagle on the slide, fairly clearly. But then, I'm using a very large monitor to look at this, which might help a bit. I don't believe the second digit is 0. While the bottom is obscured, the sides of the top of the digit appear to be curving in too much to be a 0. The only possibilities that leaves are 8 and 9. The next two digits are hard to read, but the first is either a 3 or a 6, depending on whether the digit has a flat top or that is just part of the rust pit. The next digit is difficult to make out, but the left side clearly curves, there is most likely a cross bar in the middle, and it appears the upper right is open, making it most likely a 6. A 0 would not be open on the upper right, and we can see from the last digit of the number that it cannot possibly be a 5, which is about the only other choice.

[@antoniavie]

126375

[@philjerome9795]

Many years ago, a buddy of mine found a lump of rust under a rock in the yard of his house that turned out to be a 1911. We cleaned it up to get the slide to cycle, but it was in really bad shape, no way it would work safely. He had just bought the house and he needed the money, so he took it to the local police station and got $150 on the buy back program.