Colt 1911 “lunch box” gun

ontarget said:

If it has no S/N you may want to get rid of it.
My guess is that every 1911 that Colt ever built should have been serialized thereby making the one you have illegal. If it truely is a lunchbox gun it was stolen even if it was piece by piece. If not then someone scrubbed the S/N and now it's contraband. Either way keeping it puts you on the wrong side of the law.

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Yeah
Give it to me

Holy Cow guys
It’s an old pistol that it very cool, keep it for a BBQ Gun and move on.
All this talk of the law and crimes is unnecessary BS

Yeah I said it
Here’s something else
If you destroy that fine old pistol cause some guy on the inter web talked ya into it , you’ll regret that for a long long time.

Of course you did, It wouldn't be you serving the ten years in Club Fed, would it?

We are not being downers for no reason. The OP asked for information and advice. Its safe to assume he was looking for advice that that would keep him OUT of prison.

More likely Value

South Prairie Jim said:

More likely Value

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In its current condition the value is $0.
Unless he sold it illegally on the street which I'm sure he isn't interested in doing.

ontarget said:

In its current condition the value is $0.
Unless he sold it illegally on the street which I'm sure he isn't interested in doing.

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Exactly right, just keep it

I keep thinking about that frame making a nice cane handle. Put some stag grips on it and attach to a 3' foot hickory stick...walk on.

From previous discussions, I understand that:
A gun with serial number removed is illegal to even possess, doesn't matter who or when it was done.
It is illegal to scrap it, that is destroying evidence.
The only purely legal option is to surrender it to BATF as contraband, preferably with a lawyer in the loop.
The feds don't really care. They are highly unlikely to track you down based on your board profile and grab you and the gun. But if you are apprehended for something else and it turns up, it will be a good way for them to stack up charges so something will stick. As said, don't shoot a home invader with a hot gun. Also, no reputable and knowledgeable dealer will have anything to do with it, which will matter in the era of the Universal Background Check.

All the times I have read of scrubbed pilfered service pistols, there has been one scrapped and one surrendered. The others just quietly fade off the board, no doubt retreating to the back shelf of the gun cabinet to be shown only to trusted descendants.

Clint Howie, I know it’s a family heirloom, but is it worth all the hassle that can come from being caught with it?

Since it has been “chromed” it may appear that the chroming process may have been used to cover up the S/N removal.

As stated before, if the gun has an Inspector’s stamp it most definitely would have had a serial number. Why would anyone go to the trouble of faking an inspector’s stamp?

On the bright side, if you were prosecuted for having this pistol I do believe that 10 years could be reduced to 5 or maybe even 3 years with good behavior and if you have never had a brush with the law you may even get probation. You would probably most definitely lose your job and you might want to look at budgetary issues and consider your lifestyle working for minimum wage.

Personally, my opinion, if you recently inherited this I would do as suggested and legally dispose of the entire gun by turning it into police and a copy of any paperwork regarding the inheriting the firearm. Let the police determine if the fed authorities should be involved.

My 2 cents

I think we burst the OP's bubble on this. Which is kind of a shame, considering that it is something of a family heirloom. Still, we may have saved him some grief.

1911's are common enough that this could easily be replaced by a legit one.

Surrender the frame but keep everything else. Find a legal frame and have it chromed to match, assemble parts and live happily ever after.

Clint Howie said:

For the record


Nobody here “burst my bubble”. I am
The 3rd generation to have this gun, so it ain’t going anywhere but right back in my vault. I asked for opinion and I received them openly. I’m not a damn snowflake.

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My kinda guy”
J

Nobody here “burst my bubble”. I am
The 3rd generation to have this gun, so it ain’t going anywhere but right back in my vault. I asked for opinion and I received them openly. I’m not a damn snowflake.

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Good for you. I wouldn't get rid of it either. I shoot on private property and you can bet I would fire it all I wanted. And the idea of having a second frame for it is a good idea for public shooting. Just keep the original frame out of sight and enjoy your cool gun from your relative.

South Prairie Jim said:

My kinda guy”
J

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Yep, mine too and Welcome to The High Road Clint..

Clint Howie said:

For the record


Nobody here “burst my bubble”. I am
The 3rd generation to have this gun, so it ain’t going anywhere but right back in my vault. I asked for opinion and I received them openly. I’m not a damn snowflake.

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So, that’s That!

Personally I would contact an attorney for legal advice on this one, and then follow their recommendation.

The opinions of the internet do not constitute good legal advice, and in this instance good legal advice is what is needed.

Hello,

If it bothers you, the ATF may issue you a serial number.

Another thought is that the plating may have covered up a lightly-stamped serial number. There are ways of lifting the old number, but I don't recall how offhand.

Regards,
Josh

Joshua M. Smith said:

Another thought is that the plating may have covered up a lightly-stamped serial number.

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Yet let all the other proof marks are complete including the assemblers mark..? (23 on the right hand side trigger guard)

This is something that comes up a lot. This isn't new nor are we singling the OP out. These guns are faked, stolen or sold under a lot of false pretenses.

You dont have to be an internet expert.
You just have to know how to read.


******** copy and paste from a PDF so things are off*****

CONGRESS. SESS.II. CH. 757. 1239
(b) It shall be unlawful for anyone to obliterate, remove, change, Ja obliteration, etc, nn -
or alter such number or other identification mark. Whenever on
trial for a violation of this subsection the defendant is shown to have
or to have had possession of any firearm upon which such number or JmS^ 0 *§^&
mark shall have been obliterated, removed, changed, or altered, such conviction,
possession shall be deemed sufficient evidence to authorize conviction, ExceDt i 0n
unless the defendant explains such possession to the satisfaction of '
the justice

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Surprised so many of you are willing to forgo your rights..

My mattress has a tag that reads , do not remove under penalty of law

South Prairie Jim said:

My mattress has a tag that reads , do not remove under penalty of law

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Then you need to read the small print. (Unless by consumer) course if your sleeping on something that is 40yrs old.. it wont be there

The mattress tag stipulates the tag shall not be removed by anyone other than the consumer.

No such addendum is present for firearm serial numbers.

Clint Howie said:

For the record


Nobody here “burst my bubble”. I am
The 3rd generation to have this gun, so it ain’t going anywhere but right back in my vault. I asked for opinion and I received them openly. I’m not a damn snowflake.

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Assuming you skirt this one, what about the next person down the line. They will probably know less about serial numbers & may find himself/herself in hot water. It could be your son or daughter! I would simply contact BATFE or hire an attorney to do the right thing to have a number stamped on it. It is very possible that the fed's already know about this so it just gets deeper, snowflake, non snowflake does not matter to the Feds. It's just a gold star to them.

Clint Howie said:

For the record


Nobody here “burst my bubble”. I am
The 3rd generation to have this gun, so it ain’t going anywhere but right back in my vault. I asked for opinion and I received them openly. I’m not a damn snowflake.

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Just remember Agent Schmuckatelli does show up on here from time to time.