SINGER 1911A1 on GB, Worth Looking Just To See Such A Rare GI 45!

[DougGuy]

These are so scarce, even the fact that one is actually for sale is a rarity in itself! I am not affiliated with the seller, I just though it interesting enough to share..

Enjoy!! Yeah $45,000.00 worth of enjoy!!!!!!

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/681536835

Remember the Dumb Crook story from many years ago, guy got many years in prison in Canada for robbing a bank, didn't get much in the haul but he used a North American Arms 1911 :shock: to do it with! A pistol even MORE RARE than the Singer 1911A1, conservatively valued at $100k in 1980s dollars... Can't make this stuff up!

[Catshooter]

Thanks for the link Doug.

I've never heard of the bank robbery, let alone North American Arms 1911. Where can I learn more? Thanks.


Cat

[Johnny_Cyclone]

North American Arms 1911:

http://www.nramuseum.com/guns/the-galleries/world-war-i-and-firearms-innovation/case-32-wwi-america-and-the-allies/north-american-arms-model-1911-semi-automatic-pistol.aspx

No Need to Rob a Bank:

http://www.johnmckeel.com/bible-study/no-need-to-rob-a-bank/

[Bigslug]

I've heard that Singer did such a good job on that small run of pistols that Uncle Sam decided their talents were wasted on handguns (I think they ended up making artillery sights or some such), and that the 500 1911-A1's they made were used for helping Rem-Rand and Ithaca get started.

I've also heard the common tale that they went to the Army Air Corps, which has always made me think: "Those pistols were made in 1942. U.S. bombers didn't have P-51's to escort them all the way to their targets until 1944. HOW MANY OF THOSE ALREADY-RARE SINGERS WENT DOWN IN FLAMES WITH THE B-17 CREWMEN WHO CARRIED THEM?"

[Scorpion8]

Cool, thanks!

[Sagebrush7]

My gun show buddy in Texas sold his in 1980 for $14,000 to build his wife a house! He cried constantly about it! At that time there was only six documented pieces.

[Eldon]

So many fakes..... buyer beware.

Remember the Czar Nicholas Parker.

And then of course Jink's and Wilson's rackets.

[DerekP Houston]

What a piece of history to hold, too bad it's so far out of my league.

[DerekP Houston]

make me remember the theif who stole a double shotgun gun, shopped it into an "ithaco home defender" size and robbed 300 from a 7-11 to find out at arrest the un chopped shotgun was an English double worth 100,000

same type of people who steal the family coin collection and spend it in a gas station....idiots. Even a non rare shotgun sold would probably bring more cash than the average 7-11 has in the register.

[kbstenberg]

I can't prove this. You just have to take my word on it.
A neighbor when I was in high school. Had a Singer Sewing Machine manufactured 45ACP that we used as an everyday bumming sidearm. He never took special care of it. Other than to wipe it down every couple of years. He knew it was rare because he won several bets on its manufacture. Eventually his son got it after my friends death and sold it at a flee market some time latter.

[EMC45]

I have said this before, but will say it again.... My grandfather was a machinist at Singer when these guns were made. I have asked my Mom many times if he ever had a pistol. She said he did, but it was more or less a pocket gun. I showed her a 1911 and asked again if it was sized and shaped like it and she said no, it was quite small. Only gun in the house from her memory. No 1911s made it home from Singer in Elizabeth NJ.

[Wayne Dobbs]

There were about 500 Singer 1911A1 pistols made. The story I get from inside Colt's is that they were never intended for issue, but for use as tool room exemplar guns for the other manufacturers of the pistol such as Remington-Rand, Union Switch, etc.

[EMC45]

There were about 500 Singer 1911A1 pistols made. The story I get from inside Colt's is that they were never intended for issue, but for use as tool room exemplar guns for the other manufacturers of the pistol such as Remington-Rand, Union Switch, etc.

They were made there to see if they could be sourced form Singer. Shortly after 500 were made and they scrapped the project.

[Catshooter]

Thanks for the links Johnny, very interesting reading.


Cat

[W.R.Buchanan]

So is that gun really worth $45K? I had no idea.

Randy

[Catshooter]

Randy,

Well, since it failed to get one bid, I'd say no, it's not worth 45 grand. :)


Cat

[Harry O]

I've heard that Singer did such a good job on that small run of pistols that Uncle Sam decided their talents were wasted on handguns (I think they ended up making artillery sights or some such), and that the 500 1911-A1's they made were used for helping Rem-Rand and Ithaca get started.

I read the same thing about the quality of the Singer 45's. However I seem to remember reading that Singer was directed by the Government to manufacture machining fixtures and jigs for other manufacturers. And, yes, I also read that the 500 Singers were distributed to other manufacturers and potential manufacturers to show them how it was supposed to be done.