What is my Colt 1911 and Government Model worth?
The service pistol of two world wars and the commercial pistol that followed it. Military contract guns, wartime production by other makers, and later commercial pistols are separate markets, and the difference is in markings most people never read.
Made 1911–present.
No page can price your gun, and one that offers to is guessing. What this does is show you which one you have — because that is where the money is.
How to tell which one you have
- Read the slide legend and the frame markings, which identify the maker and period.
- Look for military acceptance stamps and inspector marks on the frame.
- Establish whether it is a 1911 or a 1911A1, which differ in the grip safety, hammer and trigger.
- Check whether the finish is original and whether parts are correct for the period.
The versions that change the number
| Version | What it means for value |
|---|---|
| Wartime military production 1912–1945 | Made by Colt and by other contractors under wartime pressure. Correct parts and original finish are what collectors pay for. |
| Commercial Government Model 1912–present | Colt's civilian production across many decades. A large and varied market. |
| Series 70 1970–1983 | A distinct production period with a following of its own. |
| Series 80 1983–present | Later production with a firing pin safety. Good pistols and ordinary collector money. |
| Arsenal-rebuilt guns various | Refinished and reassembled at military arsenals. Honest history, and worth less than an untouched gun. |
What actually drives the price
- Maker and period, read from the markings.
- Whether parts are correct for the period, or arsenal-mixed.
- Original finish, which a wartime refinish removes.
- Any documented history, which is worth more than a family story.
And the two that apply to every gun on this site: do not clean it, and keep the box and papers. Removing original finish is permanent, and on the right gun the packaging is a real part of the total.
"It was refinished so it looks better than the others"
On a military 1911 an original finish is a large part of the value, and a later refinish, even a good one, removes it. Parkerizing applied during an arsenal rebuild is part of the gun's history and is not the same thing as a commercial reblue done in the 1970s. Neither should be redone now.
Mine has mixed parts. Is it still worth something?
Yes. Arsenal rebuilds mixed parts routinely and those guns have their own market. It is worth less than an all-correct example and considerably more than nothing, and putting reproduction parts on it to make it look correct usually makes matters worse.
Getting a number for yours
Send photographs and we will tell you what we will pay for it. We buy nationwide — a single firearm ships to us prepaid and insured, and for a collection we come to you. More on what separates one Colt from another.