This is an exceptional original example of a U.S. Inspected Colt Service Model Ace Automatic Pistol accompanied with a Colt factory letter which states this pistol was one of 500 shipped to the Naval Supply Depot at Oakland, California, on July 24, 1945. The pistol has a Parko-Lubrite finish, blued barrel with polished chamber, brown, checkered Coltwood grips and a blued, 10-shot magazine. In addition to the Colt letter, the pistol is complete with a spare magazine in the original factory wrapper, instruction sheet and a reproduction cardboard carton. The pistol has the late production Colt stamped trigger, 7-rib mainspring housing, grooved slide stop and narrow hammer with knurling on the spur. The mainspring housing, correctly, does not have a lanyard loop. The slide is fitted with the distinctive Service Ace front sight with milled face and Stevens adjustable target rear sight. The slide is, correctly, not stamped with the pistol serial number above and below the firing pin hole. The right side of the frame is lightly stamped with the Ordnance Corps escutcheon behind the grip. "UNITED STATES PROPERTY/S M 9011" is stamped in two lines on the right side of the frame behind the slide stop hole. The left side of the trigger guard bow is stamped with an "e" assembler's mark above the Colt Triangle/"VP" proofmark. The Ordnance final inspection mark "GHD" is stamped vertically on the left side of the frame below the slide stop. "N" is stamped on the top of the frame behind the disconnector hole. The right side of the slide is roll-stamped with the distinctive marking: "COLT SERVICE/MODEL ACE .22 LONG/RIFLE". The left side of the slide is roll-stamped with the two-line, elongated Hartford address and patent numbers followed by the Rampant Colt trademark. The magazine base is roll-stamped: "COLT/22 ACE L.R./SERVICE MODEL" in three lines. Colt manufactured 8,724 U.S. contract Service Model Ace pistols with Parko-Lubrite finish and late production components between April 14, 1945 and September 18, 1945.

Excellent plus. The pistol retains 99% of the original Colt Parko-Lubrite finish. The only wear is some very minor finish loss on the edges of the slide at the muzzle. All of the markings are extremely sharp. The grips and grip screws are in nearly new condition. The magazine has at least 95% of the original blue finish. The spare magazine has been partially unwrapped to show the finish and the markings but retains about 80% of the oiled paper wrappings. The instruction sheet is in excellent condition and the cardboard carton shows little wear. This is an outstanding example of a 1945 production U.S. Inspected Colt Service Model Ace with Parko-Lubrite finish.