This is an excellent example of a U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 "transitional" pistol that was manufactured in 1924. This pistol is accompanied by a Colt factory letter stating that it was shipped to the Commanding Officer of Springfield Armory in February 1924 in a shipment of 1,000 handguns. These transitional models have the new improvements approved by the U.S. Ordnance Board in 1923. These became the standard Model 1911A1 pistol used until the adoption of the Beretta M9 handgun. It retains the Model 1911 slide markings with the extended grip safety tang, knurled/arched mainspring housing, radius clearance cuts machined into the frame behind the trigger, shorter trigger with a knurled face and a wider front sight blade. The slide is marked with the Colt two-line/two-block patent dates and factory address with the Rampant Colt logo between the two blocks. The right side is marked: "MODEL OF 1911 U.S. ARMY". The right side of the frame is stamped "UNITED STATES PROPERTY/No 702050". The left side has the inspector's initials "WTG" for Captain Walter T. Gorton, U.S. Ordnance. The top rear area of the frame has the "H" and "G" provisional and government production order marks. It has an all blued barrel stamped with the intertwined "HP" on top of the chamber and a single "K" in front of the lug. It has the checkered slide stop, checkered thick thumb safety, knurled/arched main spring housing with a wide spur hammer. The pistol has the brush military blue finish and is fitted with the full-checkered walnut grips as adopted in 1924 and is complete with an all blued magazine with an "A" marked base plate.