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 LOT 1563
Exceptional and Rare .45-.22
Conversion Unit with Box - Serial no.
U66, 45 ACP , 5 inch round bbl., blue finish. Manufactured from 1938 to 1940, this is
one of only 112 .45-.22 Conversion Units manufactured by Colt. These conversion
units were intended to be used to convert
the Colt Ace Service Model pistol, which
was chambered in .22 LR, to .45 ACP. None
of these units were officially procured by
the U.S. military, though some were sold to individual officers. The slide included in the
set is marked with the serial number “U66”
on top, the two-line address and patent
dates on the left, and “COLT AUTOMATIC/ CALIBRE.45/CONVERSION UNIT .45-.22” on
the right. The slide is fitted with serrated blade front and adjustable notch rear sights. Also included is
a recoil spring with plug and guide, .45 ACP barrel with polished chamber, slide stop, and a .45 ACP magazine. Includes an original Colt factory box marked for a .22-.45 Service Model Conversion Unit with the number “U66” penciled in the
lid interior.
CONDITION: Excellent, retains 99% plus
of the original blue finish on the slight
with a few scattered light handling marks
with the other components showing
some very light wear. The box is fine with
some mild wear and the corners of the lid separated.
Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar
Collection.
Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
LOT 1564
Omaha Shipped
Colt Government
Model Semi-
Automatic Pistol - Serial no. C133126, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch round bbl., blue
finish, walnut grips. Manufactured in 1922, this is an exceptional example of a pre-World War II commercial Colt Government Model pistol.
LOT 1565
Scarce
Documented
Special Order Two Digit
Serial Number 41 Colt Ace Semi- Automatic Pistol with Factory Letter - Serial no. 41, 22 LR cal., 5 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips.
Manufactured in 1931. Blade front and adjustable notch rear sights, the two-line address and patent dates on the left side of the slide, the Rampant Colt ahead of the serrations, and the Colt Ace logo and caliber markings on the right. The frame is marked
20” on the right side of the trigger guard, “3/VP” on the left and fitted with a checkered short trigger, wide checkered hammer, checkered arched mainspring housing, checkered ront strap, checkered wood grips, and a two-tone magazine with Colt Ace marked base.
The included factory letter confirms the caliber, barrel length, finish, and special order 4 1/2 o 4 3/4 pound trigger pull, as well as an individual shipment to G.H. Collins on 14 July 1931.
CONDITION: Very fine, retains 85% plus of the original blue finish with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey patina, primarily near the muzzle on
he slide and the grip straps, and a few scattered patches of very light surface
pitting. The grips are fine with a few scattered minor blemishes in the overall crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection.
Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
LOT 1566
World War II Era Colt
Super Match .38 Semi-
Automatic Pistol with
British Proofs - Serial
no. 34801, 38 super auto
cal., 5 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. This is a solid
representative example of a World War II Era Colt Super Match
semi-automatic pistol that was manufactured in 1940. These
.38 Super Match pistols were manufactured concurrently with the
standard Colt .38 Supers, except they featured a deluxe, hand honed action, Stevens
adjustable rear sight (now absent), checkered match trigger with a hand polished
super smooth trigger pull. Additionally, they received a highly polished Colt factory
blued finish with all checkered grip panels. Approximately 5,000 of these special
higher grade target pistols were produced in total with many being sent to Britain as
part of the lend-lease program. This example, having British proofs on the frame, slide,
and circled “MB” marked barrel, was most likely sent to Britain as part of that program.
The right side of the matching number slide is marked “SUPER MATCH/COLT SUPER .38/
AUTOMATIC” followed by the Rampant Colt motif. The opposite side of the slide has Colt’s
address marking above the patent dates. The upper left front of the trigger guard is marked with “P/VP”. The right side is marked “69”. Fitted with replacement blade and non-factory rear high notch non-adjustable sights, polished chamber, checkered slide lock, thumb safety, arched checkered mainspring housing, checkered walnut grips, and a wide checkered hammer. The original Swartz firing pin safety hardware remains installed. It is complete with a full-blue magazine marked “COLT SUPER/38 AUTO” on the base plate.
CONDITION: Very fine, retains 85% of the original blue with numerous scattered dings and scratches, the balance having thinned to a mostly smooth grey patina, primarily on edges, the trigger guard, and grip straps, and some scattered light pitting. The grips are fine with some scattered minor dings and scratches, and otherwise crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Gus Cargile Collection.
Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
           Collector’s Fact
According to author Charles Clawson, 1 of only 112 .45-.22 Conversion Units manufactured by Colt.
“ f t
   t
SERIAL NUMBER 41
 SERIAL NUMBER U66
    The left side of the slide has the two-line address/patent dates and the right side has
the caliber marking followed by a Rampant Colt. The left of the trigger guard is marked
“1/VP” and the right is marked “22”. The right side of the frame has the Government
Model marking over the serial number. It has the standard 1911 features. The barrel has
a polished chamber and is marked “E”, “U”, and “&” internally. Fitted with replacement
diamond pattern checkered grips and an unmarked two-tone magazine. The included copy of the factory letter confirms the current configuration (grips not listed) as well as shipment to Lee Clarke Anderson Hardware Co. in Omaha, Nebraska on 3 February 1923.
CONDITION: Excellent, retains 90% plus of the original blue finish with the balance having thinned to a smooth grey patina, primarily on edges and the grip straps. The replacement grips are very fine with a few scattered light handling marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection.
Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000
  Collector’s Fact
1 of only approximately 5,000 of these special high grade target pistols were produced.
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