Project Description
!!!!!SOLD!!!!! This is a 1/2 scale Colt 1911 .45 ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol made by master miniature maker Raymond Hutchens of Indiana. Raymond Hutchens is, in my opinion, one of the top two miniature makers to ever walk the earth. There is absolutely no improving on this miniature. It’s as perfect as can possibly be made! Every part that is supposed to be hardened is. The barrel rifling is the proper twist, the grooves of the rifling the proper depth and width. 4 1/4″ long overall with a 2 7/16″ rifled barrel of about .230 caliber. The metal parts are perfectly polished, all corners are razor sharp, the metal in a dark blue finish except for the barrel, firing pin, and firing pin spring, which are finished in the white. All markings are applied just as on a full size Colt with the Colt factory slide markings roll stamped and the proof marks hand stamped. The left side front of the slide marked “PATENTED APR. 20. 1897. SEPT. 9. 1902, DEC. 19. 1905, FEB. 14. 1911. AUG. 9. 1913″ in two lines, and the left side rear is marked COLT’S PT. F. A. MFG. CO., HARTFORD. CT. U.S.A.” in two lines. The back of the slide roll marked with the rampant Colt horse image. The left front top of the trigger bow is stamped with what looks like a combination “VP” in a triangle. The rear bottom side of the trigger bow is stamped with an “R”. The right side of the slide marked “COLT AUTOMATIC, CALIBRE 45” in two lines. The left side of the frame marked “GOVERNMENT MODEL, C11801” in two lines just to the rear of the triggerguard. The left side of the frame stamped at the front top of the trigger bow with what looks to be a crown with the letters “BNP” centered underneath. The right top of the trigger bow marked “AB3” in a circle divided into three segments. The exposed chamber area of the barrel is marked again with what looks to be a crown with “BNP” centered underneath, then “.45″ .900″, 7 TONS PER O” These are all British proof marks. Please understand that Ray made the roll dies to make this one pistol. Almost all of Rays miniatures are one-of-a kind”. Each roll die would be as difficult, if not more so, than making the slide or frame! The hammer spur, magazine release button, slide release, thumb safety, and the guide rod bushing front are very finely checkered. You might note that checkering tools this fine are not available commercially, so Ray had to make them also. The rear of the slide with the normal serrations, perfectly executed. Fixed blade front sight with a dovetailed windage adjustable rear sight. Very dark rosewood, or maybe ebony double diamond grips held in place on each side by two screws. 100% fully functional. I have function tested this piece and both safeties work. The slide locks back on an empty magazine. The pistol will feed, chamber, extract, and eject the included seven rounds of ammunition. I am assuming that the included cartridges are dummies, but Ray did make live rounds for all of his miniatures and fired them for function testing, so these could be live rounds. I loaded the magazine and manually cycled the rounds through the pistol. The cartridges ejected flawlessly, but I did not dare pull the trigger on one! The cartridges are perfect 1/2 scale .45 ACP rounds with “R – P .45 AUTO” headstamps on nickel cases with nickel primers. The bullets are full metal copper jacketed. I have been shooting, modifying, and building Colt 1911 Pistols for over 40 years. I have a whole big Gerstner tool box full of tools just for working on 1911 pistols. I know and understand them. I have never in my life held a full size 1911 that is fit as closely as this miniature, and I’m talking about $15K race guns. The fit of the barrel bushing to the slide, the barrel bushing to the barrel, the slide to the frame is in ten thousands of an inch, as is the barrel locking lugs to the slide, and the magazine to the mag well. Every piece fits like a piece of glass! You really have to hold this piece in your hand to understand just what an outstanding piece of workmanship it is! Complete with the original Hutchens black leatherette hinged top casing with slide latch. The interior French fit and lined in an olive green colored felt. If only the very best will do for you, this will do it! !!!!!SOLD!!!!!
