Cased & Engraved Pre-WWII Colt Model ACE, D.W. King Gun Sight Co. SA Semi-Automatic Pistol, MFD 1937 C&R

LSB#: 150204MC09
Make: Colt
Model: ACE
Serial Number: 7443
Year of Manufacture: 1937
Caliber: .22 Long Rifle
Action Type: Single Action, Semi-Automatic with Removable Magazine
Markings: The right side of slide is marked “COLT”, “ACE” in a diamond, and “22 LONG / RIFLE”. The left side of the slide is marked ““COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A. / PAT’D APR.20,1897 SEPT.9,1902. DEC.19,1905. FEB.14,1911. AUG.19,1913.” and with a Rampant Colt logo. The left front of the trigger guard is marked “X” and with a “VP” in a triangle. The right front of the trigger guard is marked “60”. The right side of the frame is marked “7443”. The front face of the barrel bushing is marked “KING / PAT PEND” and the right side of the trigger shoe, which is pinned to the trigger, is marked “KING / PAT. PEND.”
Barrel Length: 4 ¾”
Sights / Optics: This pistol is mounted with a flat topped square notch white outline rear sight that is dovetail set to the slide and adjustable for windage and elevation. The front sight is rounded blade with a serrated ramped rear surface that is fixed to the slide. The right side of the sight is marked “King”.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are smooth bone with nickel colored Rampant Colt medallions on each grip The panels show yellowing with age and a few surface cracks. There are two cracks on the top of the right grip and another near its bottom rear corner that extend to the underside of the grip. The grips rate in about Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: The pistol is nickel plated with scroll engraving on the sides of the slide and frame, the safety and the slide release. The mainspring housing and the front face of the trigger shoe are checkered. The trigger shoe is blue.
Finish Originality: The nickel finish is not original.
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion, but there is a tool mark across one of the lands about ½” from the muzzle.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 95% of its current metal finish. There are two spots of erosion at the right front of the slide and another spot at the bottom of the front strap. The slide and frame show several light handling marks with a deep compression mark surrounded by surface loss on the top left of the slide next to the ejection port. The checkering on the hammer and mainspring housing show light wear while the safety, slide release, magazine release and recoil spring plug checkering is sharp. The grip screws are distressed and the markings are very shallow in spots, but legible. Overall, this pistol rates in about Fine condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The trigger breaks crisply at about 4 ½ lbs. and the slide is tight to the frame. The pistol has a manual safety as well as a grip safety and a half-cock hammer. We have not fired this pistol.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: . There is one magazine included with this pistol. It has a half and half finish – the bottom is blue while the top is in-the-white. It is marked on the floorplate with “COLT”, “ACE” in a triangle and “22 L R”. The magazine shows minor wear with a few small spots of surface frosting. The floorplate shows thinning on its front edge and a few light handling marks. The magazine is in about Fine condition. The pistol also comes with a lockable brown hardwood case with brass fittings and miter joints on its corners. The inside of the case is lined with purple velvet and the bottom half is fitted for this pistol, a spare magazine and accessories. The underside of the bottom half of the case is covered with green felt. The outside of the box shows a very few light handling marks with barely noticeable wear in the green felt bottom. The inside rear surface of the bottom of the case shows wear in the velvet from the sights and there are marks in the bottom surface from rubbing on the slide and frame. Overall, the case is in Fine to Excellent condition.
Our Assessment: This is a Colt Ace semi-auto pistol designed to shoot .22 Long Rifle ammunition. This is a great pistol with many of the features of the Government Model 1911A1 except that it has adjustable target sights and a slightly shorter barrel. It was designed so that you could target practice with nearly the same sized frame as that used by your .45 ACP 1911. With the cost of ammunition today, this makes even more sense than it did way back in 1937 when this Ace was produced. This pistol has been scroll engraved and refinished in nickel, with several custom D.W. King Gun Sight Co. additions: as a minimum, the barrel bushing, front sight and trigger shoe. It has about 95% of its nickel finish remaining. It has a spots of erosion on the right front of the slide and the bottom of the front strap. There is also a compression mark with surface loss on the slide next to the ejection port, along with minor handling marks in both the slide and frame. The grips are bone. They show some yellowing and minor surface cracks from age, as well as three cracks in the right grip that extend to the inside surface. The bore is bright with sharp rifling but shows a tool mark near the muzzle. The pistol comes with a brown hardwood case. This is a very nice looking pistol that got some oohs and aahs when it was first brought out of the case. The collectors should have interest in this pistol, as there were only about 11,000 made, and there sure won’t be any more of them. If the collectors don’t give this the notice its due, some lucky shooter will get a chance at a great looking target pistol with a nice bore, complete with a handsome wooden case. Using this pistol to target practice with and hone your sight picture and trigger control skills will certainly be a lot less expensive, and probably more fun than practicing with .45 ACP ammo.