Jim Boland Custom Springfield Armory 1911-A1 1911A1 Semi Automatic .45 ACP Race Gun

SOLD FOR:$4,000
LSB#: 150313DS05
Make: Springfield Armory
Model: 1911-A1
Serial Number: NM53524
Year of Manufacture: 1980s
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Single Action, Semiautomatic with Removable Magazine
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “MODEL 1911-A1 / CAL . 45”. The right side of the slide is marked with a Springfield Armory logo which has been partially machined off and “SPRINGFIELD ARMORY / GENESEO IL. U.S.A. / NM53524”. The rear face of the hammer is marked “T”.
Barrel Length: A 5 1/2” vented barrel is installed and a 2” muzzle brake is present.
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a Patridge style blade with a serrated rear surface, integral to the muzzle brake. The rear sight is a Bo-Mar square notched leaf dovetail set to the slide, adjustable for windage and elevation.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The two piece checkered cocobolo grips feature diamonds at the screw escutcheons. The grips exhibit only minor evidence of handling and rate in about Excellent overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 96% of its current metal finish. A substantial amount of customization has been performed. An extended vented barrel with a muzzle brake has been installed along with a full length guide rod and a bushing. An ambidextrous safety and extended magazine release have been fitted. Extended grooves have been machined into the rear of the slide, custom serrations milled into the front of the slide. The ejection port has been lowered and a port has been added to the left side of the slide at the firing pin. The slide has been lightened and streamlined and the rear face serrated to match the serrated rear surface of the Bo-Mar sight. The magazine well has been extended and beveled and the grip safety has been disabled. Other custom work includes a squared and checkered trigger guard bow, checkered front and rear surfaces of the grip, flattened beavertail and the installation of slide guards. The Delrin trigger is set to 2 pounds 5 ounces. A patch of surface corrosion is present on the right side of the magazine well extension and a small spot can be seen on the underside of the trigger guard bow. Scattered small spots of finish loss appear along the sharp edges of the slide and muzzle brake and scattered shallow handling marks are evident on the slide and frame. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are shallow but clear. Overall, this handgun rates in about Fine condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly, however the grip safety has been disabled. The action is smooth and the trigger pull is a light 2lb. 5oz. Extensive custom work has been performed on this pistol as described above in “Overall Condition”. We did not fire this handgun.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: The pistol is equipped with one 7-round magazine which is unmarked and in Fine condition. An original Springfield Armory box accompanies the pistol, but the gun will not fit into the box with the installed long barrel and muzzle brake. The box is in Fine condition and includes a cleaning rod and a large nylon bore brush and a collection of paperwork. Springfield Armory instruction manual and congratulatory letter can be found in the box, along with two magazine subscription offers, a Springfield Armory safety bulletin and product brochure. All the paperwork is in Excellent condition. Viewed at time of consignment, but NOT included is a price list from Jim Boland Gunsmithing, with a deposit receipt dated August 1988. The price list is for Boland’s “California Competitor” package which offers an extensive package of work for $1051. The original owner has decided that this information is private and is currently being held and not included. It appears that the California Competitor Package was installed on this pistol, with or without the receipt one can tell.
Our Assessment: This is a race ready Springfield 1911-A1, customized by Jim Boland in 1988. This top quality 1911 received over $1000 worth of modifications in 1988. Jim Boland was a master gunsmith in Southern California from the 1980s until his passing in 2004. His work was precise, innovative and top quality. This pistol appears to have undergone Boland’s “California Competitor” transformation. It features a long, 5 1/2” vented barrel with muzzle brake, modified slide, lowered ejector port, checkered grip and trigger guard, cocobolo grips, reworked grooves on the slide, thumb guards and an action job. This pistol would have been state of the art in 1988 and is still a viable competition gun today.