Historic 1939 Colt National Match - USS Augusta Provenance

Description

11/25/25 - This is a rare and historic example of a prewar Colt National Match Pistol. According to the included Colt factory letter, this National Match was shipped on December 19, 1939 as a single-gun shipment to Mr. A. C. Hilbig aboard the USS Augusta. The Augusta (CA-31) was a Northampton-class heavy cruiser with a truly legendary and distinguished service record. After being commissioned in 1931, the Augusta served as the flagship of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet in the 1930s. Notably, on the day of the Pearl Harbor attack (December 7, 1941), the Augusta, moored at Newport, Rhode Island, was chosen to carry President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Newfoundland conference where the Atlantic Charter was signed in August 1941. During World War II, the Augusta went on to play major roles as a flagship in multiple historic operations, serving as Admiral Hewitt’s command ship during the Allied Operation Torch landings in North Africa (November 1942). In June 1944, the Augusta carried General Omar Bradley and his staff during the D-Day invasion of Normandy. The cruiser also provided naval gunfire support during the invasion of Southern France in Operation Dragoon (August 1944). In recognition of distinguished wartime service, the USS Augusta earned three battle stars and later hosted President Harry S. Truman in 1945.

The pistol itself has retained about 80% of its original high-polish blued finish. There is spotty wear throughout both sides of the slide, with additional finish loss concentrated along the high edges of the slide/frame and around the ejection port. Some wear and minor freckling around the muzzle. A takedown scratch is visible on the frame, and the front grip strap and trigger guard show thinning and mild darkening. The grip safety has a bit of light surface freckling. Checkered walnut grips remain crisp with only minor handling marks. The pistol is equipped with the rare pre-war Swartz safety (Colt’s 1937-introduced firing pin block system). Comes with one correct magazine marked “.45 COLT” on the base. The barrel is an “S” marked replacement. The bore is excellent, with sharp rifling and just a hint of light frost. Includes the Colt factory letter which verifiably ties this rare pistol to some of the most significant historical events of the second world war.