SOLD - Rare, Boxed Union Switch & Signal 1911A1

Description

1/12/24 - This is an excellent, all-correct example of a rare Union Switch & Signal 1911A1 issued to the US military in 1943. The US&S 1911a1 pistols are one of the most sought after collectibles from WW2. This one has retained about 92-93% of its original Du-Lite finish. It has a very nice profile but the most noticeable wear is on the front strap. There is also some general high edge wear that would suggest this pistol was holstered for a period of time. Proper High Standard barrel. Correct bushing with concentric circles. Excellent plastic grips. Comes with original MS Little mag. Excellent bore with only minor hints of frost. This particular pistol also comes in a matching numbered Kraft box. The box appears to be quite old/vintage but we can't say definitively when the box and gun were paired together.

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The Union Switch & Signal company of Swissvale Pennsylvania, primarily made railroad signaling equipment but received a contract on May 5, 1942 for the manufacture of M1911A1 pistols. The first pistols were accepted by Ordnance inspectors in January 1943, but the company received word that their contract would be canceled. Within a month U.S.&S. had signed a contract to supply carbine parts. On March 8, 1943 the company was officially notified that their contract had been cut back from 200,000 pistols to 30,000 pistols. However on June 26th, when the contract was nearly complete, and many of the workers had been transferred to Carbine operations, the company received a letter of intent to purchase an additional 25,000 pistols. The last of the pistols was shipped on November 27, 1943. 55,000 Union Switch and Signal pistols were delivered serial numbered from 1041405 to 1096404. U.S.&S. pistols are the second rarest of the M1911A1s (55,000 produced), only the Singer is rarer (500 produced). None of the Union Switch & Signal 1911A1s have the crossed cannons ordnance stamp.