COMING IN MARCH 2019

NORTH AMERICAN MODEL 1911 SEMI AUTO PISTOL
inv # 18-4552

Caliber: 45 ACP

S#: 93

Notes: Ordnance Department in 1918 issued a contract to the Ross Rifle company of Quebec, Canada for 500,000 pistols to be delivered on Dec., 31 1919. Unbeknownst to Ordnance the Ross rifle company no longer existed. The Ross Rifle company became the Dominion Rifle factory & proceeded to dismantle the factory & dispose of all the machinery & material. The chairman of the Canadian board of war contracts (Holt Gurney) secured a commitment for the Newly formed North American Arms company, (Edmond Ryckman & John Denison) principles to mfg. the pistols in place of the now defunct Ross Rifle company. The North American Arms company failed to complete even a single pistol by the end of the war Nov. 11, 1918 when the contract was cancelled. On Feb. 24, 1920 a settlement was reached between the U.S. government & the North American Arms company resolving all claims made against the contract. Approx. 100 North American model 1911 pistols were assembled either during the tooling up process (highly unlikely since NAA had only 5 months to tool up) or from parts completed after the contract was cancelled. Major difference between NAA & Colt are an uncheckered hammer, no lanyard loop on mainspring, S# is placed under the left stock at the bottom & on the left side of the slide at rear, no acceptance or model markings at all.

Status: Curio