Colt Serial Number Lookup

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Doc Intrepid

New member
I'm looking for information on a Colt Mk IV Series 80 government model, and the Colt search engine isn't coming up with any answers (here -- )

http://www.colt.com/CustomerServices/SerialNumberLookup.aspx

For $100.00 Colt will take a look and write me a nice letter presumably with the answers, but I'm wondering if there is another option.

Do any of you guys have any experience with another option or site that may be able to research Colt serial numbers for date of manufacture, etc.??

Thanks in advance,

Doc
 
S

SVO

New member
If all you want is the date of manufacture for your pistol, then you should call the the Colt customer service number listed. CS can help with that info and general short questions about your pistol. For the Colt letter, Colt will research their records for what info they have for your pistol, such as when shipped from the factory, to whom it was shipped, and any special factory features.
 
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Doc Intrepid

New member
Thanks SVO,

There are some initials and other factory markings engraved on the grip frame (beneath the grips), so I was looking for the date of manufacture as well as any information regarding the meaning of the engraved initials, etc.

I'll give CS a call before taking other steps - just didn't know if anyone knew of another means of tapping into someone with a lot of Colt lore on one of the various forums.

Thanks again.
 
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PetahW

New member
.

AFAIK, the Colt Gov't Model Mk IV Series 80 was introduced in 1983 with SN FG01000, and depending upon the finish, was discontinued between 1992 & 1998.


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Dfariswheel

New member
The Colt experts can be found here:

http://www.coltforum.com/forums/

And here:

http://forums.1911forum.com/

There shouldn't be any initials or engravings under the grips of a Series 80 commercial pistol.

There should be the standard Colt stampings on the right and left side of the slide.

On the frame should be the following:

On the right side of the frame should be the Colt address, right above the grip.

In front of the Colt address on the right should be the serial number.

On the right front side of the trigger guard should be a letter stamp. This is though to be the finial inspectors stamp.

On the left front side of the trigger guard should be a letter stamp. This is thought to be the assemblers stamp.

On the left rear of the trigger guard should be a "VP" in a triangle. This is Colt's Verified Proof stamp indicating it passed it's proof test.
 
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Doc Intrepid

New member
Thank you Dfariswheel for the information.

I'm technologically challenged, but will try to take photos of the engraved numbers and codes and post them. I'm reasonably certain the markings were put there by the manufacturer.

I'm only the second owner of this pistol. The first owner died some 8-9 years ago, and the pistol has been stored since. Plus, I know for a fact the initial owner never removed the wrap-around pebbled rubber grips: when I removed them to install some American Elk grip slabs by Eagle there was a thin layer of adhesive (or 20 year old gun oil) beneath the original factory rubber grips. This is a Colt Mk IV Series 80 Ultimate Bright Stainless Enhanced pistol made sometime between 1993 and 1996 (?) - awaiting more detail. The brother of the fellow who died indicated that his brother only shot the pistol infrequently, he wasn't much into guns or shooting and he didn't know that much about them. So...whatever markings are beneath those grips were there when the original owner first bought the pistol new from a dealer - direct from Colt.

If I can figure out how to post photos, I'll show you what I'm referring to.
 
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RickB

New member
Interesting. I have four Series 80 Colts, and none of them has anything stamped on the frame under the grip panels. Pics, please.
You have to have your pictures hosted by photobucket, or similar website. Upload the pics from your computer to photobucket, then links are provided for posting to this forum.
 
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Doc Intrepid

New member
Well, I'm posting to thank folks again for their input, and to eat crow for posting a strong statement it turns out I was wrong about.

This Colt Mk IV Series 80 ultimate bright stainless gov't model was manufactured in 1993, shipped in the same year. I was wrong about the original owner not removing the grips - even though they were stuck hard to the frame by 20 years of what must have been gun oil at one point.

The last 4 digits of the number were "1911", and of course the pistol is a 1911 so I assumed the number was something from the manufacturer. [Who has the number "1911" in their SSN?] I took some photos of the number and the symbol, after learning above that Colt markings are stamped, not engraved; and sent them to the guy who sold me the gun. Go figure. His brother's SSN ended in "1911", and the symbol was the brother's three initials combined into one icon. He apparently was in the habit of engraving this symbol on his tools as well.

So mystery solved, mea culpa, and thanks again to all for the input. (I'll post photos that contain only a partial SSN...)
 
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