1911 .45ACP Magnum Edition , your thoughts.

[GMT Master]

I have been toying around with the idea of having some Magnum 1911's commissioned and wondered what you guys and gals think about the idea. These would be for sale of course not just for me. I have a FFL and I don't even know if it would be possible but the idea has been on my mind for quite some time. I would prefer it be a Colt Series 70 and thought maybe a serial number starting with MPI*** would be cool. I don't know if Colt would even do it but if there would be enough interest I wouldn't mind calling and asking them. I'd imagine that a certain amount of pistols would have to be committed to before they would start a project like this. I thougt about having the slide engraved with the Magnim P.I. logo but then I figured there would be trademark issues etc. with that not to mention that T.M. would want a working gun not a presentation safe queen. I also thought that with just a custom serial number this would keep the price down. I also thought that a custom wood case lined with the Jungle Bird fabric would be cool but here again cost is always an issue as well as sourcing the cases and fabric. Anyway, what do you guys think about the idea? All comments and ideas are welcome.

[lutherhgillis]

I'm a gun enthusiast and I think this is a great idea.

[GMT Master]

I looked at Colt's website and they do offer custom services through their custom shop. This may be a do-able project. I also had the idea of engraving the Cross of Lorraine on the pistol but again I don't know what it would cost and I would like these to be as affordable as possible. I think this would be an awesome 1911 even if the only reference to Magnum would be the first three digits of the serial number.

[Waltstasz]

How much do you think a custom .45 would cost?

[IslandHopper]

I wouldn't limit yourself to Colt. There are numerous gun manufactures that make 1911s, i.e., Kimber, Sig Sauer, Springfiled Armory, Smith & Wesson, Taurus, Thompson, Para USA, American Classic, Rock Island Armory, etc. Do we know for sure if Magnum's 1911 was a colt? I know we had a discussion on another thread on whether his 1911 was his military issue or if it was his personal weapon, but I don't remember if it was determined if it was a Colt or not.

[Jaybird]

Give it a few decades and one of these might be your best investment.
Tom himself would probably buy one. Yes, they would be costly but no more than a piece of jewelry. Plus, think of it as an investment that you can actually go out and enjoy without suffering depreciation.

Just be sure to get Colt to limit the run to something like 100!

They would probably be under $1000 anyway. What if you could get Tom Selleck's autograph reproduced on it. The Cross of Lorraine would be great as mentioned earlier.

I have never seen a quality firearm lose value. It is better than money in the bank!

[GMT Master]

Waltstasz, the Colt Series 70 that they are currently making goes for around $800.00. I don't what the cost would be for a custom serial number or if they would even do it. I figure if there is enough interest I would start to make the necessary inquiries. IslandHopper, you obviously know your 1911's. I've owned Colts, Kimbers, Springfields, Les Baers, and I've either handled or shot the rest of the 1911's you mentioned. The reasons that I am leaning toward Colt is because that was what T.M. used in the first episode, Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii. You can clearly make it out as a series 70 Colt when it is laying on the floor just before T.M. grabs it. It would make sense that it would be a Colt because back in 1980 when the show debuted they were pretty much the only game in town. We didn't enjoy the plethora of 1911's that we have today. Most of the manufacturers that you mentioned don't offer a "standard" 1911 or a "base" model. Springfield and Thompson do offer some standard variations but Springfield's offering is the WWII line and the Milspec line. Neither of these really fit the bill in my humble opinion. I think the thread you mentioned determined that the pistol was a commercial model and not a military model. Something else that I thought of is that if this project were to proceed maybe a Series 80 Colt should be used. It wouldn't be as authentic but some states require that the pistol have a firing pin safety and that was what the Series 80 denoted. Series 70's wouldn't have this feature. At any rate, I appreciate your suggestions.

[GMT Master]

Jaybird, thanks for your comments. The autograph idea is a good one as well. I wish I could get in touch with Mr. Selleck and run this idea past him to see what his thoughts would be.

[Jaybird]

Get his signature and I'd probably ante up. I have a Gold Cup and a 1911 that my dad got in the 50's or early 60's for $5. I haven't checked lately but the way prices are headed, nothing would surprise me. Plus, you have all the new demand from the D.C. folks!

Think of it......a limited edition of maybe, what, 100 to 500. with the Cross and Mr. Selleck's signature. Nothing else to fancy it up.

You know, Colt might like the idea and who knows just how many they could sell pre-production!

I wonder what the one TM used on Ivan in "Have You Seen the Dawn" would fetch if it had the proper documentation? That might be the ultimate collectible.....after the estate itself of course, well and the helicopter(s) and the car(s).

[OUTHOUSE]

Count me in. If its made...I buy.

[MaximRecoil]

I wouldn't limit yourself to Colt. There are numerous gun manufactures that make 1911s, i.e., Kimber, Sig Sauer, Springfiled Armory, Smith & Wesson, Taurus, Thompson, Para USA, American Classic, Rock Island Armory, etc. Do we know for sure if Magnum's 1911 was a colt? I know we had a discussion on another thread on whether his 1911 was his military issue or if it was his personal weapon, but I don't remember if it was determined if it was a Colt or not.

Yes, it was definitely a Colt. It was a Colt Mark IV/Series 70 Government Model chambered for 9mm Luger or .38 Super (in the context of the show it was intended to be a .45 ACP). You can tell it is a Colt by looking at it and also taking into account the time frame of the show. Also, the Stembridge Collection has one of the screen-used guns from the show and it is labeled as a Colt Mark IV/Series 70 Government Model (link).

There were either multiple CGMs used in the show, or the original one was modified later on. In one of the earlier episodes where we get a close look at his gun, it has the standard full-shelf thumb-safety that has come standard on commercial Colt Government Models since 1950. In one of the later episodes, his gun has a pre-1950 short-shelf thumb-safety. The gun pictured in the Stembridge Collection also has the pre-1950 short-shelf thumb-safety. Such a thing was obviously swapped in to a standard Series 70 at some point, for God-only-knows what reason. Perhaps they wanted to make the gun look more like a military-issue M1911A1 (all military issue .45s were manufactured in 1945 or earlier, thus they all have the pre-1950 short-shelf thumb-safety).

This first picture is a screenshot from Jororo Farewell (4.11) (I think):



You can clearly see the post-1950 style full-shelf thumb safety there, which is correct for a Series 70 (manufactured from 1971-1983).

This next picture is a screenshot from Old Acquaintance (6.3):



Here you can see the pre-1950 style short partial-shelf thumb-safety. That safety did not come on that gun from the manufacturer. Like I said earlier, the one in the Stembridge collection is like this one (turn up the brightness/contrast and zoom in when viewing the Stembridge Collection Picture, if need be), and probably is this one.

Since that old-style safety on a newer gun makes his gun somewhat unique, that would probably be the way you would want a replica done too. As it happens, recently, for the first time since 1950, Colt has used that old style of safety again, on their "New Agent" model:



See more pictures of the Colt New Agent here.

Also, Colt is using that style of thumb-safety on their WWI M1911 replica, and used it a few years back on their WWII M1911A1 replica, so there is a good chance they have the part and the Colt Custom Shop could put it on one of their new Series 70 reissues by request.

Now Magnum's gun was a later production Series 70, so it had a lowered ejection port. Colt's new Series 70 reissue is based on an earlier production Series 70, and has a standard ejection port.

Also, Magnum's gun has well-worn fully-checkered walnut grips, like were used on military M1911A1s from 1926 until 1941 or so when they switched to plastic grips. Original Series 70 guns came with the same style of grips, except they had Colt medallions on them. The new Series 70 reissue lacks the Colt medallions, but they are done in the "double diamond" style, the same as military M1911s (and Colt Government Models of the same era).

The problems I see with having a "Magnum Edition" CGM commisioned are:

- Very expensive, probably at least $1,000 once you tack on Custom Shop charges, maybe more.

- Magnum's gun is essentially box-stock, thus to 99% of people who see it, it is no different than any other blued Colt Government Model. And if you add a custom rollmark or something which says "Magnum PI" or whatever on the slide, it no longer looks like Magnum's gun.

However, this is how I would do it if I was going to do it: I would order a blued Series 70 reissue from Colt and request the newer style lowered ejection port, and the older style (pre-1950) partial-shelf thumb safety. Colt doesn't have many grip options, so I would order some milspec fully-checkered walnut grips from Herrett's Stocks (Model HB-1). Herrett's has been around at least since the '60s and has a good reputation. I have a pair of Walnut HB-1s on my Colt Government Model and they are perfect in terms of quality and fit.

The grips on Magnum's gun were probably military-issue given how worn they were for a relatively new (at the time) gun. Herrett's makes the HB-1 to military specs, but if you could find some actual military-issue ones in good condition, that would work too. It is hard to find military-issue walnut M1911A1 grips, because the vast majority of M1911A1s were made after they switched to plastic grips.

[OUTHOUSE]

I really think the Magnum 1911 gun Idea is awesome.

Can we at least get a cost worked up with:

MPI serial Number
Cross of Lorraine
Box with Jungle Bird Fabric

On standard government model.

Does anyone on this board think the studio would have any issues with having the gun produced?

Is there a Thomas Magnum signature from the show we could use to put on the gun somewhere?

I bought a Kimber 1911 CDP Ultra today.

It was a battle between that and a Colt 1911 Government Model.

We at the Magnum-Mania site need to have this gun comissioned.

That way I can have both.

[N1095A]

I really think the Magnum 1911 gun Idea is awesome.

Can we at least get a cost worked up with:

MPI serial Number
Cross of Lorraine
Box with Jungle Bird Fabric

On standard government model.

Does anyone on this board think the studio would have any issues with having the gun produced?

Is there a Thomas Magnum signature from the show we could use to put on the gun somewhere?

I bought a Kimber 1911 CDP Ultra today.

It was a battle between that and a Colt 1911 Government Model.

We at the Magnum-Mania site need to have this gun comissioned.

That way I can have both.

Just a dumb guy thought here, but the letters MPI and the cross are most likely not copyrighted.

[OUTHOUSE]

I believe you are probably correct.

Just thinking outside the box.
Seeing if there would be any potential pitfalls besides the obvious.

Personally I think if we do it, it should be a Colt.

Anyone else out there interested in this project?

[GMT Master]

I spoke to Colt today. The gentleman I spoke to happens to know Tom Selleck and is going to let him know about this idea. He didn't think T.S. would like the idea but he was willing to run it past him. We would need to get a fair amount af commitments and deposits to make this happen. The engraving template would cost around $1120.00 approximately. Then you would have another $70.00 approximately, per gun, for the engraving. The special serial number is possible but it would end in MPI. Cost for this is $245.00 per gun. That figure could possibly be reduced by the number of pistols ordered. It could be as little as $50.00 if the order was large enough. I was afraid this would be an expensive venture and it looks like it would be. If we ordered a couple hundred pistols it wouldn't be a big deal but I don't know if there is that kind of interest. The pistol itself is $814.00. If I hear anything from T.S.'s people I'll report back. Let me know what you guys think.