This pistol, being within the first 83 Model 1911's produced, is marked in accordance with the Ordnance Department drawings which were dated 26 April 1911, which are shown on p. In many ways, this pistol, being so early in production, can be seen as a trailblazer, a pioneer of a reputation of reliability, and a founding father of a legacy that is still alive and well to this day. These pistols were the pinnacle of military technology at the time, with military men and civilians alike, eager to get their hands on the powerful handgun. The first 50 of these pistols were shipped to Springfield Armory on 4 January 1912. Before the end of the year, Colt had only completed 51 pistols, making a first year production Model 1911 incredibly scarce. This pistol was assembled in the first block of 40 Model 1911 pistols at the Colt plant on the first day of production, which was 28 December 1911. Manufactured in 1911, the first year of production, this is a very fine example of an exceptionally early production, single digit serial number, U.S.