Remington Rand 1911a1 Markings Link

Fake Remington Rand markings fall into two categories:

Red flags include:

An eagle’s head with an S (or other number) appears on various small parts (safety lock, slide stop, magazine catch). This is the Ordnance inspector’s mark for parts acceptance. remington rand 1911a1 markings

Missing eagle heads don’t automatically mean fake—many parts were mixed during arsenal services—but all-matching eagle heads increase collector value significantly.

Understanding Remington Rand 1911A1 markings transforms a rusty old pistol into a historical document. You are not just looking at a gun; you are looking at the largest contribution to the Allied victory by a typewriter company. Fake Remington Rand markings fall into two categories:

When you see the FJA, you see a colonel who rejected millions of rounds of bad ammo. When you see an (G) on the slide stop, you see General Motors pausing tank production to help a competitor. And when you see that crisp REMINGTON RAND rollmark, you see the sidearm that was carried from Normandy to the South Pacific.

Whether you are authenticating a safe queen or a field-grade shooter, always check the serial range first, then the slide rollmark, and finally the small subcontractor stamps. In the world of wartime 1911s, the devil (and the value) is always in the markings. Red flags include: An eagle’s head with an

Disclaimer: This guide is for informational and historical purposes. Always consult a qualified firearms appraiser or collector’s association (like the Garand Collectors Association) before purchasing a high-value M1911A1.

Before examining the stamps, one must understand the context. With the U.S. entry into WWII, the government needed pistols—fast. Colt couldn't keep up. The government contracted the typewriter division of Remington Rand (no relation to Remington Arms, the rifle maker) to produce M1911A1s at its Syracuse, New York plant.

Because Remington Rand lacked gun-making experience, their early production suffered from quality control issues (soft slides, brittle frames). This led to a major contract reshuffling and the famous "Typewriter Company" pistols being rebuilt and refinished. Consequently, correct markings are the only way to distinguish a $1,200 mixmaster from a $5,000 collector-grade example.