Crown City 1911, and some questions

[tek4260]

Picked this one up today. Not much info out there on Crown City except that the Stainless on Stainless was prone to mar the rails. Guess I am lucky this is a Stainless lower and Blued upper.
It has a Colt National Match barrel. The barrel bushing is aftermarket and has 4 fingers on the rear. The spring plunger is offset and can only be installed one way. I assume to clear the fingers of the bushing. It fits super tight at the tip of the barrel, but slides freely. There is no movement whatsoever of the barrel, front or rear, at lockup. The slide is a flattop with serrations and it has BoMar sights. I have never seen one inletted into the slide like this, and I don't think it is factory. There is just no info that I have found on this pistol and I am curious how far from stock it is, mainly with the sights and flattop slide. Any one have any experience with them? Reguardless, it should make a good truck gun.

 

[Snake45]

Interesting gun! I've never seen a Crown City but I remember when they were advertised, back in the '70s or '80s.

I've never seen Bomar sights installed like that, though I have a Colt Commander with S&W K-frame sights installed very similarly.

I've never heard of any aftermarket collet bushing except Bar-Sto, and they were only available with barrels (I have one). I'd guess you probably have a Colt bushing. You might want to think about replacing that. I wouldn't trust any aftermarket collet bushing except a Bar-Sto, and even the Colts have a reputation for breaking.

I think your gun is pretty far from "stock," and thus of little interest to collectors (not that there's much collector interest in Crown Citys anyway), but there's no reason it can't be a reliable, accurate, and FUN shooter. The 1911 design is inherently pretty forgiving. I've got several 1911s built up from aftermarket frames with a motley collection of random GI and generic aftermarket parts, and they're all decent shooters. Let us know how it shoots, and have fun with it!

 

[Yosemite Sam]

I like that rear sight quite a bit. It's different, and is a nice installation for what is otherwise a sometimes ugly problem.

I bet with all the aftermarket goodies, the target sight, and the match barrel, that it's pretty darned accurate, too. At least someone thought so.

-- Sam

 

[IrvJr]

I had a crown city 1911 frame with a Remington Rand slide and GI parts. it was a great shooting gun. I wish I hadn't traded it away.

My frame was blued.

 

[I_Like_Pie]

Reguardless, it should make a good truck gun.

Heck - they way it is set up...it might make a good bullseye gun!

 

[gmaske]

From what you discribe I'll bet it will shoot some tight groups. I wouldn't screw with it till put a few down the tube. Go shoot it and give us a report with pictures! :wink:

 

[mt]

You can't go far wrong with any 1911. I've never seen a rear sight attached like that but I can't see where it would cause any problem.

mt