Vietnamese Crude Blowback 1911 Copy

Sold for $2,300.

This is an example of a craft-made pistol captured in Vietnam and brought back to the US. While many Vietnamese fighters were supplied with good-quality weapons from other nations (primarily Chinese-made AK and SKS rifles), weapons are virtually never in sufficient supply for guerrilla-type forces and that forces improvisation. In this case, some Vietnamese hops tried to fabricate copies of American weapons – in this case a 1911 pistol.

This pistol was clearly made by someone who did not fully understand its mechanical elements. The safety, for example, is fixed solidly in place, and neither moves nor would function as a safety if it did move. Interestingly, under the left grip panel is an out-of-battery safety that was not used in the 1911 itself, but is common to other similar pistols – and it is constructed in such as way as to not actually function.

The most significant functional concern with this pistol is that it has no locking system, and functions simply as a blowback pistol. This is seen in other insurgent-type arms as well, like the Spanish Civil War Izard. This would quickly batter itself to pieces if used, as the slide and spring are definitely too light to safely fire its .45ACP ammunition.

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Related:
Chinese Mystery Pistol Overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HNaB7l2GQk
Another Chinese Mystery Pistol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtFPgu82f1c
Yet Another Chinese Mystery Pistol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byEIP9mRAwA
Mystery Rocking Block Pistol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpsHcamGv24
Khyber Pass Colt Copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5S_qmBL_KM
Khyber Pass Martini Pistol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTvxFNRLbiw

Forgotten Weapons

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