Kongsberg Colt
Encyclopedia
The Kongsberg Colt is a nickname used for Colt
M1911 pistol
s produced under license by the Norwegian factory Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk
.
adopted the 7.5 mm Nagant
revolver
(named M/1893) as the standard Norwegian military sidearm in 1893. Commissions to test possible new service pistols were active from 1904 till 1911. In 1911, a commission recommended adoption of the semi-automatic .38 ACP
caliber Colt Military Model 1902 pistol, after field trials with 25 such pistols, all purchased from Colt's London Agency. However, as the US had just adopted the Colt .45ACP M/1911 pistol it was decided to conduct further tests. A pistol of the new M/1911 design was received in Norway in January 1913. Following extensive tests through early 1914, if was finally decided, in August of 1914, to adopt the Colt M/1911 pistol in Norway. These pistols were to replace the Nagant revolvers (7,5mm M/1893) as the standard military sidearm in Norway. Fabrique Nationale in Belgium
signed a contract allowing Norway to manufacture the M1911 in September 1914. The pistol would be produced at Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk in Norway.
in 1915, 300 more pistols were shipped in 1917 for the Norwegian Army
. Price was US$18.50 per piece.
The production at Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk in Norway started in 1916 and 95 pistols were finished in 1917 and wrongly stamped "COLT AUT. PISTOL M/1912" These pistols were identical to the Colt M1911 except for a minor detail on the hammer checkering. 100 pistols were ordered, but 5 were rejected during production. The serial range was from 1 to 95. Number 1 is in Bady's book "Government Models" and number 2 was stolen from Norwegian Armed Forces Museum in 1978.
Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk was ready to start mass production in 1918. One significant change was now made. The slide-stop was extended down and back to make it easier to operate. This change required a cut-out in the left stock. This change had been suggested in 1916, but did not materialize on the production pistols before in 1918. The new version had the left side of the slide stamped "11.25 m/m AUT. PISTOL M/1914." that was correct as the adoption of the gun was in 1914. Most of the pistols that had been marked "1912" were recalled to the factory to have the "new" slide stop installed.
Production went on, but from 1932 to 1939 the production was very low, only 871 were made (approx 22,300 pieces were made before 1940).
During the German occupation of Norway (1940–1945), manufacture of the pistol, given the designation Pistole 657(n), was continued under German control. The Waffenamt
acceptance mark (WaA84) was added in 1945 and only those 920 pistols produced that year were ever Waffenamt-marked. Its not likely that any of these Waffenamt-marked pistols ever saw any action during World War II as the first one, serial# 29615, was delivered March 29, 1945 and the last one, serial# 30534, was delivered on 5 May 1945 just before liberation of Norway. In total, approximately 8200 pistols were made during German occupation (serials 22312-30534). All of them were delivered to AOK Norwegen (Army) except 700 that were delivered to Maza Norwegen (Navy).
Occupation production:
No pistols were produced in 1943 & 1944. In those years, production of Krag-Jørgensen
rifles was prioritized.
A few pistols were assembled from existing parts after the war until production was halted at serial number 32854 in 1947. Twenty additional pistols were assembled from foreign-produced parts in 1987 as collector's pieces for the US market. A US dealer supplied commercial frames, slides and barrels as well as other parts that were assembled at Kongsberg. Previous markings were removed and Kongsberg markings and serials were engraved on the parts before the assembled pistols were returned to the US.
. These have usually no serial markings or acceptance marks and the finish is usually not completed. The Waffenamt marked pistols are also very popular, 920 were made in 1945. The most rare are the first 95 marked with 1912.
Colt's Manufacturing Company
Colt's Manufacturing Company is a United States firearms manufacturer, whose first predecessor corporation was founded in 1836 by Sam Colt. Colt is best known for the engineering, production, and marketing of firearms over the later half of the 19th and the 20th century...
M1911 pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
s produced under license by the Norwegian factory Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk
Kongsberg Gruppen
Kongsberg Gruppen is Norway's major defence contractor and maritime automation supplier, located in Kongsberg, a former mining town....
.
History
NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
adopted the 7.5 mm Nagant
Nagant
The firm Fabrique d'armes Émile et Léon Nagant was established in 1859 in Liège, Belgium, to manufacture firearms.Émile and Léon Nagant were brothers, and probably best known for their important contributions to the design of the Mosin-Nagant Russian service rifle, adopted in 1891...
revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
(named M/1893) as the standard Norwegian military sidearm in 1893. Commissions to test possible new service pistols were active from 1904 till 1911. In 1911, a commission recommended adoption of the semi-automatic .38 ACP
.38 ACP
The .38 ACP also known as the .38 Auto was introduced at the turn of the 20th century for the Browning designed Colt M1900. The cartridge headspaces on the rim. It had first been used in his Model 1897 prototype, which Colt did not produce...
caliber Colt Military Model 1902 pistol, after field trials with 25 such pistols, all purchased from Colt's London Agency. However, as the US had just adopted the Colt .45ACP M/1911 pistol it was decided to conduct further tests. A pistol of the new M/1911 design was received in Norway in January 1913. Following extensive tests through early 1914, if was finally decided, in August of 1914, to adopt the Colt M/1911 pistol in Norway. These pistols were to replace the Nagant revolvers (7,5mm M/1893) as the standard military sidearm in Norway. Fabrique Nationale in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
signed a contract allowing Norway to manufacture the M1911 in September 1914. The pistol would be produced at Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk in Norway.
Production
As production start was slow, some M1911's were bought from Colt USA. 400 pistols were shipped to Norway for the Royal Norwegian NavyRoyal Norwegian Navy
The Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 5 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support...
in 1915, 300 more pistols were shipped in 1917 for the Norwegian Army
Norwegian Army
Norway achieved full independence in 1905, and in the first century of its short life has contributed to two major conflicts, the Cold War and the War on Terror. The Norwegian Army currently operates in the north of Norway and in Afghanistan as well as in Eastern Europe. The Army is the oldest of...
. Price was US$18.50 per piece.
The production at Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk in Norway started in 1916 and 95 pistols were finished in 1917 and wrongly stamped "COLT AUT. PISTOL M/1912" These pistols were identical to the Colt M1911 except for a minor detail on the hammer checkering. 100 pistols were ordered, but 5 were rejected during production. The serial range was from 1 to 95. Number 1 is in Bady's book "Government Models" and number 2 was stolen from Norwegian Armed Forces Museum in 1978.
Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk was ready to start mass production in 1918. One significant change was now made. The slide-stop was extended down and back to make it easier to operate. This change required a cut-out in the left stock. This change had been suggested in 1916, but did not materialize on the production pistols before in 1918. The new version had the left side of the slide stamped "11.25 m/m AUT. PISTOL M/1914." that was correct as the adoption of the gun was in 1914. Most of the pistols that had been marked "1912" were recalled to the factory to have the "new" slide stop installed.
Production went on, but from 1932 to 1939 the production was very low, only 871 were made (approx 22,300 pieces were made before 1940).
During the German occupation of Norway (1940–1945), manufacture of the pistol, given the designation Pistole 657(n), was continued under German control. The Waffenamt
Waffenamt
Waffenamt was the German Army Weapons Agency. It was the centre for research and development of Germany and also during the Third Reich for weapons, ammunition and army equipment to the German Reichswehr and later Wehrmacht...
acceptance mark (WaA84) was added in 1945 and only those 920 pistols produced that year were ever Waffenamt-marked. Its not likely that any of these Waffenamt-marked pistols ever saw any action during World War II as the first one, serial# 29615, was delivered March 29, 1945 and the last one, serial# 30534, was delivered on 5 May 1945 just before liberation of Norway. In total, approximately 8200 pistols were made during German occupation (serials 22312-30534). All of them were delivered to AOK Norwegen (Army) except 700 that were delivered to Maza Norwegen (Navy).
Occupation production:
- 1940 = approx. 50 pistols
- 1941 = approx. 4099 pistols
- 1942 = 3154 pistols
- 1945 = 920 pistols
No pistols were produced in 1943 & 1944. In those years, production of Krag-Jørgensen
Krag-Jørgensen
The Krag-Jørgensen is a repeating bolt action rifle designed by the Norwegians Ole Herman Johannes Krag and Erik Jørgensen in the late 19th century. It was adopted as a standard arm by Denmark, the United States of America and Norway...
rifles was prioritized.
A few pistols were assembled from existing parts after the war until production was halted at serial number 32854 in 1947. Twenty additional pistols were assembled from foreign-produced parts in 1987 as collector's pieces for the US market. A US dealer supplied commercial frames, slides and barrels as well as other parts that were assembled at Kongsberg. Previous markings were removed and Kongsberg markings and serials were engraved on the parts before the assembled pistols were returned to the US.
Fakes
Some fakes have appeared. 1945 models produced after the end of World War II have been marked with fake Waffenamt marks. They are easily discovered, as serial numbers are higher than the last pistol made for the Germans (serial# 30534). Any pistol with year 1940/41/42 with WaA84 or any other Waffenamt markings are fakes and have been marked post-World War II.Rare
Some of the most rare are the "Matpakke-Colt" (lunch box Colt) that were made out of parts smuggled out during World War II by workers and used by resistance forcesNorwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
. These have usually no serial markings or acceptance marks and the finish is usually not completed. The Waffenamt marked pistols are also very popular, 920 were made in 1945. The most rare are the first 95 marked with 1912.
Literature
- Kongsberg-Colten by Karl Egil Hanevik, 2003 1st edition, 400 pages, illustrated, Norwegian, ISBN 82-993143-2-1
External links
- Kongsberg Coltens venner Friends of Kongsberg Colten (Norwegian)