Franklin Mint John Wayne Colt .45 1911

Post by Phobus

Any of you guys got one of these ?

Just been doing a google and found a few on ( US ) EBAY .

These look like very good quality - who made them ? ( ....er Franklin mint ? ... )

Not too keen on that nasty barrel plug still 2 minutes with the old Dremmel and bye bye red plastic insert right ?

Do they chamber rds ? Essential for a modelgun if they can,t fire IMO ?

Check these pics - I think I,m in love. Attempts to post pics.

CARL
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Post by Phobus

Can anyone help me with these pics ?

When I say " help " , ideally I mean host the pictures for me

If I email them to you perhaps you could put them up for me on a reply ??

BTW my origianl question re : the Franklin Mint .45 stands . I have now been told that they are made by Marushin or MGC ??

Can anyone confirm ? Are they good ? Better than my IMI 1911 ? Full metal ?

Any information would be great .

CARL.
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Post by Mark

Hi Carl,

I must admit that I have never seen much more than mere pictures (on eBay)of the Franklin mint .45 from what I have seen however, it looks like a reproduction of an all zinc MGC "Government".45 Since MGC obviously had stopped making the all zinc .45 "Government" in the early 1980's (export only) I would suspect that perhaps Denix might have produced the .45's for them...Anyway, email me your pictures and I will post them.
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Wanted to buy: MGC Sten MK3....trades?(still)

MGC MP40 Marushin MP40 Nakata MP40 TRC MP40

Modelgun manufacturers, past and present:CMC,CAW,Hudson,HWS,LS,MGC(R.I.P. 1960's~2007) Marushin,Marui,Kokusai,Shoei,Tanaka and Western Arms

Post by Phobus

Thanks Mark .

Will do.

One ebay add I saw described the Franklin mint as made by COLT as a none firing replica. ?

That would probably have mede it an all STEEL replica ? cool .

I have found one for £150 pounds but am not buying it if it is no better than my all metal IMI 1911 .

But as you will see , the pics certainly show that it looks the part .

CARL.
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I found one of these in the UK and the seller says they DO chamber rounds ???

One of the main issues for me is that this can function and field strip properly like the old MGC s and unlike the newer Denix models.

Also, I want to fit real steel wooden grips which my IMI - MGC full metal Colt 1911 will not do due to different dimensions on the grip .

This model looks to have the same size grip as my MGC but I cannot be certain .

CARL.
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Post by Mark

Here's the pictures that Carl has sent me of the John Wayne commemorative .45 It's really hard to tell just who the manufacturer of this replica .45 is just by looking at the pictures. I would guess that it is a Denix made replica due to the fact that MGC had stopped producing these way back in 1977 or so. Either that or they found a bunch of the MGC made "Government" .45's in an old warehouse somewhere and they simply engraved and refinished them.









Again, it's really hard to tell, but, I think that it is a Denix made replica
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Wanted to buy: MGC Sten MK3....trades?(still)

MGC MP40 Marushin MP40 Nakata MP40 TRC MP40

Modelgun manufacturers, past and present:CMC,CAW,Hudson,HWS,LS,MGC(R.I.P. 1960's~2007) Marushin,Marui,Kokusai,Shoei,Tanaka and Western Arms

Post by Phobus

Thanks Mark ,

I appreciate you posting the pictures for me

The top two are pics of an ebay ( US ) item for sale . Nice eh ?

The bottom two are the actual gun for sale here in the UK for £150 .

I have asked the vendor for more pics because I want to be sure this is NOT a cheap denix jobby .

Will keep you guys informed but would still appreciate any info from other parties who may know about this model . Spencerman ???

Regards .

carl.
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Marmite enthusiast

Post by Mark

Phobus wrote:

Thanks Mark ,
I appreciate you posting the pictures for me

Hey no problem!
Note magazine catch in the second set of pictures. This appears to be the earlier magazine catch that uses a small "leaf" spring instead of the real M1911's coil spring arrangement. Whether this helps or not to identify the guns manufacturer or not, I thought that it might help.

Post by ozguns

I'm comparing the photos with my MGC and my only Denix. (thankfully)
I can quite confidently say that it doesn't appear to be a Denix, and look oh so close to my MGC.

There's a few tell tale signs which I can make out.
The detail on the magazine release. Denix has little, appears worn, even though it's new.
The screw on the right side of the release. Denix doesn't have one.
The pin on the right side, behind grip. Denix is covered by grip.
Small pin on right side trigger. None on Denix.

There are some more differences, but you know what I mean.

Oh...and the magazine is totally different.

Post by Spencerman

My money would be on it being an RMI replica, although the finish looks much better, rather nice in fact, makes me want one! I would guess that it is an RMI but finished better and with different grips. It is a shame that you dont have a pic of the ejection port, as I believe that the later models had like a cross shaped section cut out of the top of the ejection port, though being a commemorative model I am not sure exactly quite whether or not the same rules would apply. The later versions also had a solid barrel, similar to the hobby fix jobbies, whereas the earlier versions had a hollow barrel that was blocked by the chamber with a steel rod. The RMI model also uses that type of magazine release, has that little screw there and also uses that style of magazine. I do not have one to compare it to, but I saw one many years ago and really liked it. It was, little did I know then, my first look at a model gun, that is why I remember it so well (I used to think it was real, I was only a kid after all).
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Post by Ozguns

Spencerman, I was looking at my RMI model, so yes, you are right.
I'm only new here, and I assumed RMI were MGC.

Post by Spencerman

I believe that the are.
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