Advice on selling 1911 pistol

john carr

Several years ago I traded for a 1911 model pistol made in 1918. The slide and frame are mismatched, the frame being Springfield and the slide Remington UMC, Overall condition is NRA Good+ and with original grips. The magazine that came with it is stamped with an "A" on the toe. I am told that this stands for American Pin Co. and is period correct for the pistol.

My question is will it be better to sell it complete or treat it as a parts pistol and sell the grips and magazine separately?

charliemeyer007

Sounds like a vintage shooter to me. Might be worth more as pieces but after some go you just have parts. I would try and sell it whole and be done with it.

beantownshootah

quote:My question is will it be better to sell it complete or treat it as a parts pistol and sell the grips and magazine separately?
Depends what you mean by "better".

Yes, you may get more in total parting it out and selling off each part separately, but then you have to have multiple auctions, increasing your cost and hassle factor significantly.

Its a complicated metric, because while individual parts may be worth more, there are also far fewer interested parties for the parts, reducing bidding competition.

You'd really have to get estimates for each part (which may not be easy because comparable sales may be hard to find), then total them up, and subtract your extra hassle/cost. In the end it may not be worth it.

I agree with Charlie. If it were me, I'd probably just sell the whole thing and be done with it.

p3skyking

Sell it as a whole gun just the way you found it.

perry shooter

sell as a complete pistol Good pictures are the key 95 % of these vintage pistols Have been through more than one rebuild and they were not trying to keep all original parts if the military did the rebuild this will help with value and the pistol will be so marked That is why pictures need to show each and every mark on slide frame Barrel Grips off the pistol ETC around the Disconnector hole in frame and every letter t

john carr

Thanks for the replies. I have no intentions of dismantling the gun and selling individual parts. I would simply sell the mag and grips individually and sell the rest of the gun with a replacement mag and a pair of WW2 grips which I have on it now. I know about what the gun will bring in the latter condition, I am not sure what it would sell for with period grips and mag.

iceracerx

How do you know the grips are original to the frame? As other's have suggested, it sounds like it's been through a Arsenal rebuild or two.

Hawk Carse

Checkering pattern on Springfield grips is distinctive. Not proof that they are original but can show they are correct.

Grasshopper

Sell it as you have it now. imo

john carr

quote:Originally posted by iceracerx
How do you know the grips are original to the frame? As other's have suggested, it sounds like it's been through a Arsenal rebuild or two.
There are no marks of any kind showing any rebuilds.

fordsix

i have a 1940 colt csr lower and a 1939 colt navy contract upper what to do[^]