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which colt would be better for my purpose?
DocHolliday331
Member Posts: 48 ✭✭
I want to buy a colt 45 in a blue finish (later have it nickled) and its going to be for home defense but Im not going to take it to the range(i have a glock for that). I want to eventually put pearl or ivory grips and have it scrolled -- and then maybe even someday, hand this gun down to my son as a family heirloom. Yes , its pretty much going to be a showpiece ..but I want it to be a reliable working firearm as well. My question is.. do I buy the colt Mark IV 1911A1 .. or since Im doing to do all this work to it, just go with the less expensive 1991A1. Can anybody tell me the difference between these guns and make a suggestion?
Edited by - DocHolliday331 on 05/05/2002 14:55:41
Edited by - DocHolliday331 on 05/05/2002 14:55:41
Comments
First and foremost, if you buy a gun for protection you absolutely need to practice with it - often. That's like saying you're going to buy a car, but you'd rather not learn to drive. This is where those statistics about having a gun in the home is X% more likely to cause injury to the homeowner come from.
Second, if you are going to buy a firearm for investment you need to buy quality. Don't even consider an aftermarket plating job. The Colt custom shop offers factory engraving, and if that is what you are leaning towards you should consider that option. Down the road, the factory engraved gun will hold its value whereas the aftermarket engraved/plated gun certainly will not.
Perhaps your best option is to buy a gun for home defense that you WILL take to the range, and shoot it enough to become proficient with it. Buy a separate gun for an heirloom.
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Edited by - njretcop on 05/05/2002 10:04:32
...however if you feel the need to do something like that, start with a Norinco or Charles Daley ... you'll never get your total investment back, but at least you won't be loosing out on your original investment (a Colt would actually be worth less with all your customizing, unless the engraver became famous for his work). After spending $350 or so on a Norinco or Charles Daley (instead of $600+ for a Colt), $1000+ or so to have it ingraved, another $200-$300 for plating & grips, you could probably get $500-$600 for it if you ever had to sell it! Don't feel bad ... I've done things like that before with cars and guns both ...
On the up side, if its just what you want it, who cares? ... just some friendly advice from someone who's "been there, done that!"
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Sometimes the most obvious, is the most elusive!kimberkid@gunbroker.zzn.com
? otherwise, you'll find an excuse.
i never make misteakes.
When you are startled out of a deep sleep in the middle of the night by a noise in your home and your adrenaline is pumping a hundred miles an hour, the last thing you want to be doing it to trying to think your way through doing every thing right (in the blink of eye).
This is especially true if you are practicing with a Glock. The Glock has no external safety. Your Colt will (and I'm sure you will keep the safety on while it is in your house since you have a young child with you). When your muscle memory takes over in the heat of a defensive situation, will you remember that you aren't shooting the Glock and flip the safety off? If not, you will probably not be around to hand down your heirloom to your son. Also, the Glock has a very distinctive trigger pull. It is sure to be a little longer than your Colt's. When your adrenaline is pumping and you are walking down a dark hallway, will you accidentally put too much pressure on the trigger (since you are used to the feel and response of the Glock at the range)and shoot when you didn't intend to?
As my father used to tell me....When the important last song of the night plays, you have to dance with the girl what brung ya! Practice with the gun you plan to defend your life (and the lives of your family) with. In the blink of an eye, you will not get another chance to do it right or to take back an errant shot.
Practice, practice, practice, and pray that you will never need to fall back on your well honed skills.
Just my two cents worth.
As far as the heirloom is considered; If you love it, your son will love it when you give it to him. Some of my fondest memories of my father probably aren't worth much to anyone else, but I wouldn't part with them for a million bucks!
To combine a fancy heirloom and a defensive gun (which really is not wise in my opinion), I would go with a Colt or Smith & Wesson and have it factory engraved. If you like the M1911-style pistol, get a true stainless Colt and have it engraved. Get everything factory. Then used it for practice to your heart's content, but do not carry it. The carrying would be where the detracting wear would come. Even if you carried it a little, stainless is very forgiving. You could polish out small scratches and never know there were there, if your engraving pattern is simple.
As far as the "shiney" gun (bright stainless or nickel) being a bad choice for defense because it will show up at night, I disagree with that statement on two grounds. First, it is the metal finish, not its color, that reflects light. Shiney blue will reflect just as bad as nickel, etc.. Second, what is wrong with an intrudger seeing your gun? Don't you WANT the intruder to know you are armed and intend to use it if necessary?
One last point, what would be wrong with passing down a gun that you had used enough to show honest wear? My grandfather's L.C. Smith is not mint, because he used it to put meat on the table. It shows honest wear, but not abuse. I am not sure it would mean any more if it were mint, although it would be worth more.
However, if a Norinco is what he/she saw you carry, or took him/her out to shoot with, the semintal value of having "My Dads Gun" would far out weigh the $$$ value of even a Colt that was "just yours".
There is nothing saying, you can't hand down 2 guns (yet). Personally my dad's .22 Stevens "Little Scout" that he shot as a kid 60+ years ago, and .32 Beretta that we used to shoot 30+ years ago has more "value" than any other gun he's given me, even though both are far from "mint". I'm sure that when he passes, there will be other guns from him, but none will have the "value" of those 2.
Lots of opinions/options presented here ... tough decision!
BTW
I was looking in Shotgun News this morning, Hoplite has the 1911 in 38 Super, called the El Toro, looks to be extensivly engraved with pearlite grips ... for $989 ... I don't know if this is a good buy or not, but kind of what you were asking ... maybe?
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Sometimes the most obvious, is the most elusive!kimberkid@gunbroker.zzn.com
? otherwise, you'll find an excuse.