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Colt 1911 question

shootitshootit Member Posts: 86 ✭✭
edited January 2002 in Ask the Experts
What do you guys think a Colt 1911 first year production civilian model with three digit serial number under 500 is worth? Ballpark? It is solid 90% with one mag. It is one of the early glossy ones. It's pricey, but I might buy it. Looking for feedback. thanks
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  • shootitshootit Member Posts: 86 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have the opportunity to purchase a Colt 1911 pistol. The left side of the slide is marked Colt's Patent, etc. and is also marked on the right side of the frame "US Government Property" and "Rock Island Arsenal". It has the inspector's initials on the right side also. It appears to be about 90 to 95%. Price is $600. Good buy or not??? I can't find it in my limited library of reference/value books. Thanks for your advice.
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  • shootitshootit Member Posts: 86 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just got a Colt 1911 in, Government Issue, ordinance bomb, inspector stamp S/6, serial #504229. From my research, it should be 1918, am I correct?
    Someone has put adjustable sights on it, in the original dove tails, and it has an old set of engraved ivory grips, with pieces broken out. The gun looks to have been re-blued, the stampings are all very crisp though. There is no rampant Colt on the rear of the slide, as I thought there should be. The barrel is marked HS, I assume High Standard. The slide and barrel are very tight, someone has worked on it at one time.
    I'm going to take it to trap shooting this evening and test it before we shoot trap. I'll try to get some pictures posted tomorrow.
    Thoughts and opinions please.
    Thanks for looking.
    W.D.
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  • shootitshootit Member Posts: 86 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I went to the range today with 3 weapons, and came home with a barrel of questions, here is the next one.

    I have a 70 series colt that had a trigger job when I purchased it, the trigger was extremely light to the point of almost dangerous. On a few occasions it may have double tapped, I say may because I may have allowed my finger to hit the trigger again.

    So, that was a month or two ago, I took it to a pistolsmith (who shall remain un named), to have night sights put on it, and he strongly suggested having the trigger job redone to make the gun safe.

    Today I went to shoot the pistol, after an expensive bill at the pistol smith, and it is now single action about half the time. (IE, you have to cock it manually after you shoot it)

    I was extremely frustrated to say the least, and am returning it to him to be corrected, however, my question is this,

    what causes this and how can I be positive he has it right when I get it back, this is not a collector gun or a "safe queen" , it is something I intend to use and carry.

    besides the obvious of going out and putting 500 rounds through it, is there anyway I can establish if he is giving me a product I can put my trust in? or should I just keep carrying revolvers (joke)

    PS. I was sure proud of the 44 mag revolver though, it didnt' fail to fire, and it put 3 bullets touching each other at 15 yards tonight with full loads in it, that baby is what I will reach for if given a choice! (it's a bit large for carry)

    thanks in advance as you can probably tell I'm kind of a newbie to colts and springfields!
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  • shootitshootit Member Posts: 86 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    i bought a colt 1911 yesterday, and i am wondering if i have the original box. i have a government model 70's series in nickel with a prefix "70B" which is 1981-83 manufacture. should this have come with a two piece box or the newer one piece blue hard case?
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  • JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If it is truely a M1911 and not an M1911A1, and still has its ORIGINAL WWI blue finish (very early guns have commercial grade finish and later guns have brushed blue), it is worth a LOT more than $600. If the pistol is a M1911 and is parkerized, it is probably a WWII rebuild, and the value is about what is asked.Lately, I have seen several guns offered on the auction site that are refinished, and the asking price is high even for an original gun. Originality is the key. Originality equals high value. Non-originality equals shooter value only.
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  • JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Dr. Pig, I too am amazed by some of the offerings. I am particularly amused by those that say "restored" instead of "reblued," like that makes a difference! (It may in the case of DelGreco (sp?) Parakers and the like, but that is a different story, one that I frankly do not understand.) Some of the pictures of a "restored" piece show the lost flat surfaces and straight lines, the dished holes, the non-original polishing style, etc.. I guess some just do not know.Some guns with major flaws have been listed for a long time (a year or more) over and over again, apparently looking for that one uninformed buyer. Of course, I am jealous when someone is able to unload a piece of low value for a ridiculously high price. The Seecamp LWS 32 situation is a good example. Over the years, I have always been on the list for a single gun at a time to supply friends, etc.. A couple of years ago (maybe more), I decided to take the maximum of five guns at a time so as to cash in on the inflated after-market prices. When I finally got my five guns, the market price had dropped from $800 to about $500, and is now at about $450 or less. (I think the Kel-Tec P32 had a lot to do with that, as it is a better gun for a LOT less money.) Yet, I see them constantly offered on the auction site for $599, $700, and even more, etc.. They never get a bid, except that within the last few months, one sold for one of the higher prices. Apparently a new person found the site, thought the market was still at $800 and thought he or she got a bargin with that one gun. It never hurts to be lucky!
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  • nmyers@home.comnmyers@home.com Member Posts: 205 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You didn't give us much to go on; we need serial #, finish, inspector initials, grips, barrel markings & condition.At this point, it sounds to me like a fake, maybe worth $300-400. Arsenal rebuilds only have initials (SA-Springfield Arsenal, AA-Augusta Arsenal). Inspectors initials are usually on the left side of the frame.Neal
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  • llibllib Member Posts: 66 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    If the gun is marked "RIA" (Rock Island Arsenal) then it is a rebuild. The inspectors initials should be on the left, not the right side, just above the mag release. If the serial # is between 710,001 and 114,000 the same ser.# should be found under the firing pin stop. With the Serial # one could tell if the frame is a Colt or some other mfg. A lot of rebuilds had mismatched slide and frames.
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  • shootitshootit Member Posts: 86 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks to all of you for the help. The pistol is parkerized. The inspector's initials are on the right hand side. Considering the information provided, I've decided to pass on this on and am considering a new .45. Thanks again for the help.
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  • nmyers@home.comnmyers@home.com Member Posts: 205 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bingo!Just saw your gun on the back page of the latest Gun List. It's a brand new M1911 made by "Rock Island Armory", for sale by a distributor, The Dealer Warehouse for $315.00. I guess your dealer deserves a little profit on it.Neal
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