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Colt 1911 U.S. Army, U.S. Property marked

rballirballi Member Posts: 770 ✭✭✭✭
edited April 2002 in Ask the Experts
A friend of mine was given a Colt 1911 as a gift. It is U.S. Army and U.S. Property marked, serial number is 122###, it has big diamond checkered grips and a short saftey. It came in a brown US marked leather flap holster and canvas mag pouch. The gun looks in original condtion, but worn, not too used, but worn. I would say a solid %80 with all the right patina. The mags in the pouch even have ammo in them (Rem UMC) and the slugs are dark brown from age. My guestimate from the books I have make it a 1915 Colt gun and according to the blue book about a $600 gun.His question is to leave it as a shooter? Don't shoot it and clean it up?. Restore it as a show piece? My advice was to clean it up, shoot it, clean it up again, then put it away and repeat the process about twice a year. He wants to refinish it since it is a shooter anyway.Your thoughts?Roy
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Comments

  • oneshyoneshy Member Posts: 417 ✭
    edited November -1
    Even in it's present cond. it may be valuable to a Colt collector. Refinishing will destroy any value. Clean it up and shoot it.
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  • rballirballi Member Posts: 770 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    He at first thought it was a USMC gun, but according to the ser no, it is not. At that point he considered it a shooter. I advised him to clean it up and store it seperately from the holster. He can display it as is to be really appreciated. I also dissagreed with his $600 value and told him that, with the accessories, it's worth about $1500. I'll see if I can post some pics just for kicks. I like it, he won't sell it, I tried to trade him out of it.Roy
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  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,887 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would expect it to sell in the $700-800 range, maybe a little more if the barrel markings indicate that it is original, and if the finish of the gun is blue. Neal
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  • rballirballi Member Posts: 770 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    gun is blue, not parkerized. Behind the trigger on the frame there is a circle with a G and an S and H in it. I think the barrel has a P and an H on it.Roy
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  • captkirk3@dslextreme.comcaptkirk3@dslextreme.com Member Posts: 3,804
    edited November -1
    rballi: Tell yourbuddy not to Reblue the Colt...Whatever he does to change the originality will devalue the Gun by up to and sometimes more than 50%...If it needs a little cleaning some HOPPES and a little 600 Fine Steelwool will do wonders...No Scratchs or Polishing....Just evens the Rust...!As for year of Production...the 1915 date jives with my Colts Production dates....As for value, unseen...$600.00 sems like a good place to start...Be sure to tell Him to use only 600 Fine Wool.....Nothing else....Best....Captain Kirk, Tech Staff
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