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Value of non firing WW2 1911a1
Willy556
Member Posts: 3 ✭
My neighbor claims this was bought many years ago from an antique store in France. Supposedly the pistol was discovered by a farmer that was clearing/plowing a field hedgerow. The barbwire is supposedly WW1 taken from Verdun. The grips have been replaced and he thinks the pistol is a WW2 Colt. He told me to make an offer but I have no idea what the value may be. Thoughts?
Comments
Just my humble opinion - It would make a good conversation piece but without documentation it is worth what scrap steel is going for. To me, it would be worth about $20 for a man cave wall hanging. Bob
Not an expert, but I would surmise there are thousands of specimens in Europe similar to this. Kind of like finding an arrow head in the United States.
It is a WW-2 era 1911-A1. My WAG, up to $50 for someone who wants it. Good luck.
Wonder if there's one in the chamber?
If there is it is not going anywhere. Heck yea, what a piece, story seems plausible, do a hundred.
I wonder how that ejection port got so long but maintained it's shape and the rear sight so proud?
I would pay a hundred bucks for that all day long.
That item needs a "well documented" story to go with it.
Better the story the higher the $$$$.
Not a fairy tale but this ain't no BS type story.
With it at full cock and the safety off, it was probably in use right up to the time it was let go of. And I'll bet. too, there's one in the chamber.
Easy enough to check with a pencil.
Easy, I'd go $150 w/o much coaxing. It's pretty darn cool, definitely one of a kind, would look great on the wall.
OK Damnit toad, I will do $200 and I would in an instant. Check, raise-😤
Definitely in "the eye of the beholder", but I think it's really cool. It would be interesting to see what it went for at auction, $400 or more wouldn't surprise me at all, maybe even more.
To the OP, if you like it, buy it, I doubt that that you will ever see another one..
Absolutely, and I believe that story could be mostly true-
nice piece sir if you get it. It has the wow and cool factor!
It has a very high cool factor
Junk! Lay it on the couch and forget it!
Send it to @forgemonkey . He'll get it fixed right up in to working condition in no time. :)
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
If these walls could talk......
I’d pay to have it, say $200. But now if someone did buy it, would it have to go through an FFL? And if there is a round in the chamber how would you ship it?
Years ago one of my uncles plowed up a cavalry colt. Full cock. Rusted, and grips rotted away.
Still had a live round under the hammer. Not far from fort Dilts in ND. Rhame area.
Would have liked to know the history of that one.
Just like it is and don't worry about any round in the chamber. Wouldn't do an FFL either. But hey I live on the edge.
$50 Why new grips, lol
You have a gun worth $20, and a story worth what you paid for it. It might be worth more if it had been Col. Custer's pistol.
All things considered
I have to go with the most of the posters
Ya it's a just a junk old pistol but
But a 100 even 200.. is just a couple trips to a fast food place any more and the old pistol will sure be a center of attention
Not that it may help ? but I would ask the owner to hand write a note about the history he knows
It sure can't hurt the value and as stated the story is a lot of the interest
From what I seen old advertising signs go for I would take the old pistol and be happy any day
Come on @Willy556 , give us an update
@montanajoe, I finally was able to thoroughly look it over and ended up not making a deal on it. It was too rusted to make out any markings. The end of the barrel is welded, which I thought is a little odd, but maybe had to be done to be legal. But the big issue for me was I heard rattling within pistol. Took the grips off and within a rusted out magazine, 2 .22 caliber bullets came out and 1 complete .22 bullet still lodged in there. With it having .22 caliber bullets in it brings more questions as to what's really going on with it.
is it for sale?? If it is please pm me. Thank you, Ricci.
He told me he paid $250 for it approx 14 years ago and was hoping to get his money back out of it. After I told him it was a .22 , which I believe he really didn't know, he said he'll just hold on to it.
Hey Willy thanks for the update. Strange findings for sure. It was fun to see, and guess what the stories behind it really are. Thanks for sharing this with us, I for one enjoyed it.
If the end of the barrel is welded and you found 22 caliber bullets when you removed the grips. I would suspect that it’s not a 1911A1 but a Colt ace service model. It’s to rusted in the picture to make out if there is a floating chamber. And if the end of the barrel is welded I doubt you can make out the caliber for sure. Still unique looking though.
Can't be sure, but the rear sight looks to me more like the fixed sight of the 1911A1 than the adjustable sight of the Ace.
Neal