Posted on 08/06/2017 6:43:31 PM PDT by Strac6
In 1971, at a small USAR unit in upstate NY, I was assigned a Colt 1911 pistol. It was in the shape you would expect it to have been in after a few wars, etc. There were many obvious non-original parts, worn blueing, etc.
The interesting item was that it a real Colt, not another manufacturer, and the serial number was 000086. I don't remember how many digits were in front of the 86, but as I remember, they were all zeros. It was definitely not a 1911A1. The armorer said it was most probably the eighty sixth Colt Automatic Pistol Model 1911 made by Colt.
Anyone have any idea what it would have been worth if any of my dreams about getting it "off the books" ever come to fruition?
According to this, it would be one of only 500 first run guns in 1912, so could be probably worth something, regardless.
http://www.coltautos.com/1911pd.htm
They didn’t really ramp up production very much until 1913.
Get a new 1911 Kimber and your marksmanship will definitely improve.
I would guess $1500 to $2000. M1911 prices are crazy. I saw one website that claimed the cost of M1911A1s in WWII was $15.
Check your freepmail sir
All 1911s and 1927A1s are well made but those early ones before WWI were works of art.
In the movie “The Sand Pebbles” the Captain gets his 1911 out to commit suicide but ends up using it in combat. Even in the movie you can see how pretty it is.
In the same was, some Browning Hi-Powers are nicer than others but none of them are bad, even the Hungarian copies.
Now, if you have a Luger in .45ACP with a gold Eagle embossed on its slide, give me a call.
If it’s been screwed with enough or Bubba’d, then yes a 1911 can be worth only a few hundred.
SO...
You Do Not Have the gun...
You have no idea where the gun Is...
And you’re obsessed with the number 86.
I think I can help...
Sometimes an old gun is just an old gun.
It's my experience that all real 1911s and 1911A1s in even close to original shape are worth more than any of the recent clones.
I seriously doubt that a weapon found in an armory will be anything but collectable to some degree.
Some posters are making preposterous estimates like $200 and $500 - those prices haven't been around for colts since the 1970s (and those had Essex frames).
I have a special affinity for the 1911: I carried one in combat and I competed with another for a couple of years as a member of several Marine Corp shooting teams. I even owned one 1911 that was an original commercial 1911 from the 1913 production - 4-digit serial number with a "C" in front.
During an inspection of 50 preservation packed .45s in Hawaii several years ago, I found that they were all Union Signal and Switch .45s, with a couple consecutively serialized. I was Lieutenant back then, so the thought of theft only briefly crossed my mind.
At least he didn’t do it to a Walker...
In the late seventies I saw a Singer M1911A1 offered at a gun show for $1700 - a small fortune in those days. They go for north of $30,000 these days I hear.
Even a refinished, reworked Colt SAA is worth at least $900 these days. I've been following the gun auction lately, and none have gone for less than that. Trust me.
Oh sure. Like you've seen even the worst Colt 1911 or 1911A1 for less than $900 lately!
Love running into people like you at gunshows - I found a supposedly "butchered" 1911A1 on a guy's table for $400. It had adjustable sights installed and clearly mismatched frame and slide and the front of the frame was stippled with a punch - but it was quite recognizably an Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) .45 for 50 yard competition and I got a real bargain.
Lemme know if you're selling any .45s for "a few hundred dollars"! I'll be right over.
Haven't been in the hobby long, have you?
Yes only 35 or so years. :-)
Thank you, Doctor... the little green pills really do help.....
:)
Then you should have learned that a 1911 is never just an “old gun”.
Is it still US Army property?
Better than thinking every beat-up .45 is worth two grand and then wondering why they can’t get it to move, jerk.
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