Its a bit more nuanced than that, with many different shipping destinations and variations commanding in the thousands.The ones that are in the thousands are the ones with the "U.S. Property" marking (so-called General Officers' pistols).
The vast majority of the U.S.-issued pistols in .32 caliber are Parkerized. The vast majority of the ones in .380 caliber are blued.
So if you find one in the opposite finish, depending on the caliber, it's quite rare and valuable. Make sure that the markings are genuine, though, and not faked. (And that it's not a refinish.)
In the condition it's in, I would probably try to do some touch-up with Oxpho Blue and if it turned out well I'd leave it alone. The touch-up isn't going to hurt its value, IMO.what do you think about refinishing that old pocket rocket?
wonder if that can be buffed out?
Now that’s FUNNYYou can belt sand anything out..
No telling from a picture though. I highly doubt it
If you buy it, it's yours, and yours to decide. I know folks who would always fully refinish, and those who never do so.what do you think about refinishing that old pocket rocket? yay or nay?
Like mine? ( Type V 1944 production) and it isn't refinished. Was my stepdad's issued CC.The ones that are in the thousands are the ones with the "U.S. Property" marking (so-called General Officers' pistols).
The vast majority of the U.S.-issued pistols in .32 caliber are Parkerized. The vast majority of the ones in .380 caliber are blued.
So if you find one in the opposite finish, depending on the caliber, it's quite rare and valuable. Make sure that the markings are genuine, though, and not faked. (And that it's not a refinish.)
Here’s the photos! Looks lime $500 lol
View attachment 1195821
The SN (202749) makes it a Type III, made in 1916. No barrel bushing, no magazine disconnect. That one is pretty beat up, but might make a decent shooter and BUG.That's a type 4, with the magazine safety. The magazine is blued all the way to the top, so my guess is it's a replacement. The finish is worn and a bit scratched up on one side, but it's not refinished and has no obvious signs of abuse. If it functions properly, $500 would be a reasonable price on GunBroker. I have no idea what things go for at shows or in stores any more.
1916! love that year!Like mine? ( Type V 1944 production) and it isn't refinished. Was my stepdad's issued CC.
View attachment 1196038
The SN (202749) makes it a Type III, made in 1916. No barrel bushing, no magazine disconnect. That one is pretty beat up, but might make a decent shooter and BUG.
Correct, and you didn't have to be a General to have one issued, but if you own one of these and have the paperwork to show it was issued to a G.O., it can triple the value. My stepdad was a NCO courier in Europe during the last year of WWII and his commanding officer issued the one I have to him, to carry concealed when he was in plain clothes, as well as a backup when in uniform. He also carried a 1911 when in uniform.Its a bit more nuanced than that, with many different shipping destinations and variations commanding in the thousands.
If you've got a nickel 1903 or 1908 with pearl grips with any condition that letters to Wolf and Klar, for example, you are talking $2-$3k, or a singapore police model, or a Belgian contract model, or an OSS gun.
I've got the W&K-lettered 1908, today or tomorrow my Colt letter arrives and I find out if I've got a Belgian contract gun or just another hardware store 1903.
at 1903 is CLEAN!!Like mine? ( Type V 1944 production) and it isn't refinished. Was my stepdad's issued CC.
View attachment 1196038
The SN (202749) makes it a Type III, made in 1916. No barrel bushing, no magazine disconnect. That one is pretty beat up, but might make a decent shooter and BUG.
Yep, you are right. I was judging by the magazine with it, which is the style made for the pistols with the magazine safety. I assumed that the pre-mag-safety guns could not use the mag-safety magazines, but that seems to be wrong. And being all blue, that mag is a replacement anyway. I will put a note on my comment. Thanks for the heads-up!Like mine? ( Type V 1944 production) and it isn't refinished. Was my stepdad's issued CC.
View attachment 1196038
The SN (202749) makes it a Type III, made in 1916. No barrel bushing, no magazine disconnect. That one is pretty beat up, but might make a decent shooter and BUG.
Also, close your eyes and slide fingers down the barrel. I've found bulged barrels that I didn't see initially by checking with touch.I’ll ask for a take down, bore looks ok, rifling was still there.
I’m thinking of putting $130 down on it! Always wanted one!
that Savage 07 looks amazing, who did the refinishing? good workThat's how I ended up with mine! It was the first one I'd ever seen, and I was working at a gun shop on the weekends at the time. Oddly enough, a second one came through a little while after that was older and in much rougher shape. Mine is a Type IV; the older one might have been a Type I. It had the barrel bushing but I can't remember if it was the long or "short" slide and barrel.
I've shared this photo before, but this is my Colt 1903 and Savage 1907. Some day I might get serious about adding a Remington 51 to the assortment just for grins. The Colt dates from around 1928, and the Savage from around 1911.
View attachment 1196084
ELEGANT!I stumbled on to one of these, in nice if not perfect shape, at a local shop. It looked so good, I didn't look in the bore. Belatedly, figured out that I'd seen the gun before; it had belonged to a friend of my Dad's. He only shot it on New Years, with blackpowder blanks. The bore had utterly gone to hell. Happily, I found another barrel.
It's one of my favorites; these things are just elegant.
Moon
Yes, that's rare and valuable. Here are mine, in the typical finishes. Top: .380 (blued), bottom: .32 (Parkerized). I have documentation that the .32 was issued to a named General in 1965. There is no issuance record for the .380.Like mine? ( Type V 1944 production) and it isn't refinished. Was my stepdad's issued CC.
In a way, sorry I didn't jump on one of the Colt commissioned examples, made several years ago. Did snag one of the magazines made for the run.Yes, that's rare and valuable. Here are mine, in the typical finishes. Top: .380 (blued), bottom: .32 (Parkerized). I have documentation that the .32 was issued to a named General in 1965. There is no issuance record for the .380.
View attachment 1196086
that Savage 07 looks amazing, who did the refinishing? good work
that’s FUNNYThread drift warning: My favorite part of the thing is the Savage has a striker, with a cocking knob to act as an external hammer, and the Colt is actually a hammer-fired action, despite the "Hammerless" name.