CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Last I heard was $150.
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BSA1
member
With as rough as they are on the outside what does the inside of the barrels look like?
As others have said just because it is a old Colt doesn't mean it is worth restoring. If they have a interesting history maybe a museum would like to have them. Donate them and take a high income tax write-off.
As others have said just because it is a old Colt doesn't mean it is worth restoring. If they have a interesting history maybe a museum would like to have them. Donate them and take a high income tax write-off.
the Black Spot
Member
The one in the pic looks like the blackpowder frame. If the internals of the cylinder/barrel were ok and i could replace the working internals(new springs/hand etc), then i would shoot it with bp loads and enjoy the nastalgia of it.
Speedo66
Member
As they say in car collecting, it's cheaper to buy a restored automobile than it is to pay to have one restored. If you want one in fine condition, sell yours and buy one in the condition you want. In addition to the savings, you have a car or gun you can use now rather than waiting months/years for it to be finished.
In your particular instance, it will never have any collector value, so it's kind of just throwing the money away.
In your particular instance, it will never have any collector value, so it's kind of just throwing the money away.
Sunray
Member
"...who polished off many markings..." Destroyed any collector value. As mentioned, doing anything will cost a bundle and you'll still have non-collector pieces.
The Colt letter is a gamble. But, if one of those guns letters to, say, Buffalo Bill, you save the cost and trouble of restoring it (you don't do anything!). Otherwise, you still have some history of the gun. My feeling is to hold off on any restoration except to replace parts that are broken, badly worn, or missing.
Jim
Jim
rskent
Member
Ya know, that thing has some charm all its own. Is it possible to make it a good shooter and still keep its strange patina?
Tallball
Member
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Their collector value is already destroyed. Having them refurbished will not make them "original". Their collector value will still be low. If they are shootable, shoot them and enjoy them. If you want good-looking ones, it would be cheaper to just buy them.
Case in point, some idiot had abused an original Colt 1903 (scratched his initials on it, even). Its finish was worn, its grips were cracked, etc. Someone with good skills polished it as well as could be expected, did a nice job of reblueing it, put some nice original-looking grips on it, changed out the springs, etc. Then they put it up for sale on GunBroker. I won it with a high bid of $330-something. Since it wasn't original, it wasn't worth much. It's sure a great shooter, though.
Case in point, some idiot had abused an original Colt 1903 (scratched his initials on it, even). Its finish was worn, its grips were cracked, etc. Someone with good skills polished it as well as could be expected, did a nice job of reblueing it, put some nice original-looking grips on it, changed out the springs, etc. Then they put it up for sale on GunBroker. I won it with a high bid of $330-something. Since it wasn't original, it wasn't worth much. It's sure a great shooter, though.
Sigh it is worse than that. Here are better lighting pictures of the one I showed. Seems it isn't a re-blue but instead a corrosion secial. Mechanically the gun is good. 4 clicks, tight lock up, etc. What we seem to have is a gun wrapped in a damp rag then ignored for a really, really long time. Long enough for there to be nothing but pitting where any writing should be. Yes of course the base pin indicates it is black powder only. That is a given.
The original caliber is utterly unknown at this time. I see no option to the letter if I want to know what it was originally. It is not ..45 Colt (they won't fit). It is not .44-40. That doesn't fit either. Naturally .44 Special doesn't fit either. Too long. How could it be that anyway? The gun predates that cartridge. However, a .442 Webley load drops in as pretty as you please. That's a problem. Colt never made a .442 Webley SAA. BUT they did make a few in .44 Russian which is just an oversized .442 Webley anyway. They also made some other strange .44s like .44 German, etc.
But I still got a problem if it is in .44 Russian. That is the serial number is too early for that cartridge (according to Kuhnausen anyway).
The serial number of the frame is pitted away, utterly. The trigger guard has only 3 readable numbers I can just make out a ...603. On the butt however are two lines of numbers. Line 1 is (barely readable) 68. Line 3 has 603. So #68603. That equates to being made in 1881. Way before Colt made SAAs in .44 Russian.
Yes, I know the perils of assuming a removable butt serial number is the same as the frame serial number, just because the last three digits match those of the trigger guard. But there is no other option.
So my thought is get a Colt letter for 68603 and learn the caliber. Maybe learn it was shipped to some kid name of Theodore Roosevelt in 1881. That'd be nice.
What do I do if I get back a letter saying .44 Henry CF or something like that? Keep the pitted cylinder and barrel, or swap them out? Put a new barrel and cylinder on a pitted frame with not even a patent date visible?
For right now I will just use (black powder) .442 Webley ammo in it while pondering the next step.
The original caliber is utterly unknown at this time. I see no option to the letter if I want to know what it was originally. It is not ..45 Colt (they won't fit). It is not .44-40. That doesn't fit either. Naturally .44 Special doesn't fit either. Too long. How could it be that anyway? The gun predates that cartridge. However, a .442 Webley load drops in as pretty as you please. That's a problem. Colt never made a .442 Webley SAA. BUT they did make a few in .44 Russian which is just an oversized .442 Webley anyway. They also made some other strange .44s like .44 German, etc.
But I still got a problem if it is in .44 Russian. That is the serial number is too early for that cartridge (according to Kuhnausen anyway).
The serial number of the frame is pitted away, utterly. The trigger guard has only 3 readable numbers I can just make out a ...603. On the butt however are two lines of numbers. Line 1 is (barely readable) 68. Line 3 has 603. So #68603. That equates to being made in 1881. Way before Colt made SAAs in .44 Russian.
Yes, I know the perils of assuming a removable butt serial number is the same as the frame serial number, just because the last three digits match those of the trigger guard. But there is no other option.
So my thought is get a Colt letter for 68603 and learn the caliber. Maybe learn it was shipped to some kid name of Theodore Roosevelt in 1881. That'd be nice.
What do I do if I get back a letter saying .44 Henry CF or something like that? Keep the pitted cylinder and barrel, or swap them out? Put a new barrel and cylinder on a pitted frame with not even a patent date visible?
For right now I will just use (black powder) .442 Webley ammo in it while pondering the next step.
Attachments
The other one is much less problematic. Yes a Colt letter is ordered already on it. A 1909 with the VP proof, Pre War gun. Nickel re-do and they took off a lot of the writing, but it still has the Colt mark and the caliber visible and only a little of the nickel job has flaked off. I've been shooting it. Nice tight old gun. The temptation is to have the missing lettering re-done, just not right away.
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