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[sharp shooter]

I had these handed down to me a few years ago. Just wonder if you guys could tell me more about them then I already know. The peace maker has serial number 36### and the 1911 has serial number 187###. Where can i get original grips, what are they worth, etc. They both function flawlessly and I have shot both. And if anybody is wondering, they are properly registered, etc. The peace maker is 45LC and the 1911 is 45ACP. Bores are not mint but not bad either for their age. I am almost certain the peace maker had a re-blue job many years ago. I would love to know what they are worth and would really love to know a little more detailed history on the 1911. From what I have gathered, it was made in 1917 and was issued to a military officer WW1. I posted this in the pistols and revolvers thread but haven't seen much feed back. Is the peace maker antique status or does the cartridge make it not.

thanks,

 

[Mike Webb]

I know little about the Colt revolve rother than the fact that first generations are worth big bucks if original. The 1911 has been nickel plated, not factory I would think. They are very collectable in their own right especially military issue guns. However the refinish has pretty much destroyed the collector value on yours. Some don't even recommend shooting the WW1 ERA pistols much due to the possibility of cracking in the slide or frame. Too bad it was nickeled as it seems to still have the original sights, usually they were changed due to poor visibility.

 

[tacfoley]

Well, you can get a letter of authentication from Colt for the single action...costs $$$$$$ but well worth having. I concur with Mr Webb about the nickel-plated 1911 - great shame. Interested to learn where the Mayan/##### medallion came from on the grips? Any ideas about the story there?

tac

 

[sharp shooter]

nope. Unfortunately not. Thats why i posted them on here. Any way to make these babies restored to original again?

 

[tacfoley]

SS - both are going to require a pile of $$$$$ to restore to anything approaching their original conditio, for two reasons.

First, let's look at the 1911. It IS possible to reverse the nickel-plating process, but finishing it to it's factory lustre will cost a small fortune, and will remove some of the fine edges associated with original parts. However, looking over your images with a photoshopped bigerator, it has already lost some edges, and they are blurry where they should be really sharp. Replacement grips are also no big deal. I figure, bearing mind the process involved in a refinish, that you are looking at a minimum of $1000.

Secondly, lets look at the SA. THAT baby is going to cost a mint to refurbish, and that is because the original blued finish, like that of the 1911 above, was not done by straight chemical blacking, but by fuming the parts over a bath of extremely dangerous salts, usually cyanide. The necessary polishing of ALL those nooks and crannies is costy, to say the least - unlike the mostly flat 1911. Not sure how a gunsmith in Canada would do it, but here in UK it cost a HAZMAT license for a one-day use of hazardous chemicals, and the hire of the necessary breathing gear to do it. A Mauser backsight, bought from a show in Kentucky by author Jon Speed on my behalf, cost me almost $300 to have blued to match my pre-war Mauser ES350B, and that was nine years ago.

I'd be looking at perhaps a minimum of $2K for both, but I'd like to think that I'm way off base here.

tac

 

[H Wally]

To be antique the peacemaker must have been made pre-1898 and not be chambered in a listed cal. 45LC is on that list so it's not antique for that reason. I don't know about its year of manufacture but that might also be an issue, not sure. Nice gun regardless.

P.S. if its date of manufacture is early enough, get a spare cylinder made in 45 schofield or 455 webley, then it'll be antique while that cylinder is in it. Putting the 45LC cylinder in will make it restricted again.

 

[apu]

To be antique the peacemaker must have been made pre-1898 and not be chambered in a listed cal. 45LC is on that list so it's not antique for that reason. I don't know about its year of manufacture but that might also be an issue, not sure. Nice gun regardless.

P.S. if its date of manufacture is early enough, get a spare cylinder made in 45 schofield or 455 webley, then it'll be antique while that cylinder is in it. Putting the 45LC cylinder in will make it restricted again.

Well not a Canadian "legal" antique but the SA is certainly an antique, based on that serial #, looks to be circa 1877. Despite the grips and refinish it would still likely generate 3-5K from an American buyer and about the same from a Canadian buyer if you were to change out the cylinder and deregister, perhaps a little less in its current legal state. Incidentally, a 45acp cylinder would also work. I interchange 45 acp with 45 schofield on my old SAA which used to be 45LC. Keep in mind for accuracy if the Colt has the original first generation colt barrel its likely sized for .454 projectiles not the more commonly available .452 modern bullets.

 

[sharp shooter]

Well not a Canadian "legal" antique but the SA is certainly an antique, based on that serial #, looks to be circa 1877. Despite the grips and refinish it would still likely generate 3-5K from an American buyer and about the same from a Canadian buyer if you were to change out the cylinder and deregister, perhaps a little less in its current legal state. Incidentally, a 45acp cylinder would also work. I interchange 45 acp with 45 schofield on my old SAA which used to be 45LC. Keep in mind for accuracy if the Colt has the original first generation colt barrel its likely sized for .454 projectiles not the more commonly available .452 modern bullets.

Excellent info guys, keep it coming.
Steve

 

[H Wally]

Well not a Canadian "legal" antique but the SA is certainly an antique, based on that serial #, looks to be circa 1877. Despite the grips and refinish it would still likely generate 3-5K from an American buyer and about the same from a Canadian buyer if you were to change out the cylinder and deregister, perhaps a little less in its current legal state. Incidentally, a 45acp cylinder would also work. I interchange 45 acp with 45 schofield on my old SAA which used to be 45LC. Keep in mind for accuracy if the Colt has the original first generation colt barrel its likely sized for .454 projectiles not the more commonly available .452 modern bullets.

This.

I left 45ACP out of my options as with this nice a gun I figure it wouldn't be smart to chamber it for 45acp, as eventually someone would try shooting regular to +P jacketted loads through it and wreck it. Probably would still be safe, but it'd start to wear out a lot faster than it would otherwise.

Plus with the larger bore Dia a .455 webley bullet is just right - slightly oversized and with a deep hollow base it'll fit any bore size you throw it down