Need help Pricing Custom Colt M1911 A1 built 1944

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ssi.john

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I have only had two 1911 a STI and this Colt. This Colt is more accurate smoother and I love the look. I got it to shoot Cowboy Action Wild Bunch. The problem is my wife and I compete in the USA every year and because this gun has Property of US Army on the side they will not allow it into the country. I can't afford to keep it just because I want to and I want to get a fair price so I can get a another 1911 to compete with. Who ever built this gun put time and money in to it. I have sold too many underpriced guns on this sight I can't afford to do it with this gun.
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If you want to get a decent buck for it, you should research who did the work. If its a well known smith, you will get more.....Joe Blow backyard work you will get less. That stipple work and hard chrome lower should narrow it down.
Too bad it was built on a USGI gun, they don't make them anymore.
 
Appears to be a USGI alright. There are non original parts (sights, grips) on it, not to mention the nickel plating. Some people prefer checkering over the stippling that is on your gun. Your gun would be worth a lot more if it was in its original condition. The mods done to your Colt are typical of an early IPSC gun. I am sure a Colt of that vintage is a fine shooter but the mods done to it in no way increase its value and in fact have decreased its value to collectors. That being said its still a Colt. While I own more than a few Colts I am far from an expert, I would value that gun at $450 -$650.
 
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Bubba has struck again. An original in decent shape would've landed you a good 1500$. In this condition it will have lost a considerable amount of value from a collector's standpoint. Moreover, if someone wants a tricked-up shooter he is more likely to get a more recent gun for the sake of longevity. Without knowing the origin of the work, I can't warrant anything above 1K. According to me, even that price is on the high end and will be hard/long to obtain.

I remember a WWII Colt 1911A1 that had been re-finished on the EE a while back. His price was initially around 1400$ but he lowered it over the months as he discovered that the gun had lost most of its worth. I believe he ended up selling it for 750-850$ after months of bumping it on the EE.

My 0,02$.
 
Around $500
Guns are like car and motorcycles their allways worth more too you but it comes down too how bad you want too sell and how much the buyer wants too pay.
 
Watch out you will be accused of pre-posting stuff from here to EE and thread will dissapear in thin air!
In all seriousness too bad bubba strucked here, sure is a fine pistol
 
I'd agree with $500 if there is no link to the smith that did the work. The refinish looks decent, the stippling looks poorly done, but it always does. Sights look like Millet and are nothing special. Is it the original GI barrel? How tight is the bushing.... Can it be removed by hand? Trying to determine how much of the work was cosmetic.
 
With the "FJA" inspector stamp on the left side of the frame just below the slide stop it's either a Remington Rand or Ithaca mfg frame. Not Colt mfg frame for sure. The serial number will reveal whether it's Rem Rand or Ithaca. Likely Rem Rand, though.

Obviously, the slide is Colt. Check under the firing pin stop on the slide & see if there is a serial number there. That will tell you what Colt frame that slide actually belongs on. If it was a late war replacement slide then likely it won't have a number stamped there, though.

Overall, as is, it's only worth "shooter" price. Dollar values already mentioned aren't far off the mark.

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NAA.
 
What NAA said. Unfortunately, it's neither fish nor fowl. The USGI collectors won't be interested, as the frame & slide are mismatched. Beyond that, in order to get a high price, you'd have to find the shooter that wants precisely the mods that have been done to this gun which, unfortunately, isn't likely. This is the reason that I'm not a fan of irreversible mods - the loss of original value is irreversible, too. I suspect that, as long as it is tight & groups very well, it will probably bring in the $500-$600 range...unless you find that one shooter who want precisely the mods that this gun has.
 
C$500. is about right if you have a motivated buyer. More like C$425.00. Gun looks like a home gunsmith's compilation. If it was/is a decent shooter you should have no problem enticing a sale. If you look at the thread on the Systema 1911, you can compare values and features. I would rate your gun slightly higher for value.
Wolverine is selling the very nice SAM 1911A1 45acp Military pistols [new!] for C$445.00 Now that is a great deal. If you and the systema 1911A1 guy can get the same price as the SAM Military sells for, then, bonus!
 
Stated values are correct. Pity it was worked over. Looks like it was a part gun put together. Which doesn't mean it's not fit right, but that added to the mods kill any value beyond shooting. 500 on a good day would be my suggestion.
 
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