WTF ???

[PJ Hardtack]

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On 'Sons of Guns' last night, I saw something that appalled me ....

Will gave his daughter Stephany and her dippy husband his-'n-her'n Colt commemorative revolvers of some type as a wedding gift; after their Vegas wedding. He bought them off an auction site and at one time had his bid up to $2000. We don't know what they went for in the end, but he was whining that someone kept upping the ante.

They were a boxed set and looked pretty spiff with gold plated cylinders, etc. The show being what it is, they immediately went to the range and fired them!

Congratulations! You are now the owners of a pair of fired, used current made Colt revolvers with little to no collector value. Oh well, you pays you money, you takes you choice ......

[Trailrider]

Just turning the cylinders has been known to reduce the value of some commemoratives. You didn't say whether these were Colt's Single Actions or cap-n-ball, so I don't know if they shot BP or smokeless. If they are cartridge guns, they were probably proof tested at the factory, and a few rounds won't hurt anything.  Commemoratives have NOT proven themselves to be appreciators over the years. Insofar as $2,000, if that's what they went for, for the pair is concerned, with the factory price over $1,300 each for most SAA's, they probably got a bargain.  Just my opinion, of course!

[St. George]

Trailrider's right - commemoratives haven't been rising in value for years.

Many guys will buy the various commemorative Colt SAA's to shoot, as they were true Second Generation revolvers, and since plating can be removed, the weapon can be refinished - plus Second Generation barrels are still common - as are cylinders.

Besides, shows like that hype pretty much everything they do, and they create 'characters', so take them with a grain of salt.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Forty Rod]

My gun.  I'll shoot it if I want.  'Tain't none of your business.

[Harley Starr]

My gun.  I'll shoot it if I want.  'Tain't none of your business.

And that's the truth.

[PJ Hardtack]

Sorry I mentioned it. Just seemed odd to shoot a boxed set of commemoratives. I'd have a fit of someone even cycled one, which is why I don't buy such guns.

A gun is a gun is a gun, no doubt. Gotta admit that if money was no object, I'd have no qualms about shooting an engraved gun. The best quality Brit guns have always had engraving, whether full or just a touch for class.

[Pettifogger]

Right now almost all the commemoratives are worth less than a plain Jane stock Colt.  Good way to get a decent priced 2nd Gen.  Buy um, shoot um, enjoy them.  Few of us will live long enough for these guns to be "investments."

[Doc Sunrise]

If it were a an extremely rare piece that had made it through life untouched until now I might get upset about it.  A Commemorative that was made in large quantities is a different story.  They have been dogs compared to standard production guns of the same era, and are difficult to sell let alone get a high value out of.  Many enthusiasts are realizing they can get 2nd Gen shooters for less than what standard production 2nd Gens are going for by obtaining Commemoratives, which are usually in mint condition.

[August]

I haven't seen all Colt's 3rd generation guns.  But, of the several I've seen for sale, I've never seen one that even approached MSRP of a new gun.  In other words, 3rd generation Colt's are made to shoot.  I guess a guy can collect whatever he wants, but there is certainly no investment value in 3rd gen Colt's pistols that I'm aware of.

However, if Colt's ever stops making them, all bets are off.

[Doc Sunrise]

I think 3rd Gens may fall into separate categories.  Early 3rd gens certainly had quality issues that do take away value.  Since manufacturing changes were made, and then a huge effort in cleaning up quality control issues, later 3rd gens have come up in valuations. 

[St. George]

Indeed.

The vast bulk of the Colt Commemorative run was made up of Second Generations - as America opened its arms to the various Winchesters during that time frame.

The commemorative was what kept both Colt and Winchester alive during the mid-to-late 1960's and early 1970's - it was the heyday of the commemorative firearm - so much so that several firms started making them.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Old Doc]

I think 3rd Gens may fall into separate categories.  Early 3rd gens certainly had quality issues that do take away value.  Since manufacturing changes were made, and then a huge effort in cleaning up quality control issues, later 3rd gens have come up in valuations. 

My point has been that the reason 2nd generation guns are more valuable than 3rd is because of the spotty quality control of the early 3rd generation guns. Since Colt has gone back to the removable cylinder bushing and with the current quality control being top notch, I would much rather pay $1400 for a new one than $2000 for a 2nd generation gun that may be 90 % and $3000 or more for a NIB version.