Use 'em or Display 'em?

[the45shootist]

I am new to the 1911 forums and am wondering what your views are on the Colt ultimate bright stainless finish? Four of my Colt's have this finish and I find it tough to keep clean although I really like the looks. My main shooter is a 1915 parts gun that I pick up for a couple hundred from a friend who's wife wanted it out of the house, so I really don't NEED to shoot them. I HAVE shot them all in the past, including the El Presidente 38 super.

[Huevos]

If you have more than a couple it's hard to give them all the attention they deserve. I guess there are worse problems.... :)

[dakota1911]

I shoot all mine including engraved ones and the old valuable ones. I guess if I wanted something to hang on the wall and just look at I would get into coin or stamp collecting. Now saying that I have enough guns that I don't shoot them all the time and they usually ride to the range and back well protected. Still, if I wanted to stuff one in a belt holster and carry it daily then it is mine.

I imagine if I owned a gun that belonged to an ex President or someone really famous that might be different. It would still be interesting to go shoot it before I donated it to a museum or sold it or whatever.

Although it is a little off topic, one of the more valuable pistols is the Luger in .45 ACP that was used in the Army trials (where the 1911 was selected). It is guessed it would go for around $1M if it came to auction. There was a write-up in a gun mag about shooting it. Couldn't help wondering if they had some short of serious insurance on it. Still, guns were built to be shot and it is kind of sad to see them just sitting in a case or hung on a wall. Of course any old gun should be checked by a good gun smith before it is shot.

[Hajah Momenem]

Hey 45shootist,
I'm a new guy here too. I've never seen the 'ultimate'(I like the name/played Ultimate Frisbee in school) SS finish in-person;but I don't much care for the pics I've seen of it. My tastes are damn fickle though :) ;and subject to change any minute.
I have a super-shiny ceramic watch

(Rado). It looks good til I've had it on 15 min. or so.
Then it's smudgy and fingerprinted. I spend a lot of time wiping it down with a small chamois I only carry when I wear it! sheesh, I'm putting it up on that on-line auction site that spawned PayyPal. You know the one.

I am currently looking to own an old M1911 like your $200 main squeeze. The only one I've been able to find around here is $799,flaking chrome-plating,and questionable from any angle at any speed. It was made in 1918. One feature about the old 1911s I really like the looks of is the old-style hammer.

If I frequented classy joints(jacket and tie required etc.)
I'd carry the shiny rods just to feel appropriately dressed.

Unless someone offers me a ridiculous amount of U$D for my 1977 Gold Cup(like new/never holstered/fired less than 20 rounds) I'm planning to slip in a Wolff 16 pounder spring,try to find some nice,low-profile
sights for it,then shoot it and carry it. I'm not a paper-target shooter anyway.

If you're in a daytime firefight,find yourself out of ammo(God forbid),no exit strategy etc....you could always temporarily blind your enemy with that finish and a little solar-power.

[Hunter]

I have a few Colts and some of them being older do get shot but not often. My constant companion to the range is my Gold Cup Trophy that gets shot right often (which is why I bought it). I also think firearms were made to be shot but if you have one that is especially valuable or sentimental I think it is o.k. to shoot it but maybe not often

[MNeedham73]

Guns are like old cars, IMO.

They are meant to be driven, not trailered.

Just my $.02 :)

[Dr. Dickie]

Guns are like old cars, IMO.

They are meant to be driven, not trailered.

Just my $.02 :)

Yeah, but you would not drive a cherry 1964 Corvette like you would a 2000 Mazda pick-up, would you?

[44 Man]

This one's on my hip as I'm typing this. It's a shooter. 44 Man
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/clare44man/ColtG2.jpg
I will admit that it doesn't get shot as much as other guns I own, but it DOES get shot!

[the45shootist]

Just want to thank-you, guys, for taking the time to respond to my thread.
Hajah - I totaly agree with you about the original style hammers. They actually ARE hammers with a spur the is wider than the body of the hammer. As far as the Colt Ultimate SS goes, it IS a bit gaudy, but I like it. I have the Presidente, Delta, Gold Cup, and Officers ACP in this finish. They have all been shot, just not that often. They are among 8 1911's so I have others to pick on when I want to shoot a 1911.
44 Man - beautiful blaster!!
dakota1911 - (hope you forgive the continuation of the off-topic) I shoot my Martz custom Luger, although many would consider it collectable.

[dakota1911]

Yes, and even when I shoot one of my old 1911s or my 1905, or an old Luger, I usually go out to a friends ranch. I don't think I would be too comfortable taking them to the crowded local indoor range on a Saturday afternoon. A car analogy is I drive my 1964 356 Porsche, but not as much, in the same places, or the same way as my 1997 993.