Gunsite CCO

[JustinTime]

Well I picked up the gunsite today. I'm kinda in a delima about what to do with it though. I originally bought it for and investment. Then I decided I liked the officers size grip for concealed carry figured I'd use it for a ccw. Now that I have it though I'm torn because although I really like it fewer and fewer are on the market which is constantly making it more rare and worth more. So now I don't even know if I'm going to shoot it. And I'm definately reluctant to carry a 1200 dollar firearm as a ccw in case heaven forbid something should happen that I need to use it just to be confinscated. I really want to shoot it. What do you guys think? I know most of you will say shoot it. How much more do you guys think a NIB CCO will be compared to a barely shot CCO in 6mos-5yrs? The gun is pretty cool. The reason I'm waivering to not shoot it is I have two original series 70 LTW commanders on they're way and I figured I'd make one of them my carry pistol. Anyway here is the pics:

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j176/96vortechSS/CCO002.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j176/96vortechSS/CCO001.jpg

[Hersh]

Man those are beautiful pistols and congratulations on finding one!

Here are my thoughts on shooting the gun. If in fact it's an investment piece for future resale, by all means don't shoot it. On the other hand, are you REALLY ever gonna sell it? Based on your original post my guess is "no" and I certainly wouldn't blame you. You couldn't get one of those away from me with a sledgehammer.

You mentioned having two Commanders on the way and I'd opt for one of those for carry. As much as I like the CCO, I wouldn't want to give up a round.

Other's mileage will most likely vary!

[Joni Lynn]

As investments go there are better ways to invest. If it were mine I'd use it. I wouldn't abuse it and it would be well cared for but used.

[wichaka]

Yep.............use it, but never abuse it!

[horse 91-A1]

Life is fragile, enjoy every day while you can. :)

Bob

[OD*]

Congratulation Justin, great lookin' pistol. http://forum.m1911.org/images/icons/icon14.gif


BTW, your PM box is full. ;)

[mo' guns]

It's real easy to tell you to just shoot it because I don't have one. If I did have one I would be feeling the same way you are now! :confused: What ta do? What ta do?! :) Well, it's a good problem to have! Which every way you decide to go, congratulations! Shoot Well! er, um, :confused: Look at it lovingly in the case! ;)

[Joni Lynn]

You just have to get past the first shot, then it will easier. You'll enjoy it!

[Hondo]

I shoot and carry my Gunsite CCO. I use index mutual funds for investment. Shoot it and enjoy it. As the Eagles sang “you may lose, or you may win, but you will never be here again.”

[Icepick15]

I don't have one, but if I did, I don't think I could NOT shoot it.

[larry starling]

Congrats, Great looking pistol.... ;)

[TattooPaul]

Beauty!!! I'd say +++1 to Joni's point. I understand investment guns but it sure is a shame to have such a beautifully made piece go unused. Wanna invest? I'd stick with stock, etc. Unless it was an irreplaceable antiquity or the likes I'd have a hard time not using it. Just my thoughts...
That is an excellent addition. Congradulations. Gettin' quite a collection there!

[jeff1124]

G&L, ask yourself this question, "what was this piece of mechanical equipment made to do?" And there's your answer!! enjoy it! You'd have to have a glass display case in your abode and have a dinner party a week to show it off, if you didn't shoot it!! When you take it to the range you also take pride of ownership with you. If it sounds like I mean for you to gloat, I do!!! Be proud of it, it's a true beauty and if you take good care of it, it will remain a beauty. :)

[CherryRiver]

Whoa!
You mean it's possible to not shoot a good, functional gun?
Live and learn!
Bill,
Lacking the collector gene

[EchoBravoKilo]

Beautiful pistol - congratulations. As for shooting vs. investing, it seems to me that real value for unfored would accrue more to your heirs 50 - 75 years from now. In the short term, will the upward value be so great that you'd really sell? How many posts have we all read where someone lamented selling a Coltmany years prior?

I guess it's my way of saying if it's an investment, will you receive the payoff? If not, maybe you should enjoy it.

[JustinTime]

Man those are beautiful pistols and congratulations on finding one!

Here are my thoughts on shooting the gun. If in fact it's an investment piece for future resale, by all means don't shoot it. On the other hand, are you REALLY ever gonna sell it? Based on your original post my guess is "no" and I certainly wouldn't blame you. You couldn't get one of those away from me with a sledgehammer.

You mentioned having two Commanders on the way and I'd opt for one of those for carry. As much as I like the CCO, I wouldn't want to give up a round.

Other's mileage will most likely vary!

Thanks Hersh, the more I look at the pistol the more I don't ever want to part with it. On the other hand due to it's short grip it would make a great carry piece.

[JustinTime]

As investments go there are better ways to invest. If it were mine I'd use it. I wouldn't abuse it and it would be well cared for but used.

Very true Joni. I due do other things with my money for my future. That is one of the reasons I'm thinking of shooting and keeping.

[JustinTime]

Yep.............use it, but never abuse it!

I never abuse any gun. Not even my tupperware as ugly as it may be.

[JustinTime]

Life is fragile, enjoy every day while you can. :)

Bob

I agree with you very much.

[JustinTime]

Congratulation Justin, great lookin' pistol. http://forum.m1911.org/images/icons/icon14.gif


BTW, your PM box is full. ;)

Thanks Dan, and I took care of the inbox.

[JustinTime]

It's real easy to tell you to just shoot it because I don't have one. If I did have one I would be feeling the same way you are now! :confused: What ta do? What ta do?! :) Well, it's a good problem to have! Which every way you decide to go, congratulations! Shoot Well! er, um, :confused: Look at it lovingly in the case! ;)

Your right about it being a good problem to have. The thing is I can alway shoot it and make it LNIB but I can never go back to NIB after its fired.

[JustinTime]

You just have to get past the first shot, then it will easier. You'll enjoy it!

Yep, if I fire it once it'll be all over and I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy it too.

[JustinTime]

I shoot and carry my Gunsite CCO. I use index mutual funds for investment. Shoot it and enjoy it. As the Eagles sang “you may lose, or you may win, but you will never be here again.”

Very good point.

[JustinTime]

I don't have one, but if I did, I don't think I could NOT shoot it.

I'm sure the longer I own it the harder it'll be to leave it alone which will lead to shooting it.

[JustinTime]

Congrats, Great looking pistol.... ;)

Thanks Larry, yeah she's pretty.

[JustinTime]

Beauty!!! I'd say +++1 to Joni's point. I understand investment guns but it sure is a shame to have such a beautifully made piece go unused. Wanna invest? I'd stick with stock, etc. Unless it was an irreplaceable antiquity or the likes I'd have a hard time not using it. Just my thoughts...
That is an excellent addition. Congradulations. Gettin' quite a collection there!

Thanks Paul, yep Joni and everyone else have very good valid points. The collection is growing.

[JustinTime]

G&L, ask yourself this question, "what was this piece of mechanical equipment made to do?" And there's your answer!! enjoy it! You'd have to have a glass display case in your abode and have a dinner party a week to show it off, if you didn't shoot it!! When you take it to the range you also take pride of ownership with you. If it sounds like I mean for you to gloat, I do!!! Be proud of it, it's a true beauty and if you take good care of it, it will remain a beauty. :)

Your absolutely right Jeff.

[JustinTime]

Whoa!
You mean it's possible to not shoot a good, functional gun?
Live and learn!
Bill,
Lacking the collector gene

It is possible it just hurts sometimes :D

[JustinTime]

Beautiful pistol - congratulations. As for shooting vs. investing, it seems to me that real value for unfored would accrue more to your heirs 50 - 75 years from now. In the short term, will the upward value be so great that you'd really sell? How many posts have we all read where someone lamented selling a Coltmany years prior?

I guess it's my way of saying if it's an investment, will you receive the payoff? If not, maybe you should enjoy it.

Thank you. You have a valid point as well. In that case I wouldn't care anymore since I would be room temperature.

[JustinTime]

Another great point pushing me to shoot this pistol is that because of what is It'll still be worth what I paid for it in time after it is shot. So I really can't lose. That is the most deciding factor for me at this time. After reading all the posts here I'm definately leaning towards shooting it.

[swampthang]

Dont shoot it!!! Send it to me and Ill shoot it for ya!!!!!!!!
:lh:

[JustinTime]

Dont shoot it!!! Send it to me and Ill shoot it for ya!!!!!!!!
:lh:

Thats the best idea posted yet. :lm:

[clughog]

Shoot and enjoy, Justin! That's a beautiful pistol. I've been looking at one at the local DFW gunshows, but the guy just want's too much for it. You're sure collecting some great looking guns!

[JustinTime]

Shoot and enjoy, Justin! That's a beautiful pistol. I've been looking at one at the local DFW gunshows, but the guy just want's too much for it. You're sure collecting some great looking guns!

Thanks. How much are the guns you've been looking at the local shows been running?

[4merFMF]

I keep mine as close to me as possible. Is there a better way to show it how much you really care?

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/7125/holster2ok7.jpg

I am convinced there is no better CCW set-up available. It just feels good on my hip!

(Just be extra careful should you need to drift the sights, or each day you will think about the small part of your heart that got punched out by that *bleep* chizel. Don't ask me how I know. :()

[JustinTime]

I keep mine as close to me as possible. Is there a better way to show it how much you really care?

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/7125/holster2ok7.jpg

I am convinced there is no better CCW set-up available. It just feels good on my hip!

(Just be extra careful should you need to drift the sights, or each day you will think about the small part of your heart that got punched out by that *bleep* chizel. Don't ask me how I know. :()

Nice photo and pistol too. Sorry about the boo boo. Mine will be replacing my K-word ultra carry.

[SilverState]

I know most of you will say shoot it.

Correct.

I shoot mine and as soon as it is added to my ccw, I will carry it (alternating with my Ed Brown and RRA bobtailed commanders). I am having something done with the all-black Novaks however...

http://www.sincitypitbulls.freeservers.com/ColtGunsiteCCOL.JPG

BTW, if you keep the original mags, box, documentation, and do not trash the gun, you can probably sell it for more than what you paid for it a few years down the line (given the rising cost of guns in general and the scarcity of a Gunsite Colt CCO). And, you will have gotten some use out of it. At the very least you can get use out of it for free.

[clughog]

Justin, the blued Gunsite CCO at Classic Colt Firearms (B&B Sales) is priced at...hold your breath...$1,549 NIB. WAY more than I could (or would) pay! The Series 80 CCO two-tone at The Armory is only $749...but I'd really rather have the other one. Maybe I'll find a nice used one someday!

[mmcbeat]

I carry mine -

http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/25314274283.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3370929)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/24512294144.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3309489)

[JustinTime]

Correct.

I shoot mine and as soon as it is added to my ccw, I will carry it (alternating with my Ed Brown and RRA bobtailed commanders). I am having something done with the all-black Novaks however...

http://www.sincitypitbulls.freeservers.com/ColtGunsiteCCOL.JPG

BTW, if you keep the original mags, box, documentation, and do not trash the gun, you can probably sell it for more than what you paid for it a few years down the line (given the rising cost of guns in general and the scarcity of a Gunsite Colt CCO). And, you will have gotten some use out of it. At the very least you can get use out of it for free.

Another great photo. I believe you to be correct. That is my most motivating factor in the shoot it category. I've decided to shoot the CCO (probably). Now I just need some time off from work. 80+ hour work weeks don't leave a whole lot of time for such things.

[JustinTime]

Justin, the blued Gunsite CCO at Classic Colt Firearms (B&B Sales) is priced at...hold your breath...$1,549 NIB. WAY more than I could (or would) pay! The Series 80 CCO two-tone at The Armory is only $749...but I'd really rather have the other one. Maybe I'll find a nice used one someday!

$1549...OUCH!

[JustinTime]

The only negative I have with this pistol is its plastic grip panels. I just ordered a pair of officers cocobolo grip panels from John's friend at www.woodgrips.com They have some very nice looking wood.

[OD*]

Justin, did your Gunsite come with plastic stocks?

[clughog]

The only negative I have with this pistol is its plastic grip panels. I just ordered a pair of officers cocobolo grip panels from John's friend at www.woodgrips.com They have some very nice looking wood.The grips in your picture sure didn't look like plastic ones! And I'm about 100% sure Colt didn't do plastic grips on the CCOs (a call to Colt would confirm). Interesting. By the way, I got a beautiful pair of coco bolo grips from Ed Brown that they hand picked for me from their inventory. Don't know who their source is, but they're great (and reasonably priced)! The pictures don't do them justice, but you can see them at http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=19917.

[OD*]

Don't know how I missed that post Creighton, but that is a great looking pistol.

[clughog]

Don't know how I missed that post Creighton, but that is a great looking pistol.Thank you, Sir. It was my first attempt at a frame assembly and I sure had fun! I love to shoot that little .22 Conversion!

[JustinTime]

Justin, did your Gunsite come with plastic stocks?

They looked like plastic to me at first glance. I'm starting to doubt myself now. I'll verify for sure when I get home from work tonight. Pullin a double currently.

Ed does have some very attractive stocks. Woodgrips.com had pics of some that were equally attractive and a 30 day return policy if I'm unhappy with em.

[SilverState]

I don't believe my Gunsite CCO came with plastic grips. I am pretty sure they are redwood.

BTW, I saw one of these sell for under a grand on Gunbroker or Auction Arms recently...

[JustinTime]

I feel dumb...I just took a grip panel off and realized it is redwood. The double diamonds are what threw me off. They're so shinny.

Sorry for the confusion.

[OD*]

No need to feel like the Lone Ranger, my friend, it has happen to us all at some point. ;)

[SilverState]

True, they do look shiney.

[JustinTime]

No need to feel like the Lone Ranger, my friend, it has happen to us all at some point. ;)

Thanks for the words of encouragement. Looks like I'm going to have an extra set of compact stocks. I'll probably install the new ones and save the originals. Plus the new ones will have more wood grain in the I imagine. I'll post pics when I get em.

[JaimeZX]

Man I really want one of those for carry.

Is that the only officer's frame / commander slide 1911 out there? I just can't see spending that much money. :o

[JustinTime]

Man I really want one of those for carry.

Is that the only officer's frame / commander slide 1911 out there? I just can't see spending that much money. :o

No it's not. Sort of. There is also a Colt CCO which is not the same pistol as The Gunsite Colt CCO. Though I recemmend the Colt to you Kimber makes what they call a Compact which is not a true commander length barrel. It is a 4" barrel with a officers size frame. I suggest you look for the Colt CCO. Clughog here has found one for $749.00. Good luck.

[JustinTime]

The grips in your picture sure didn't look like plastic ones! And I'm about 100% sure Colt didn't do plastic grips on the CCOs (a call to Colt would confirm). Interesting. By the way, I got a beautiful pair of coco bolo grips from Ed Brown that they hand picked for me from their inventory. Don't know who their source is, but they're great (and reasonably priced)! The pictures don't do them justice, but you can see them at http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=19917.

From woodgrips's literature mine should look similar to your grips. Which look amazing by the way. Should know by the end of the week. I'll keep you posted.

[SilverState]

A friend of mine modified the Novak black sights to 3-dot Duracoat (glow-in-the-dark) white sights:

http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/3/7200091225.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4978144)

http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/3/7200292556.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4978250)

[JustinTime]

A friend of mine modified the Novak black sights to 3-dot Duracoat (glow-in-the-dark) white sights:

http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/3/7200091225.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4978144)

Looks good but the front sight on the gunsite cco is made by heine.

[SilverState]

Thanks for the trivia... the front sight comes black, like the rear sight. And now, they are three-dot white sights that glow in the dark. Not quite as nice as tritiums, but they are a great improvement.

http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/3/7200372967.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4978281)

[4merFMF]

I had a Bar-Dot tritium combo placed in my GunSite's original sights by Tooltech. They did a good job. http://www.tooltechgunsight.com/

http://img414.imageshack.us/img414/7962/dscn0138tr7.jpg

[JustinTime]

Both those sights look nice but I couldn't bring myself to modify the original sights on a limited production gun such as the Gunsites.

[SilverState]

Both those sights look nice but I couldn't bring myself to modify the original sights on a limited production gun such as the Gunsites.

I guess that depends on whether you are using the gun as a tool or just saving it in a safe to make a few bucks years later...

BTW, it would not be hard to put stock sights in it at a later date.

Also, as for the value of this gun, it is one of my less expensive "tools", so I am not that concerned about resale value. I would rather have a pistol that allows me to acquire a target quickly and accurately with a sight picture I am used to (namely, 3-dot sights).

[SilverState]

I had a Bar-Dot tritium combo placed in my GunSite's original sights by Tooltech. They did a good job.

Nice! If it wasn't for my gunsmith friend, I would have gone with something similar.

[JustinTime]

I guess that depends on whether you are using the gun as a tool or just saving it in a safe to make a few bucks years later...

BTW, it would not be hard to put stock sights in it at a later date.

Also, as for the value of this gun, it is one of my less expensive "tools", so I am not that concerned about resale value. I would rather have a pistol that allows me to acquire a target quickly and accurately with a sight picture I am used to (namely, 3-dot sights).

Ok, to each his own. The cost of the firearm really isn't a factor for me whether or not to do custom work such as yours. I recently picked up a pre80 series LTW commander that has XS sights installed. I can't think of a sight on the market that has a larger front dot and I still wish I could return the pistol to stock. And it is going to be my carry gun I'm thinking. Your sights look good. Better than the ones on my CCO.

[smarcus]

I had a Bar-Dot tritium combo placed in my GunSite's original sights by Tooltech. They did a good job. http://www.tooltechgunsight.com/

http://img414.imageshack.us/img414/7962/dscn0138tr7.jpg


Sorry to bring up a 2 month old post but 4merFMF how do you like the Bar/Dot install by Tooltech? It sounds like you are happy with the job they did and it certainly looks great but how do they compare with 3 dot night sites. I have a Gunsite CCO that has been my primary carry weapon and I think it's time for night sites. I have Trijicon 3 dot on other pistols and am happy with them but your set up just looks great and seems to be a bit cheaper to boot. Is the Bar green as well as the front Dot? How is it as far as sight aquisition quickness? Any regrets?

Thanks for any info, Sean.

[daveohno]

Nice Gunsite Pistol!

[JustinTime]

Nice Gunsite Pistol!

Thanks Dave, I don't have this pistol anymore unfortunately. I traded it to a friend for that 1944 USGI I gave to my grandfather. I bet I could get it back though for a price of course. I would too if it didn't have those cursed front crooked cocking serrations. Baaahhh!

[4merFMF]

Sorry to bring up a 2 month old post but 4merFMF how do you like the Bar/Dot install by Tooltech?

No regrets. For me anyway, sight acquisition is unquestionably faster than 3-dot...just one dot to put on tagret, not three to confuse the brain. My front and rear are both green. I'm not sure what colors are available, but you can probably find it on their website. The bar-dot is the right carry combo for me, and I would not hesitate to do it again. As you know, some favor a tritium only on front, and I feel their arguments are valid. But it is nice know, if ever needed, I can pick up the rear sight in the dark too.

edit: After I had the work done, I posted a thread on the experience here http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=19379

[smarcus]

Thanks for the response. Looks like I will do the same thing.

Thanks again,

Sean.