help before i buy

[vikz]

hi guys,
I saw a piece yesterday at the shop and i will buy it tomorrow or thursday if it still there , i need help on identification,markings that i need to look for, i was able to hold it and pull the trigger.Every thing looks great atleast to me, i trust my dealer but it is still 985 and i will have to sell one of my pistol to afford it so pls help me..thanks

[OD*]

Gonna need a little more information. ;)

[vikz]

the first 3 of the serial is 422xxx i just called him a minute ago and he said it is made in 1918..i will try to take some pics if he will let me..

[bgiven]

Pretty tough to get a haircut over the phone too..... Pictures and info are a must.... :confused:

[vikz]

i know but i guess my question is what should i look for, markings ? i know i can ask him to field strip it for me so i can inspect it better, but what do i look for? wear and tear?rust?cracks?etc..

[John]

Go to www.coolgunsite.com and have a look at similar date pistols.

[vikz]

i call him again and put it on hold, he said it has a colt slide and springfield frame bec. it is one of those that the military fixed , i will take some pics asap so you guys can give me advice if its a good buy or not..he also said its shoots very good..

[vikz]

thanks john i already printed some literature for self study..

[exitwounds]

422xxx is a 1918 Colt serial number, not a Springfield Armory serial number. If it has a Colt slide than it is a Colt pistol.

[vikz]

thanks exitwound maybe i miss heardvwhat he said , i know its hard to tell w/o pics but given some of the info that i said is it still a good buy? it has the original mag and that line yard thing and it has a flat trigger guard i gues is what you call it?..and like what i said after holding it and dryfiring it it seems pretty good to me..

[pa_guns]

Hi

A few easy things to check:

1) What kind of shape is the inside of the barrel in? This pistol lived through the era of corrosive ammo ....

2) Is the finish "to good to be true"? If so it may have been re-blued.

3) Does the finish wear on the parts "match"? If so then the parts of the pistol have probably been together for a long time.

There's nothing wrong with the price the guy's asking. It could be off by a factor of two either high or low depending on exactly what he's got.

Bob

[vikz]

thanks for all the advice and inputs i decided to pass on this one i am hoping i can get a cheaper one than this one ,i guess i just have to keep looking..

[pa_guns]

Hi

Most of what I have seen in the $500 or so range has had "issues". Stuff like lots of polish and then refinish, massive pitting, or really strange parts combinations.

Good luck with your search. I'm on the same one ...

Bob

[TattooPaul]

One piece of advice, that may be a bit late in coming here, is the purchase of the 3rd edition of Collectors Guide to the Colt .45 Service Pistol; Models of 1911 and 1911 A1 - Third Edition (2003) by Charles W. Clawson. You can find it in the Bookstore section of http://www.coolgunsite.com/ for $35. It can save you from making a BIG mistake. While abbreviated from the 1st and 2nd editions it has all the proofmark, stamp, rollmark, checkering style, part shape, etc. info you need to know what you're looking at. There is a Commercial Seris book listed (which they are out of) but that applies to commercial pistols sold to the public. I HIGHLY recommend the 2003 edition even if you are only making 1 vintage purchase - it will let you ID what you are looking at and that can be very valuable input!!!

Either that or post some pics of the various stamps and marks to let someone with access to the big book ot the '03 edition help you verify what you are looking at.

Good luck! _Paul