M1991 Commander

[Blackhawk]

Pawn shopping yesterday I came across M1991 Commander with a ton of Wilson Combat upgrades. Overall finish on gun is 85% there is no box and no additional clips. They are asking $499 but best I can tell gun is worth no more than $355. I am considering offer of $400 do you guys think that would be fair?

[Brian D.]

Yeah, I wouldn't let myself get carried away on the price, as it's not known just how competently those Wilson parts were put in the gun. If you know your way around 1911s pretty well, you should be able to tell with a close exam, and maybe a little test firing, if the store would let you.

[stans]

And an 85% gun would indicate tons of use and/or abuse.

[gunsnrovers]

Tons of wear can also indicate poor storage and/or lots of holster time but is not always the best way to determine the use.

How does one determine that a $499 pistol is worth $355. That sounds awfully arbitrary or like someone quoting a blue book.

If the it's worth no more the $355, why are you offering to pay $400?

[Blackhawk]

The $355 is Gun Digests 2004 valuation for the gun in its stated condition. My reasoning behind the $400 offer would be to offset costs of Wilson Combat upgraded parts and because of an ever increasing market on Colts. But my real intrest is just what others think..."is this a fair offer"

[clare44man]

I just put an old satin nickled Combat Commander on layaway at Jay's. It needs a barrel (has a 5" poorly fitted), has an ugly big shelf slide stop and a stainless thumb safety (I have a stock satin nickled thumb safety but will need a matching slide release, anyone got an old satin nickled one laying around in a drawer?) and new springs (must have a 25# hammer spring in it!). They wanted $350 for it and I got it for $325 and am tickled to do that. Colt prices seem to run quite high in this neck of the woods. I'll probably have another $100 to $150 in it depending on what I can scrounge, to get it where it should be. (Oh, needs sights too, has the tiny originals on it) It will be a neat project and worth it when done. So if that Commander were here in central Michigan with all the upgrades, I would think $450 would be a fair price. 44 Man

[Hawkmoon]

The $355 is Gun Digests 2004 valuation for the gun in its stated condition. My reasoning behind the $400 offer would be to offset costs of Wilson Combat upgraded parts and because of an ever increasing market on Colts. But my real intrest is just what others think..."is this a fair offer"
You can't use the Gun Digest price for a stock pistol as the price for a customized pistol. You may start with that as the price for a stock pistol and then add on what you think is right for the add-ons, but that's not the same as saying the customized pistol is a $355 gun.

Bottom line on any one-off, whether it's guns, cars, or anything else -- the fair market price is what a willing buyer will pay to a willing seller. If you think $400 is a fair offer -- make it, and see what happens.

[stumbler]

$.02 I've seen some Wilson parts mangled from improper installation.

[stans]

Yeah, I've mangled some Wilson parts too! Sometimes a part can visually look right, but in use or under close inspection is way wrong. I am always leary or customized guns, especially when the price tag looks too good to be true. :eek: