Historical Value???

[cajunfj40]

I was told that the current Colt's as well as the Custom Shop replicas of the WWI and WWII have no historical value. I think they do.

What are your opinions on this?

[cameroni]

I was told that the current Colt's as well as the Custom Shop replicas of the WWI and WWII have no historical value. I think they do.

What are your opinions on this?

Whoever "told" you that has had her hat on too tight for too long.

sheesh,

mike

[scott53]

I have been a collector and dealer of collectible US martial arms for over 20 years and my opinion is that these Colt pistols do not have historic value. They are indeed very nice and interesting pistols and well worth owning, but they do not rise to the level of historic examples. Just my opinion.

[OD*]

Historical value, probably not as Scott said.
A new pistol out of the factory wouldn't have any history, per se.

[cameroni]

Historical value, probably not as Scott said.
A new pistol out of the factory wouldn't have any history, per se.

OK,operationally defining "historical" I can see that a new gun has no historical value per se.

To say any Colt has "no historical value" somehow sounds like blasphemy.

I can see both sides of the voting/thinking.(can I vote both yes and no!?)

Hat on tight,

mike

[LoadedColt45]

Colt has a great history and and some of their guns have great historic desirability & value. But as far as the reproduction WWI's, WWII's, and S70's, new production colts have no historic value.

[RandyColt]

Current production Colt's will only gain historical value when Colt ceases to make them.

[cajunfj40]

I quess that answers that. My Colt built using some of the original technology is not a piece of dying history. I will still buy them and consider them as such.

Well...at least its not plastic.

[jeff1124]

No historical value now, maybe in 50 years they will!

[Hunter]

No historical value per say but collector value for sure.

[Hawkmoon]

No historical value per say but collector value for sure.
I don't think a firearm acquires "historical" value unless it is used during an historical period or in an historical event. Therefore, current production Colts most likely will not, in general, ever have historical value. They may over time gain some collectable value, but not as much as they would if they were, infact, "historical."

All of which is a long-winded way of saying I agree with Hunter.

[cajunfj40]

Well the votes are in and I have posted in the USGI forum my apologies.
The three heavy hitters of the site have spoken. The no votes have the win. Thank you for the responses. I will now sell my Colts and replace them with Glock SF 45s.


Umm.....sry I must have hit my head. I will keep them but will probably shoot so many rounds through them as to negate any collectors value. Rather that than having a $4000 pistol hanging on my wall. Unless someone wants to donate a $4000 USGI mint pistol to me. :D

[daveohno]

I have a friend that does not like Colt's, he is an avid gun shooter and collects them a little. He had a very bad Colt that soured him on Colt's in the late 80's and even he says that ANY COLT, new or old, is a collector's gun.

Every time I get a new Colt I make sure he sees and handles it, and so far he has remarked that they are all well built and have good triggers.

[Hunter]

According to the online dictionary for historical the new Colt WW1, WW2, and Series 70 may hold a degree of historical value.
See definition #2
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/historical

[cajunfj40]

Thank you Hunter I will sleep better tonight. I was just looking at a 1911 built in 1913 with nickle finish for $650. I figure by the time I strip the plating off and get that nice carbonia bluing it would be a nice shooter with historical value.

[Joni Lynn]

Maybe historically correct but lacking historical value. At least for now.

[scott53]

Regardless of this particular model being historical at this time not, how can you not like a Colt 1911 or for that matter a Colt revolver? So much of our nation's history is tied to Colt firearms, from the Mexican War, through the Civil War, the Indian Wars, the Spanish American War, WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, Colt has been there. Colt is so directly connected to our history for well over 160 years. If you throw the M16 and M4 into the mix Colt's connection is even broader. And that is only the military's usage. Colts have been used extensively during the same time period by civilians and law enforcement. To me, it is tough to not like anything Colt. Which may be why I have so many of them....

[jeff1124]

Well the votes are in and I have posted in the USGI forum my apologies.
The three heavy hitters of the site have spoken. The no votes have the win. Thank you for the responses. I will now sell my Colts and replace them with Glock SF 45s.


Umm.....sry I must have hit my head. I will keep them but will probably shoot so many rounds through them as to negate any collectors value. Rather that than having a $4000 pistol hanging on my wall. Unless someone wants to donate a $4000 USGI mint pistol to me. :D

You could buy the Glocks and use them for door stops to your Den where your Colts are gradually building up more collector value! :D

[Tedfs]

While the current repros don't have historical value of their own, they do represent historical 1911s from the past. I didn't buy mine in hopes the value would sky rocket, I bought it for personal reasons and to have a piece that represents a part of important history.

[elijdub]

Yet another online dictionary definition that i find interesting:
"All that is remembered of the past and preserved in some form is seen as the historical record."
A WWI/WWII Reproduction may fit this definition. These guns are designed to original specs (remembered from the past) and produced as a replica (preserved in some form). ...If you want to get technical about it.
From a collector standpoint i can't imagine the Repro's will have any "true" historical value until the production ends, and at some much later date in time. I believe they will be a "piece of history" in that they are a limited run, produced at a specific time, for a specific purpose.
Collector value? For sure, IMO.

[JustinTime]

I put my vote in the non-historical value side. Worth is another question all together.

[dakota1911]

Well if Paris Hilton buys one then...... Sorry she is a felon now, right.

[OD*]

Worth is another question all together.
That's the key. ;)

Mine are worth a bunch to me, what someone else may think is of no concern to me, they ain't going anywhere. :p

[jeff1124]

They already have collector value as indicated by the prices they are fetching ( the repro's at least). But they are only a copy of the really historical pieces. There's my .02 if you collect 2 cents from a whole lotta people you may be able to afford one! :D

[daveohno]

Well if Paris Hilton buys one then...... Sorry she is a felon now, right.
Was she charged with a felony? Didn't she spend her few days after conviction in a county jail? Convicted felons spend time in state prison.

[azreloader]

In my opinion, anything produced as a replica, reproduction or re-issue is borrowing historical interest from that which it was intended to emulate, thereby creating intrinsic value!

Having said that, those who buy them to shoot probably voted no and those who intend to keep them NIB probably voted yes.

I'm going to bed now. Gnite!

[cajunfj40]

Thanks for the replies. I intend to shoot them. The WWI and WWII originals have been through [heck] and back and still work fine. I don't think I can hurt them. ;)

[Hawkmoon]

The genuine martial 1911s have "historical" value precisely because they have gone in harm's way. Even so, a pristine example is worth more than a rust bucket found in a damp cellar after grandpa passed away.

If I had a WW1 replica, I likely would not shoot it, for the simple reason that any collector value it may accrue will derive almost entirely from its condition. It will never have "historical" value. If I use it as a shooter, eventually it'll be just another old Colt.

[c pierce]

No historical value per say but collector value for sure.Well said hunter,

[tenx]

This is really a question of how much value does nostalgia add to the WW1 and WW2 repros. If one doesn't have the real thing these are the next best thing. There will be collector value even if there is not historical value.

[cameroni]

The genuine martial 1911s have "historical" value precisely because they have gone in harm's way. Even so, a pristine example is worth more than a rust bucket found in a damp cellar after grandpa passed away.

If I had a WW1 replica, I likely would not shoot it, for the simple reason that any collector value it may accrue will derive almost entirely from its condition. It will never have "historical" value. If I use it as a shooter, eventually it'll be just another old Colt.

Yeah,Hawkmoon,I agree,if you shoot it "eventually it'll be just another old Colt." Not to be a party-pooper;but eventually we'll all be dead;and the good folks who might collect your worldly posessions probably won't or can't understand what these Colts 1911 meant to you or to "history".(they won't give a flyin' doughnut about your prized posession.)

Heck,my week-old S&W1911Gunsite has historical value. "It was a humid,deep-fried,Southern day when I picked her up. It didn't hurt at all that I like 'em a little on the trashy side;and I made sure she lined up "in harm's way" before I got her home. "

" Bone-dry and dirty is how I found her;but like David Copperfield after his messy and traumatic re-birth,and earthly ramblings,all she needed was a little TLC and a good scrubbing."

There,now I've added even more "historical" value to my 1911 even though it's a non-Colt.

If you enjoy your WWI Replica by not shooting it,well,great;then that's the way you will enjoy it. It may not be more enjoyable for you to shoot it.

That "rust bucket" Colt they found in the damp cellar after Grandpa passed away is just that to the folks who found it;but what it was to Grandpa is what validates and proves it's true worth and value to at least one man.

Most of us are fortunate to be in a situation wherby we can appreciate fine weaponry and actually own more than one to shoot or collect at our whim& fancy. Life is good.

The path not taken,

mike

[larry starling]

I have been a collector and dealer of collectible US martial arms for over 20 years and my opinion is that these Colt pistols do not have historic value. They are indeed very nice and interesting pistols and well worth owning, but they do not rise to the level of historic examples. Just my opinion.
I got to go along with Scott53 on this one....... ;)

[azreloader]

Most of us are fortunate to be in a situation wherby we can appreciate fine weaponry and actually own more than one to shoot or collect at our whim& fancy. Life is good. mike

There you go! AMEN and pass the ammunition!

[cameroni]

There you go! AMEN and pass the ammunition!
Sorry if I blew up there;reckon it's ok to be passionate about things you care about.(standing pretty close to a bottle of delicious adult grape beverage).

AZ,is that a new addition to your upper-right-hand camera icon thingy?!?

Now that there is another Commander,right? Only the x-ray negative of the most beautiful Commander on Earth,yes?

Go your own way,carry it always,shoot straight,speak the truth(plus a couple o'lies) *Tom Mix*
mike

[azreloader]

AZ,is that a new addition to your upper-right-hand camera icon thingy?!?
mike

Top one is my Lew Horton Commander, bottom one is my 1991 Government. I just put Sim Ivory stock on that new Commander I bought and will post pics of the Duo tomorrow!

[dakota1911]

Was it owned by the President?