A Purple Colt - Redo, or Not?

[Hill]

I just bought this despite myself - the price was good.

It's a National Match made in 1969 with a characteristic not seen often on a Colt. The slide is purple.

I guess some people might find it attractive and it didn't bother the previous owner but I think it's sort of odd.

Does anyone know a cause of this? Would Colt have released it for sale in purple? Or is it a condition that afflicts some Colts over time? I've seen this on small parts in foriegn made weapons, particularly eastern bloc ones, but not on a Colt.

The pistol itself is in good condition with some idiot markings and what looks like holster wear.

I wonder if Colt would refinish the slide for me and maintain the high polish it has now in the doing? Anybody have enough of a relationship with them to guess?


http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p263/twagger/guns/PurpleGCb.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p263/twagger/guns/PurpleGCa.jpg

[Hill]

It's another solid pin gun! LOL! It takes looking at a posted photo of a pistol I've held in hand to notice.

I need to go out to pasture.

[OD*]

Purple Colt's really aren't all that unusual, you find a number of them on the auction sites.

[JustinTime]

Hill, if you don't like it I wouldn't hesitate to have it refinished. I'm sure Colt will maintain the polished flats if you ask. However, you gun doesn't have a warranty and there are various copanies in the USA that do amazing work as their primary function. If I were you, I'd send it to Accurate weapon and plating. But that is just me. Good luck with it.

[Hill]

Hill, if you don't like it I wouldn't hesitate to have it refinished. I'm sure Colt will maintain the polished flats if you ask. However, you gun doesn't have a warranty and there are various copanies in the USA that do amazing work as their primary function. If I were you, I'd send it to Accurate weapon and plating. But that is just me. Good luck with it.

Thanks Justin. Is there a website for Accurate? I guess you've had dealings with them?

[OD*]

Unless you have it "plated" there is no guarantee it wouldn't turn purple again, it's the steel, not the bluing salts.

[auto45]

My late 70's GC has a purple slide also.

[JustinTime]

Sure, here is the website.

http://www.apwcogan.com/Refinishing.htm

[paul45]

A Purple Colt - Redo, or Not? Since you ask..........I vote .....not.

[OD*]

Agree with Paul.

[Joni Lynn]

Nice find!
The slide has been reblued. The hammer should have bare metal sides, not blued. A gunsmith friend of my father's informed me that the most common cause of a purple gun is either the metal (not as common) or that the blueing solution was a bit too hot.
The front sight has also been changed or altered.

[RickB]

It looks to me - could just be the pics - that the frame tang contours, behind the thumb safety, have been "softened", so maybe the whole thing was refinished once, already. Nice-looking piece, though.

[ElrodCod]

Don't worry about it.

[russian]

I'd leave it. Its neat.

[Hill]

Joni wins the prize! The guy I bought it from changed the sight when it was blued. This one is serrated down the face so the white paint that was there wouldn't chip off. He said it didn't catch on his holster as much as the original did. The blued hammer was the first thing I noticed, after the purple, but that's so easy to rectify that I'd never give it a thought in deciding.

I like the gun. The grips are slightly fatter than those on my '78 GC and it makes quite a difference in the feel when shooting it. It's tight and accurate as it is, and it's one I don't feel that I can't alter it.

Rick, the tangs do look softened but not as much as the photos make them seem. They still form a point, but the both taper slightly inward. Held alongside my pristine one there's a noticable difference there.

Justin, Thanks for that - they're not too badly priced, and will do only the slide if that's what I decide to do, if I do anything. I took it outside and fired it some and it feels so pretty that it's looks are kind of growing on me. Still, I like the sound of their "master polish".

[gottripletsNC]

I third the vote for NOT

[lksstbls]

It's another solid pin gun! LOL! It takes looking at a posted photo of a pistol I've held in hand to notice.

I need to go out to pasture.

Assume you're talking about the sight pin. I had thought that a roll pin was stock, but the GCNM (S70) I just acquired, also has a solid pin, andI don't think the original owner changed it. Have had an issue with it wanting to walk out of the hole--it mics 0.060 and is a sliding fit in the hole. Red Loctite appears to have anchored it down. Welding is the next step. What's the story on the pin configuration?

[fire_hunter988]

looks neat as is

[Joni Lynn]

Most Gold Cups have come with the roll pin installed which may or may not ever need to be replaced. If a solid pin is installed it will help to put a slight bend in the pin which will help it to stop walking out during use.

[Hill]

Assume you're talking about the sight pin. I had thought that a roll pin was stock, but the GCNM (S70) I just acquired, also has a solid pin, andI don't think the original owner changed it. Have had an issue with it wanting to walk out of the hole--it mics 0.060 and is a sliding fit in the hole. Red Loctite appears to have anchored it down. Welding is the next step. What's the story on the pin configuration?


Ya, the sight retainer pin.

I don't know what story is involved but there was a fuss made over one of my other GC that I bought NIB with a solid pin that I posted about this one.

FWIW, I just miked all three of the pins in my guns that use it and all are .060", same as yours. They're snugly fitted though with equal amounts extending from the hole. Even though it's a notched location I was able to get the sharp points of one of my calipers in there to measure the diameter.

I've only shot one of my guns extensively, and that doesn't yet amount to 5000 rounds. So far no movement that I can detect This new to me gun has been fired quite a bit and I don't know if the pin has been a problem before now.

I'd put a rollpin in a shooter before welding, and you probably would too, eh?

Personally I don't really care one way or another about something like this. I'm not a collector, and I don't care about values. I've been lucky enough to come to a place in life where I can buy any toy I want, break it if I want, and throw it away in a fit of peeve if I want. :)

[lksstbls]

Yeah, wasn't really serious about welding. Have read a suggestion that involves giving the center section (the movable portion) of the sight a whack with a punch with the pin in place to kind of stake it or put a kink in the pin, but I don't have a calibrated whacker, so don't think I'll go that way. 'cause if there's a way to screw it up, I'll find it. The solid pins were alleged to be a fix for the original roll pins, but without an interference fit, either config isn't worth much by itself. Guess I'll just hope the Loctite holds.

[BT2012]

Hill,

This 1911 already has character and you should leave as it is unless it has a lot of rust. If you are seriously looking to restore it, try Doug Turnbull Restoration at www.turnbullrestoration.com. He's done a lot of antique restoration.

[OD*]

Nice find!
The slide has been reblued. The hammer should have bare metal sides, not blued. A gunsmith friend of my father's informed me that the most common cause of a purple gun is either the metal (not as common) or that the blueing solution was a bit too hot.
The front sight has also been changed or altered.
That's true too. So is the heat treatment, try bluing a spot hardened USGI slide sometime. ;) BTDT.

[Hill]

Yeah, wasn't really serious about welding. Have read a suggestion that involves giving the center section (the movable portion) of the sight a whack with a punch with the pin in place to kind of stake it or put a kink in the pin, but I don't have a calibrated whacker, so don't think I'll go that way. 'cause if there's a way to screw it up, I'll find it. The solid pins were alleged to be a fix for the original roll pins, but without an interference fit, either config isn't worth much by itself. Guess I'll just hope the Loctite holds.

I've heard it both ways, first the rollpin, then a solid;first the solid, then a rollpin. Who cares so long as something holds.

You could use red loctite so long as you're careful NOT to clean the pin and hole so you'll be able to break it if need be, but one of the other formulas, the blue maybe, would work too. A slight bend ought to keep the pin in place too but you're right about calibrated whacking - you might end up having to smooth the thing back to where you started to get it installed, or if you smack the top of the sight it'll turn out to be potmetal and split right up the serrations. LOL!

You don't sound like a guy who quivers in fear if faced with something different, at least, so you'll be alright.

[tenx]

Hill, the 1968 and 1969 NM had a harder slide than most other years and when finished took the color differently than the rest of the parts, thus the purple color from the factory. That is the way it is supposed to be.

I vote keep it as original as possible, don't refinish.

[Hill]

I like it as it is, OK?

I had a bunch of my Colts out last night lying on the floor because I'm setting up a new way to keep them all. (a new 5'x5' UL Cal DOJ rated box that'll be for pistols only)Looking at a batch of mostly blued, a few parked, a couple stainless, and one mixed 1911's this pistol is the only one with a color to it not coming from grips. It looked really good lying there in the center of all the blued ones, and it finally dawned on me that I'd added something unique to a collection of almost boringly similar pistols.

I'm looking forward to taking it down to the club range 'cause I know it'll bring people around to ask about it. By then I hope I can decide which of the myriad explanations you've all put forth to use.

One thing's for sure - it's an uncannily accurate pistol off a rest in my backyard 15 yard range. Puts my reloads in much better than my almost new GCT, over and over until my wrist aches and I can't hold steady anymore. 100 rounds yesterday using every mag I own that'll fit with not one glitch. Makes me wonder if someone good worked it, but I don't find signs of it or anyone's mark on it. I put a new 12 lb spring in, a heavy firing pin spring, and a 23 lb mainspring to burn up a batch of 3.6 gr bullseye loads I'd made but found too light to run my 16 lb sprung guns.

Clean 3 lb break, over and over. I measured the trigger 25 times back to back and it never varied.

This ones a testimonial to the common refrain that "they don't build 'em like that anymore".

Just making me look for more and older NM's.

-end of story-

[Joni Lynn]

All my Gold Cups have blue slides, no purple on any of them.

[RED]

[QUOTE=Hill]Does anyone know a cause of this?

The reason of the reddish tone is the use of a too old blueing solution or a blueing process that was too fast. I had the slide of my BHP reblued some years ago after having it reworked and the same thing happened.
I had to have it reblued again.

Red

[OD*]

There is more than ONE cause for the purple tint on firearms.

[dogdollar]

If you ever want to sell it, I have a friend who is interested.
His email is :

BarneytheDsaur@aol.com

[Hill]

Here's another purple slided Gold Cup. NIB, about 700 numbers older than mine. Colt may have had a purple mood after all: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=95771473

(Joni, note the blued hammer)

[Joni Lynn]

Of all my Gold Cups I have still never seen one that had a factory purple slide or frame. I guess it's possible, but all hammers are bare on the sides.

[Hill]

Who are we, Joni, to question the veracity of "Harry W. Sanford, one of the great gun gurus of the 20th Century" ?

LOL!

[Joni Lynn]

Anything is possible. I was looking on Gunbroker and noticed that there's a lot of GCNM's with purple sldies appearing now, more than I've ever noticed before.

[texagun]

Since you ask..........I vote .....not.

I concur. Keep it original. It is unique.

[tonka]

Leave it alone, and be careful what kind of solvent you clean it with. Maybe the finish isn't all that stable, and that's why it's fading.

[Joni Lynn]

Purple isn't from fading, it's the way it has always looked. I have a couple S&W's that are that way. It can be caused by several things but from what I've been told it is most often from the blueing solution being a little bit too hot.

[wetidlerjr]

I have to go against the naysayers and say "have it re-done" if that's what YOU want. I agree about the "not being a collector" and if after I'm gone and my heirs don't like the way I left my Colts (and other guns) then too bad ! ;)

[Hill]

I didn't bring this back up to reopen the debate over refinishing or not - that issue ended with post #27.

I brought it back as another example and to point out that the blued hammer on mine might not be a result of refinishing by showing another pistol of near the same time and supposedly NIB that also has a blued hammer.

This Colt has become one of my favorites. It has a very refined feel with it's quiet click when cocking, smooth perfect 3 lb trigger, and it's fine accuracy.