Price question for custom LW Commander

[kpp80202]

I looked at an early-1950's era Colt LW Commander that had custom work done to it by a well-known local gunsmith who is not known nationally. It had Heinie tritium sights installed, and the following Ed Brown parts were fitted: grip safety, trigger, thumb safety, and hammer. The front strap was stippled, the frame was finished in nickel, and I assume the slide had to be refinished when it was milled for the Heinie sights. Overall, it looks and works great. Since I tend to buy/sell/trade a lot, I am always concerned about resale value. Most guns don't last more than 2 years unless they have special meaning, or would be hard to replace.

My question is, have you guys seen custom Commanders similar to this sell for $650 or more without some pedigree like being from Novak's, Yost, or any of the other big names? The seller wants a lot more for it, but I thought I'd make an offer and see what happens. Let me know, thanks!

[paul45]

I am of the group of Colt buyers that walk past a Colt that has been permanently altered. Doesn't mean anything, but I believe alot of Colt people operate on the same principle.

If you are thinking of resale down the road, then I would suggest passing.

[RickB]

If the gun were bone stock, and in excellent condition, it might be worth $800 or more, so the fact that it's apparently worth less than that supports the belief that mods don't increase the value. If Yost or Novak's did it, I'd expect the price to be well over $1000, because they are nationally known, and their work isn't cheap. There's a point where the cost of the work crosses paths with the value of the base gun, and with a prominent name it can be higher than the value of a stock gun. Also, custom work is custom, so there's no guarantee you or I would find the modification worthwhile. I'm not a big fan of the added Ed Brown parts, so their presence alone would cause me to shy away from such a custom, no matter who did the work.

[John]

What worries me is the frame. This pistol has an aluminum alloy frame. Stippling it has probably destroyed the anodizing on it. I would walk away.