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Thread: Should I refinish this National Match?

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    30th April 2009
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    Should I refinish this National Match?

    Hello guys,

    I need some advise from the experts I know are always around here.
    Few years ago, I got this nice 1911, it's a Colt National Match, it's in pretty good shape inside, but the finish looks... old. I know it has the wrong grips and screws, and I don't know if they used to come with those sights, the rear one is a Wilson Combat.
    I dated it in the several websites for that, and I'm pretty sure it's a 1940 pistol.
    Although it's been kept oiled and unshot in my gun-locker, I want to refinish it, maybe change a few things inside and make it a shooter, but since I've read it's sort of a collectible, being an early National Match, I don't want to ruin it, by tampering with the "original" finish; I've read that a collectible old gun, when reblued, looses all its collectible value.

    So, what should I do? Do I take it to the gunsmith and give a nice new blue finish, or shall I just leave it like it is????
    Thanks for the tips!

    Rod.

    IMG-20171114-WA0001.jpg
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    Si vis pacem, Para Bellum

  2. #2
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    9th June 2004
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    Wilson sights, front and rear are about 40 or 50 years newer than the gun. They are in standard dovetail and mortise, you could return the gun to stock appearance if you could find period style sights. IF.
    The grips would be easily replaced with correct full checkered walnut and slotted screws.

    The finish appears unworn but "freckled" with light rust. A collector in the USA would definitely prefer that to even the nicest reblue.

    I don't know what the Colt collector market is in Peru, you might had just as well fix it up to suit yourself and shoot it.

  3. #3
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    2nd June 2004
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    In my humble and inexpert opinion, it would not make sense to have it refinished without polishing out the rust freckles on the right side of the slide. They are deep enough that to remove them would almost certainly severely affect the roll marks. Since you want to shoot it, the finish doesn't affect how well it shoots, so go ahead and shoot it. Don't refinish it, just keep it oiled when you put it away so the rust won't get any worse.

    A National Match should (I think) have had an adjustable rear sight. There are adjustable rear sights that will fit the standard dovetail, but I don't know if you can get them in Peru. If you can, that's the way I would go, and leave the front sight alone.
    Hawkmoon
    On a good day, can hit the broad side of a barn ... from the inside

  4. #4
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    Thanks guys.
    There is a little collector market here, but nothing compared to the US one; I usually buy what I need at Brownells or when I travel to the US.
    I'll talk to a couple gunsmiths here, if there's even a small chance to damage the original roll marks, I'll leave it alone.
    I guess I'll get new springs, perhaps a new bushing and of course grips.

    Best,

    Rod

  5. #5
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    FYI, Hawkmoon, there were prewar NMs with fixed sights. The adjustable was in a peculiar cut, not interchangeable.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Watson View Post
    FYI, Hawkmoon, there were prewar NMs with fixed sights. The adjustable was in a peculiar cut, not interchangeable.
    Yes, I know. But LPA makes an adjustable sight that fits the standard GI dovetail. Brownells sells them -- or used to.

    [Edit to add] https://www.brownells.com/handgun-pa...prod73506.aspx
    Hawkmoon
    On a good day, can hit the broad side of a barn ... from the inside
    Last edited by Hawkmoon; 15th April 2018 at 21:46.


  7. #7
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    This pistol already refinished. I would leave it as is.

    http://www.coltautos.com/1911a1gmnmci.htm

  8. #8
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    National Match models were the 'Ferraris' in Colt's pistol lineup -- well not quite, Ferrari didn't exist yet, but anyway...

    So if you and your pistol were in the US, there would be a line of posters waiting to scream "LEAVE IT ALONE!!" at you, as this is a collectible pistol. That's assuming it hasn't already been refinished, and it doesn't look like it has. Actually the line on the top-right corner of the slide looks a tad 'wavy', so maybe it has been refinished after all.

    If there's no Collectible market there (or a prospect to sell it abroad, where it could have more value) then I guess it's a shooter. So do what you think is best to it. If it were mine, I'd go with what Hawkmoon wrote: keep it well-oiled, away from any leather than could 'steal' its oil, and shoot it.

    Just PLEASE don't let anyone convince you to Cerakote it.

    I think the Bakelite grips on it are from an Argentine Sistema, by the way.
    Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
    M. Setter
    Last edited by Spyros; 16th April 2018 at 03:03.


  9. #9
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    I agree. The pony looks partially scrubbed also in that area.

  10. #10
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    It does look refinished, sort of. But, I agree with most in that I would leave it alone - other than getting an adjustable rear sight, keep it oiled and shoot it. That is what it was built for.
    Greg
    ps - I like it - has that 'lived in' look.

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