[45Badger]

Opinions please!

I have a very nice Clackamas marked Kimber with orginal case, etc. I bought it as a future base gun for some improvements (or a full custom job). Probably will have next custom work done on a Colt, but would still like to improve this pistol by adding Heinie night sights and having a trigger job done.

Question is- Should I do the work on this pistol? Or leave it stock, and pick up another Series 1 gun for modifications?

All replies, thoughts, and opinions are welcome.:)

[Jason Demond]

My opinion? Chop it, do what ever you want to it. It's yours, enjoy it while you can. Now I wouldn't be saying this, if the gun were a collectors item. In 60 years they might hold a slight premium over a Yonkers marked gun, but that would only happen if they were NIB. Not to mention if we still have our Second Amendment!

It's one of the first Kimber pistols, and was probably made better than a series 1 pistol. There were never any Kimber pistols made in Clackamas, they were make in Yonkers.

[dsk]

The Clackamas-marked guns are more highly sought after, simply because they were the ones that first came out and established Kimber as the new force to be reckoned with in the 1911 market. The one I had was one of the first 3000 made, and despite a couple of slight problems initially it proved reliable as a brick. Pity the ones that followed didn't retain the same high standards of workmanship, at least going by the ones I later owned.

Anyway, it'll be several decades before it actually becomes a collector's piece, so keep that in mind. If you want your grandkid to have a NIB vintage Kimber leave it alone, otherwise shoot it and enjoy it.

[Majic]

Leave it stock. It's worth a premium over any other Kimber now. In the future it could be worth a lot more, but if you chop it then it will never reach collector status. Remember that not all collector specimens have to be NIB, but must be in original configuration.

[Jim Watson]

Don't turn a screw, it will be worth a lot more after you are dead.
Of course it will be illegal for your heirs to posess by the time it has appreciated much, so it won't do them much good.

[halvey]

Keep it stock. Coat it in grease. Lock it away. For sure never handle it without soft cotton gloves. :)

I quit working on collector cars and collecting books/comics/records etc because it was no fun just looking at something. As I started to amass guns, I said I'd never have that attitude again.

I look at guns are tools to launch a projectile down the range. I've sold off certain "collectible" guns for that same reason.

And this business of 'handing it down' to (instert name) is foolish IMO. My all time favorite gun is my dad's old single shot .410. It's worth about $80 in mint condition and it is certainly not mint. If he had a rare NIB Colt he hand me but never shot, who cares? There's no story. I got his gun that shot 100's of varmints and put countless meals on the table. He shot the heck out of it, so did I, and hopefully my kids will too.

[OldLawman]

If it isn't NIB, then do what you want with it. IMO, you'll be dead a long time before it will go up in real value. I've owned several, and think they're great; however, short of it being new in wrapper with original oil dripping off it, shoot it and enjoy ! Collector value on many guns is overstated - wait until you try and sell it. If you have to sell it, (as opposed to want to sell it), the collector's premium goes out the window.

[AZ Heat]

I say that if you are going to use the gun then modify and enjoy. The reason this gun is sought after is because Kimber set the new standards in quality with it. This makes it the perfect gun to customize. I don't see it as becoming a big collector's piece. I have a few Clackamas myself and although they are sought after by some, I haven't noticed an increase in price.