[Geordie]

My apologies to the Bard of Avon. I have an unfired, in the box, Colt Signature Series Walker. Should I shoot It? I am leaning towards doing so. Talk me out of it or encourage me!
Thanks,
Geordie

[mykeal]

It was designed and built to shoot, not sit in a box in a safe.

Shoot it. Clean it carefully and thoroughly. Oil it. Put it away.

Then get it out and repeat the above regularly.

This prescription does not expire and needs no refill. Just keep doing it over and over and over and over and over and over...

[pohill]

I have a Signature Series 1861 .36 Custer commemorative, unfired. I'm going through the same debate with myself. Since I have other (many other) shooters, I'll probably leave this one in the case.

[NobleSniper]

I had a unfired minty Colt series 70 (1976) about six years ago as well as a Colt Combat Commander (1976) which was equally as nice. I never shot it and never shot it and finally sold it before I shot it. To this day I can kick my dumb butt for not shooting it. I have one fierarm in my possession which I cannot shoot (a 1873 springfield made in 1875 I believe) which was passed down thru my wifes family which I cannot shoot due to a very small hairline crack in the receiver. If I cannot shoot it I don't need it. :D

[Old Fuff]

Pity the poor Old Fuff… ‘cuz he’s always on the wrong side of this argument.

Anyway, the Signature Series of Colt’s have become valuable because of the interest collectors have in them, but usually this is limited to those that are perfect and unfired.

If I were to come across one that had been fired I would conclude that much of the collector value had been lost, and cheerfully continue to shoot it.

On the other hand if I had one that was unfired, I’d sell to a collector for a considerable amount of small change, and use part of the money to buy a similar, but equal shooter made by Uberti. The rest of the money would go toward something else I wanted.

This is called, “having your cake and eating it too.” But to each his own.
;)

[alemonkey]

I'd have to agree with Old Fuff....I wouldn't shoot an unfired one, but I have no interest in owning guns I can't shoot, so I'd sell it to buy other toys.

[Olmontanaboy]

Shoot it. All the guns that I owned and didn't shoot now belong to someone else:mad: Aside from commemorative models, (I have no interest in them) I'd shoot them, you aint gonna retire on this one, even if you never handle it. Don't get me wrong I think it's it a very nice pistol.
A good friend once said to me while discussing whether or not to shoot an unfired second generation Colt pocket police I had: Who you savin it for Well I didn't listen and later traded it off, now someone else can decide:evil:

[Old Fuff]

I get a kick out of folks that say they must and will shoot everything they own, regardless of what shooting may do to the value. I have examined what were valuable antiques that were blown up because some idiot had to shoot them and used modern smokeless ammunition. :cuss: :banghead:

Anyway there is nothing wrong with buying guns exclusively to be used as shooters – so long as you buy the right guns for the purpose. However on occasion, if one has the knowledge to know what they are looking at, they may find in the obscure corner of a dealer’s showcase, something that’s priced as a shooter but really has a higher value as a collectable. :evil:

So should they buy it? Darn right!!! If they know what they are doing. Let me cite an example…

One day while surfing around gunbroker.com I discovered a .38 Colt Police Positive – chambered in .38 S&W, not the more popular .38 Special. It was being completely ignored by shooters, who presumed quite correctly that for the purposes they had in mind it was worthless. However when I checked the serial number I discovered that it was made during 1942, and was among the last produced. Wartime revolvers of this kind were very scarce, and most of those that were made were exported. This one hadn’t been, and it was brand new and unfired! :eek:

Since no one else bothered to bid I picked it up for a song, and the money it would bring from a collector could buy a substantially better shooter for a fraction of what it would usually cost. :scrutiny: :)

Most members of this forum wouldn’t do such a thing, as it would be too much bother. It’s easier to just dig down into their pocket, take out the plastic, and pay the dealer’s price for that “must have” toy in the case. This is O.K. of course, but the Old Fuff thinks he’s found a better way… ;)

[mykeal]

The difference between fired and unfired Signature Series guns is not worth the effort economically to keep it unfired. If you aren't going to shoot it, sell it now (it will NOT appreciate as fast as a good quality equity stock) and buy a gun you can shoot. Put the difference in a stock or even a CD.

[Ratdog68]

make a snobby elitist cry and show 'em their guns aren't worth any more than a well cared for working gun. :cool:

[billnpatti]

This is just my humble opinion on the matter but I have to side with Old Fuff. If you want a shooter, sell yours in unfired condition and take the money and buy a shooter (or maybe, even two shooters). It would be a shame to ruin the collector value on your gun just to hear it go bang. It's yours and you can do as you wish with it but my advice is to sell at a good price it while it is in unfired condition and go buy something that you can shoot. That's what I'd do if the gun were mine, but that is just me, you do as you wish.:)

[madcratebuilder]

I'm with Old Fuff about shooting a unfired collectible, but I'm not sure if I would classify 3rd gen Colts as collectible. I would shoot a 3rd gen Walker and I do shot a 2nd gen Walker.

You can find the 2nd and 3rd gens that have been fired for not that much more than it's new Italian counterpart, and they are a step above the Italians in quality.

I do have unfired 2nd gens and some High Standards that well remain unfired for now.

Olmontanaboy made a very good point, who am I saving it for? I know they well be sold when I'm gone, and I really doubt I'll care about what price they bring.


Shoot the sob. A lot.

[pohill]

I think the Signature Series are every bit as well made as the 2nd Generations, but prettier, though the 2nd Generations are more authentic.
The top one is unfired, the bottom one has been shot alot. I probably won't shoot the top one since I have shot the bottom one.
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m217/pohill/CopyofS4020001.jpg

[whosyrdaddy]

Sell it and buy this for $175.00. Click on the pic to go to the auction.

http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/136754000/136754752/pix169132828.jpg (http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=136754752)

[Das Jaeger]

They aint that nice anyway , its a darn gun , shoot it .
I wouldn't ever not shoot a Signature series , who cares , it aint some Tiffiny Silver plated $200,000.00 Colt , its a basic Sig Series , nothing special there .
If you had two identical then maybe it could be a saafe queen , but you don't, so shoot it .
Or send it to me for what it really is worth $399 like it costed new .

Das Jaeger

[theotherwaldo]

Hey, whosyrdaddy, Geordie can't buy that Walker 'cause I just did!

Thanks for the heads-up!

Walker club, here I come!!

[Ratdog68]

LOL theotherwaldo... I thougt about it... but, have one already. Congrats on snaggin' it up ! :D

[arcticap]

Should you shoot it?
It depends on how much you paid for it.
If you can afford to say good bye to the difference in value that you will lose by shooting it, then paying for the satisfaction is worth it.
But if you will feel bad about the amount of money lost, then don't.
I don't think that you'll be losing too much money unless you paid a lot for it.
But if you bought it at a good price some time ago, then the cost for a new shooter has basically caught up to its value enough to be able to shoot it and not feel bad about losing very much.
I encourage you to shoot it because I think that you really want to. And then you'll be among the few that can say that they actually did and enjoyed doing it just for the pleasure of it. :)

[sltm1]

I gotta agree with arcticap, if you bought it well, then enjoy shooting a piece of history. I bought a new, unfired or even turned 2nd Gen off GB last year for $425. It wasn't in the house over 24hrs before it was belching smoke and lead !! Something about it being a Colt-Colt just tickle's my "I was born a century too late", funny bone. That, plus I never buy a gun just to look at....'cept genuine antiques.

[Fingers McGee]

I gotta agree with arcticap, if you bought it well, then enjoy shooting a piece of history.

+1.

By all means, shoot it.

[Old Fuff]

I gotta agree with arcticap, if you bought it well, then enjoy shooting a piece of history.

Don't think ya' got much history there... :scrutiny:

Now on the other hand, my 1st generation Colt 1851 Navy, which was made in 1863, has a lot of history behind it.

And yes, I have shot it many times, but it wasn't anywhere near new or "like new" when I go it. If it had been it would still be unfired, and I could sell it for enough to retire... :) :) :)

But then I'm retired anyway. :D

[theotherwaldo]

Update - My $175 Walker SHOOTER should be in early next week.

My usual blurry pics will follow.

[pohill]

I have shot, and will shoot again, my originals (3 revolvers, 1 rifle).
Check out this auction: what would it have sold for if it had been fired? Hard to tell, but the "unfired" is a good selling point.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=136682118

[sharps59]

I have 2 sig. series 61 colt muskets my son and I shoot both of them.
Pistols sig. series by 2 shoot one save one. guys don't even want them if the cyl. been turned and show marks. H*@l they are not even made by colt.there euro arms or armi sports assembeled in the US by some one under lic. by colt.
on my colts every thing is metric.