Collect them- or shoot the things?

[Benmathes]

So I've spent lots of time and money buying BP collections, then selling them- make a little- lose a little- but fun. Now- found an unfired 2nd Gen 3rd Model Dragoon- keep it or shoot it- got a set of Ampco's for it- ordered a holster from El Paso... not too late

or heck with it and shoot 'em all? Love your thoughts!

 

[klutchless]

If you shoot it you will never sell it.I found that out very rapidly trying out a pietta shot it once and instant love.Forever mine she will be.

 

[Fingers McGee]

If it is NIB with papers, it is a collectible. If it's just an unfired 2nd Gen revolver, it's a shooter.

 

[Busyhands94]

let me put it this way, i wouldn't purchase a firearm i didn't intend to shoot. it's just not all that practical to me. if i were you I'd get out there and make some smoke once and a while. it's fun!

 

[arcticap]

I visited an out of town gun shop last week and they had two 2nd Generation 3rd Model Dragoons that they said were refurbished. They were used but just seeing their exterior in the glass display they looked almost like new. The manager said that they were either refurbished at the Colt factory, by a licensed Colt gunsmith or by a Colt factory gunsmith, I don't remember which exactly. Their cost was $500 each plus tax, but I thought that the claim of being refurbished was sort of unusual.
Has anyone ever heard of a factory refurbished Colt Dragoon?
Was Colt offering repair or refurbishing services for them at one time?
I guess that I could always call to ask him for details and about whether there was any supporting documentation.
He had an appraisal sheet for every used gun in the shop from the gunsmith who inspects them and makes notes.
While the previous owner apparently fired these two Dragoons, someone else might still want to own them for a purpose other than being a shooter, like for display or as a lower grade collectible.

 

[ElvinWarrior]

In My Humble Oppinion...

Buying a Black Powder gun, and not shooting it... Would be about like buying a fine vintage sports car and never driving it...

What would be the point ???

Sincerely,

ElvinWarrior... aka... David, "EW"

 

[Legionnaire]

I have a couple of guns I haven't shot ... yet. BP or otherwise, I only purchase guns I intend to shoot. I looked for a long time for a Ruger SP101 in 9mm, and finally found one new-in-box with all the papers. As Fingers McGee notes, it was a "collectible." So much so I couldn't bring myself to shoot it; so I sold it and bought something I would shoot.

Sounds to me like you are a bit of a collector. Guess you have to decide if you think there is more value in the gun "as is" or if you'd get more value out of it by shooting it. And only you can make that call!

 

[pohill]

I have a Custer Commemorative 1861 .36 Signature Series that is unfired and will stay that way while I own it. They're kinda rare and someday it'll pay for an original that I want to buy and shoot. I shoot or have shot all my other repros and originals.
Well, except this one - an original Remington-Beals .36 that I don't think I'll shoot.

 

[Noz]

I have an original 1851 made in 1862. It has some barrel erosion at the back end. I tried to get it together to shoot but had some severe trouble with finding a trigger/bolt spring. At the moment, she is laying in pieces waiting for another urge to come along.

 

[robhof]

We have a local CAS shooter that competes with a pair of original Peacemakers. I also only collect shooters, but knowing the value of antique Colts and the cost of repair, I'd be hard pressed to shoot those, He does drive a Lincoln truck to the events and can probably afford the upkeep on those pistols.

 

[makos_goods]

I have an original 1851 made in 1862. It has some barrel erosion at the back end. I tried to get it together to shoot but had some severe trouble with finding a trigger/bolt spring. At the moment, she is laying in pieces waiting for another urge to come along.

Noz,
A Uberti spring will work fine in that revolver. I'll bet a Pietta will as well. I know for a fact the 1860 Uberti trigger/bolt spring will work in the originals and the 1851 isn't any different. I measured a lot of the parts when modeling the '60s and '51s. Are there any other parts lacking?

~Mako

 

[sltm1]

pohill, you know the deal.....anything you don't want to shoot send me, I'll knock the "new" off it for you. LOL

 

[YumaKid]

In My Humble Oppinion...

Buying a Black Powder gun, and not shooting it... Would be about like buying a fine vintage sports car and never driving it...

What would be the point ???

I align myself with EW's reply.
In classic cars, especially 'Pony Cars' and 'Musclecars' there are "Drivers" and there are "Trailer Queens". The "Trailer Queens" arrive in enclosed trailers to the show field, are pushed carefully out of the trailers, and driven (or even pushed) to their display areas. "Drivers" are driven to the show (might have something to do with the category's name ); and announce their presence sometimes in a cloud of smoke; ALWAYS with a roar.

Hey wait, BP weapons do the same as "drivers". Coincidence? I think NOT!

 

[Jaymo]

It's like paying for a prostitute and just snuggling with her.
There are some originals I won't shoot. But if they are in good shooting condition, and you take good care of them, I say shoot them.
Cars were made to be driven. Guns were made to be driven. Hookers were made to be, uh, driven. Yeah, that's it.

No, I don't utilize the services of prostitutes. I have a wife, and she costs more than any hooker ever could.

Serious question. Who were the 2nd and 3rd generation Colt BP revolvers made by? You know, the fairly recently manufactured ones. Were they made by Colt, or were they made in Italy?

Collect or shoot? Short answer is-yes. Buy a bunch of them and shoot them.
I plan on enjoying mine and letting my heirs worry about resale value.

 

[Skinny 1950]

Replace the original nipples with Ampco's then shoot it and at the same time become famous, that way all your stuff becomes valuable. A gun with "Provenance" is always worth more than one without. This is in no way suggesting that you do something stupid or dangerous to become famous or more like infamous the point is, a gun owned by some big General in some big war is worth a lot more than one that never saw action.

 

[Malckom]

I agree with Jaymo. Shoot them and enjoy them while your alive. Most likely the wife and kids will sell them after your gone and everyone looses in the end!

 

[pohill]

Let's say you shoot an unfired gun worth $800. It goes boom and the price drops.
Or you could shoot two or three repros worth a total of $800 that'll shoot as well.
How does that compare to hookers or cars and trucks? Maybe if they had not been driven (or ridden)...
Down the road, if I see a gun that I really want, I have something to trade for it.

 

[Jaymo]

I wouldn't fire an unfired original, if I had one. Or maybe I would. I could never put as much wear into one as it would have received through 150 years of use and neglect. I would fire an unfired repro.
Is the 2nd Gen 3rd Dragoon a real Colt or is it an Italian made repro?

 

[arcticap]

Is the 2nd Gen 3rd Dragoon a real Colt or is it an Italian made repro?

They're collected as real Colts and are eligible to be lettered by Colt. Even though in part they were built under license, they're closer to being real than any other C&B's having the Colt logo on them since the originals.
Real Colt are two 4 letter words that do have more intrinsic value than the Italian made reproductions.

 

[Jaymo]

I'll shoot the heck out of my Eye-talian Piettas and enjoy them while I can.
If I had a cherry original, I'd probably sell it. Though it would be fun to fondle it every now and then.

 

[junkman_01]

Jaymo,

That's ITALIAN not Eye-talian. Stop disparaging MY people. I don't like it!

 

[Noz]

Mako I've tried them both with no luck. I think the Uberti mighy work with a little love. the spring that was in the gun was a hand made one, probably by a local black smith.

 

[brushhippie]

Im thinking SHOOT them. Just shot my "new" unfired 1986 model Walker....WOW!! and that was with 40gr.... soon full loads (Im low on powder)

 

[Jaymo]

Junkman,

I'm also Italian and am not so easily offended as you. You shouldn't be so hypersensitive about it. Guess you can't watch All in the Family without getting angry. Better not watch reruns of the Jeffersons or Sanford and Son, either.
I'm not diaparaging you bu saying Eyetalian. It's just a common mispronunciation of the word Italian.
Go have a couple shots of Sambuca. You'll feel better. Perhaps a good table wine.

 

[junkman_01]

I AM sensitive about, and I am not a dago or a wop!