Colt Ace

[FPrice]

My FFL just took in a bunch of used handguns. One of them is a Colt .22lr ACE, serial number SM29,xxx. My copy of R. L. Wilson's Colt serial number book only goes to 1945 and sn SM13803. Does anyone have an idea when this one may have been manufactured?

It has one minor problem (other than being very dirty). The rear edge of the slide stop notch in the slide is peened (?). There is a small but noticeable burr rising at the bottom corner. Can this be fixed easily?

Because of the general condition if this pistol I am thinking about offering $400 for it. I wonder if this is a reasonable offer considering the general condition and the problem I mentioned above.

 

[TonyT]

Cannot help you with the exact date of manufacture for serial numbers in the 29000 range. Hoiwever I once owned one of the late 1960's or early 1970's production service models which had a serial number SM17XXX.
Tony

 

[FPrice]

Tony,

I posted the same question over in the Gunsmithing section and got some more information:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=169074

 

[1911 guy]

Memory is fuzzy

I can't remember when exactly, but not too long ago G&A did a "Classic Test" on the Ace. Gave it good eviews, IIRC. I don't remember at all what they stated the value at. I won't even hazzard a guess. I would imagine that if the peening is not outrageous amounts, it should be fixable.