1911 (Frankengun) - Trying to help someone out.

[Fergy35]

I have been talking with someone that is trying to sell a 1911. It was advertised as an excellent condition Colt 1911. First off, I am pretty new to the vast array of 1911's out there (guns in general for that matter). When I got there to look at it, I found it to be a mixture of a Colt slide and barrel on an Essex fram with a Bomar sight on top of the slide (attached to the full length of the slide). I looks like it was stored somewhere damp. Not terrible rust but quite a bit of surface rust. Some worse under the Bomar.

I have not seen slide marking like this (doesn't mean much considering my experience). The slide has "Colt Manufacturing..." on the right side but nothing on the left except for what I assume to be a serial #. The barrel says it is a series 70. The frame said Essex. Standard spur hammer, arched main spring housing, adjustable aluminum trigger. Standard grip safety. The bore sill looks quite good and the slide to frame fit seems OK.

Now for the trying to help out part. The guy has some pretty serious medical issues and needs money fairly bad. When I said I was not very interested due to the condition he tried very hard to get me to make an offer. He seemed ready to take about anythig.

I don't want to take advantage of him and I don't want to dump good money on a turd, but I feel like I should try to help this guy. He was asking $400 for it. What do you guys think something like this would be worth based on this description?

 

[SoCalShooter]

Sounds like a project gun.

Here is essex's website.
www.essexarms.com/

 

[armoredman]

It comes down to not the sidearm, but your friend. How much can you part with for something that may or may not be a turd? Is he a good man who needs help that you can give? Can you help without hurting yourself? Just what I would think of right now.

 

[Fergy35]

Amoredman

Yeah, that's what's been eating at me. I kinda figure I'll end up with it if nobody else is interested. Sounds like the money would be a huge help to him at this point.

 

[BADUNAME13]

Ask him if you can take it to the range.

Is it surface rust (No pitting?)

If it functions fine, with no pitting I'd pay ~$400.

 

[MarshallDodge]

Ask him if you can take it to the range.

Ditto.

The way I always look at a gun purchase is "what if I have to sell it tomorrow?" If you don't think you can get your money back quickly then it's probably not that good of a deal. A gun like that has a limited market so it may take you a while to sell it.

 

[Logan5]

What kind of rust are we talking about? Spots, or is the gun brown and pitted?

 

[KC&97TA]

Been in the same situation, picked up a Rem 870 20ga for $250 to help a friend... it's a great gun, but I have no real use for it and it's a plain jane ugly shotty.

Back to the Topic; there aren't too many 1911's to be had for $400, as long as the Essex frame hasn't been butchered with a dremel, most likely you could have it cleaned up and add some mod's to it for less than $200. I've seen others buy parts kits for about $180 and add and Essex frame, which sounds about what the pistol you described is, minus the Bomar.

On the other side of the coin, it's always good to have a gun around that wasn't transfered on paper, cough, cough. For $400, I'd take it off his hands.

 

[BigO01]

I would tell him I needed to take it out and shoot it before deciding and if he agrees I would pick up 50 rounds of Ball ammo and 20 rounds of good defensive stuff like Golden Sabers or Gold Dots .

I would then field strip , clean it and oil it and see if it ran through all 70 rounds without a stoppage .

If it did I would offer him $325-375 for it as it is rusted and has an Essex frame .

I bought a new Daly a couple of years ago for $370 or so after tax and can still buy Daly's and RIA's new for about $370-500 without rust .

It is nice to help people , but if it is a POS in the end you will be stuck with it and feel like a fool .

 

[crankshop1000]

Dumb question here from a newbie 1911 owner...Why would this "frankengun" in it's current condition be worth more than a RIA, SA or the other clones are new? Thanks-Chuck.

 

[Fergy35]

The rust appears

to only be surface rust. I did not see anything that looked like pitting.

Does anyone know anything about a Colt slide that would be marked that way? There is nothing on the left side except a 7 or 8 digit number. The right side has "Colt Manufacturing...".

By the way, thanks for all the input.

 

[Jim Watson]

Does that number start 779...?

If so, it is a military replacement slide that happens to have been made by Colt instead of a less well known contractor.

Bigtime parts gun, whose only value is in the shooting.

With a Bomar rib, there is the possibility the gun was set up as a bullseye target pistol. But the slide would have been fitted tight to the receiver and the barrel tight in the slide. That might make it worth $400.

 

[wally]

If you can afford to help a friend in need with $400-500 even if its a total turd you still get to help a friend and let him keep his pride intact.

When I got divorced, some friends bought my computers for top dollar, it helped me a lot at the time, and they got free tech support for life. There was never any doubt that in six months they could buy a better computer for less.

--wally.