Appraising a customized Colt M1991A1...

[Jech]

A buddy of mine is hard up for cash and is looking to sell off his Colt M1991A1 Series 80 that he has heavily customized (he's been through gunsmithing school but doesn't do it for a living). Trying to put a figure on this handgun has been really difficult...even the local gunsmith kinda scratched his forehead a little bit. Here's what he's got...

Essentially, every single component on it has been replaced and upgraded in one way or another including the frame. It has full Ed Brown internals which have fully tuned...the trigger has ZERO creep or overtravel with an extremely light pull. Extended beavertail and thumbsafety, extended mag release, skeletonized hammer, frontstrap checkering, Novak sights, full length guide rod with a 20lb spring, Heavy (bull) match barrel from Barsto, tigerstripe maple grips he custom made himself, and more. He really tuned the slide/frame contact points to the point of lapping the slide's rail grooves and frame's slide rails extensively. This thing shoots like a dream, let there be no doubt!

He's asking $900 and will throw in five stainless 7-round Pachmayr magazines with rubber bump pads, and a Bianchi pancake holster. When we first talked about it, he was thinking $600 but needed to research it a little bit....after seeing new Colt M1991A1 Series 80 pistols going for $900 new, he came up to that number. I have not counter offered yet. What do you guys think a rough estimate would be for this pistol?

 

[mgmorden]

If he's replaced the frame then I'd no longer consider it a Colt. Tis a "Frankenpistol" at this point. Sounds like a very well put together and tuned Frankenpistol though.

Really, without him being a "name brand" gunsmith, the gun is worth whatever you can get someone to pay for it. I know that's hard if you're looking to buy it yourself and give him a fair shake, but one-off's are notoriously hard to put a firm price on. Auctions really tend to show what the market is willing to pay, but that doesn't seem to be an option here.

 

[Gordon]

the frame was lapped not replaced ? Any way IF it functions 100% then it sounds well worth the money. An $1800 pistol for 1/2 price!

 

[Jim Watson]

If it does indeed shoot like a dream (= accurate and 100% reliable with your chosen ammo) then it is probably worth $900.

Will he give you a guarantee on the work he did to it?
If that hair trigger wears out, you will need help.

 

[ProCarryNAustin]

the frame was lapped not replaced ? Any way IF it functions 100% then it sounds well worth the money. An $1800 pistol for 1/2 price!

Heck of a deal if it is the original frame, nice Frankenpistol if it is not.

 

[Jech]

The frame and slide are the original pieces, having the Colt serial numbers and stamping, however, both components have been modified and tuned to a high degree. On the outside, they retain a very "factory" appearence but operate at a much higher level.

Hopefully, I'll have a chance to shoot some of my cast handloads through it tonight and see how it digests them.

Thanks ~ Jech

 

[xr1200]

$600 would be a fair price

 

[MICHAEL T]

But he is a unknowned gunsmith school or not . We can't judge his work as good or bad
I would offer $600 . Doesn't matter what new Colts sell for or how much money he put in pistol. Now if Wilson or Brown had done work and he had papers to that effect Then I would consider more money.

My carry Colt Defender has all Wilson trigger parts I have a Jeweled , barrel, hammer, and trigger , Oh I almost forgot custom grips by Lilly. Want to pay me $900 That's approx what a Defender MSRP is. Its a shooter also.
I have carried a 1911 since 1967, and I really did stay in the Holiday Inn this week end. That alone with work should make it worth 900.

 

[Chindo18Z]

No matter that the parts are good and the work competent. Your friend is a home gunsmith and there is no particular retail demand for his work. He's doing a private distress sale as opposed to advertising his gun smithing work on the open market.

He originally thought $600 but now wants $900 for a no-longer stock Colt.

Split the difference and offer $750. It's a fair price for a friend's weapon, especially as you are certain as to that particular pistol's accuracy & function (and he is throwing in the accessories).

 

[KodiakBeer]

I'm reminded of people who put an extra 5k in their pickup truck - tow package, fog lights, bed lining, chrome wheels, window tints, sound, etc, then expect to get an extra 5k when they try to sell it. Those people are usually very disappointed.

 

[Trebor]

As a general rule you never get as much money out of pistol that has been gunsmithed as you put in.

For this specific deal, hard to say. He may or may not get $900 if he puts it up for sale generally. I kind of doubt it, but you never know. He isn't a known smith so I don't hink it will add much value for a general buyer. How much is it worth to you to get *this* particular pistol?