Colt Agent - Post 1972

[Ala Dan]

Hello Members and Fans-

Just wondering which of these two would be the most valuable, and your
first choice~?

a) Late '72 or very early '73 HIGH POLISHED blue Colt Agent, all original
with beautiful factory Coltwood grips?

or b) an 80's model PARKERIZED Colt Agent, with smooth wood grips?

*Both have the Colt medallion embeded in the grips~!

 

[huntershooter]

Can't speak deffinitevly on value, but my choice would be the early 70's/blued Agent.

 

[heeler]

Clearly A.
Those things are getting pricey too.

 

[doc540]

can you post a pic of "A"?

I'd like to see a highly polished alloy frame.


And, yes, "A" will usually bring the most money.

 

[WC145]

Definitely the blued one. I just bought this parkerized Agent a week ago and only gave $225 + tax. It looked like it may have been unfired (or it was until Saturday), probably somebody's sock drawer gun. I got a great deal but if you check gunbroker the parkerized guns don't bring all that much more than that. Plus, the blued gun you're looking at will be much better finished, the parked guns are very rough on the outside. Internally they're fine, with nice actions, but they didn't put much effort into cleaning up the machining marks.

Luckily, you can't really lose if the prices are right because either way you go you're going to get a great shooting little gun.

 

[heeler]

WC145 if you bought that pistol that cheap then you got a steal even if it is the parkerized version.
You could practically resell for double.

 

[Old Fuff]

Colt's big problem was that the original 1908 design used in the Agent, as well as other models required highly skilled, hand fitted assembly. As time went by this sort of handwork got more and more expensive in terms of labor costs, and Colt's management tried to cut back on it. This was one of the many bad mistakes they made because it impacted on the quality of they're products on one hand, but still left them with a too-high for the market retail price.

If all things are equal, always buy the earlier gun.

 

[RickMD]

I recently sold a mid 70's, high polished, unfired Agent on Gunbroker for $595 if that's of any help.

 

[Guillermo]

earlier almost always equals better with Colt revolvers

 

[ColtPythonElite]

The early gun is far superior to the 80's gun when it comes to fit and finish....However, I have one of the 80's guns that I sure like to carry around in my front pocket.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

The older blued one would be more valuable as a collector. The parkerized/rough ones were made toward the end of the production life, as a cost-cutting measure.

 

[doc540]

I'm certainly no D frame expert, but it's my understanding that the Agent alloy frames weren't actually "blued" like the cylinders and barrels.

I've owned several, and the one I carry definitely has frame finish different than the steel barrel and cylinder.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I'd go with the blued Agent.

Every parkerized Agent I've ever seen had fitment issues with their sideplate

 

[bannockburn]

Definitely go with Model (A).

I had one of those cost-cutting parkerized Agents in the mid '80's and it was terrible. The matte finish (if you could call it that), was very thin in places and was unevenly applied throughout the whole gun. The smooth wood grips were very rough and were poorly fitted to the frame. The cylinder crane asssembly was so misaligned that the cylinder got wedged into the forcing cone of the barrel after 5 rounds. Not one of Colts best efforts back then and certainly not worth having today.

 

[Ala Dan]

Many thanks guy's for the quick replies; as your opinions are always
treasured. As of right now, I am unable to post pics of my Colt Agent;
as described in sub heading a~! I will go as far to tell you all that I got
in this gem for only $120 out-of-the-pocket; as bought from a lil' old
man whose wife wanted all guns out of the house~!

 

[Guillermo]

$120...should have bought BOTH!!!

 

[WC145]

$120...should have bought BOTH!!!

+1!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Guillermo]

Dan is no rookie...

I am sure he had to choose

 

[doc540]

 

[Ala Dan]

Actually, these two Colt Agent's were different transactions fella's~! I got mine
[the highly polished blued model] long before (2-1/2 years, maybe ?), before
ever seeing the parkerized model I mentioned. BTW, the [very rough] park
model sold for $299 + 10% sales tax; whereas my gun was only $120 OTD,
lock, stock, and barrel~!