Colt's rollermark

[eflatminor]

I have my eye on a 70's era Model 70 Colt, blued and practically unfired. I'm looking for the right platform to have a customer carry gun build...something very nice to my specs. The only thing that is of concern about this particular pistol is the rollermark is not well defined. It looks uneven and shallow. Is this normal? Is it possible for my pistolsmith to enhance that cool logo and wording on the slide?

 

[rcmodel]

Colt roll-markings vary quite a bit. It's a big old prancing horse there, and some are deeper then others. And some slides are harder then others.

I have two old Colt Woodsman dating back before WWII.
One is very deep & distinct, and another one is shallow and not so well defined.

My 1952 made 1911-A1 is fairly shallow, and another SAA is very deep! They stamp SAA's before the frame is case-hardened though.

Unless it has been buffed off during a re-blue, I wouldn't worry about it being a real Colt.

I suppose an engraver or Doug Turnbull (but not your gunsmith) could redo it, but it wouldn't be cheap, or the same!


rcmodel

 

[NORTEXED]

My Combat Commander is light on the left end (of right side markings), and heavier on the end of the roll. I wish it weren't, but oh well, I still love it and would never part with it (bought new in 1978 for $185.00).

 

[CWL]

Can you field strip this pistol? When checking out the quality of an original series 70 pistol, you need to make sure it isn't one of the crappy ones that Colt was pushing out the door.

Take a look at the barrel lugs machined into the underside of the slide. They should be at crisp right angles, but some of the "bad" Colts had bad rounded cuts. Bad lugs means bad barrel lock-up and an inaccurate pistol.