Does this Colt Serial Nr tell me anything?

[ulflyer]

Talked with a guy I know who said he has a Colt Commander MK IV serial
FA038**E, blued in excellent condition, with white grips, no box. I'm going to look at it next week to discuss a trade.

I'm guessing that its a Series 80, but does that serial provide any more info, and ballpark idea of value?

 

[MICHAEL T]

Call Colt and give serial number that will at least give year made and a place to start

 

[Steve C]

The "E" at the end of the serial should indicate and Enhanced model, at least my 1980 series enhance has the E on the end of its serial. Could be mistaken though.

The enhanced model has flared ejection port, relieved trigger guard, chamfered chamber, beaver tail grip safety, 3 dot sights, elongated rounded hammer and mat flat top strap solid sighting plane.

 

[bannockburn]

ulflyer

I believe the FA letter prefix was for the Colt Officers Model ACP, introduced in 1984. It is slightly smaller, more compact (shorter slide and barrel and grip frame) than the Colt Commander. I have also seen the SFA letter prefix on stainless steel versions of the Officers Model.

If it is a Commander (lightweight aluminum frame), made during the late 1970s and early 1980s then it would have a letter prefix of CLW, 70SC, FC, or FL. The Combat Commander (steel frame), would have the prefix of 70BS or 80BS.

Colt Officers Model ACP:

 

[ulflyer]

I think you're right; I found an Officers on GB that had an FA prefix. Really curious now what I will find tomorrow. Owner said it was a nice blue with white grips. No telling what it may be. Will post pics if I go thru with the trade.

 

[ulflyer]

Pics of Colt Officer "Enhanced"

Picked it up this afternoon and it has the enhanced features mentioned above with nice bluing on slide and frame, with faint idiot mark. The white grips have the Colt logo but have no idea if they are original or not. Am sort of thinking they are, this being an "enhanced" model. Squirted a bit of oil on the rails and barrel bulge and fired off two mags off my back porch. One set was round nose, the other round nose flat point. Everything worked as it should. Will have to look up instructions on field stripping as I want to give it a good cleaning, oiling, light grease on rails. I'd like to find out its manf date; will Colt provide that free? Being that its an 80 series it can't be very old.

If anyone has an idea of value, I'd apprec some input. Being all steel, its probably heavier than I want to carry. If so, I might put it up for sale.

Apologies for poor pics. I lighten them up, crop, etc, but when loaded here they go back to the original. Techie stuff is not my thing.

 

[bannockburn]

ulflyer

Looks nice; I even like the faux pearl grips with the Colt medallion on them along with the bright blue finish. I have seen similar type grips on some of the bright polished stainless Officers Models as well. The bluing is fairly well done and doesn't show much in the way of wear or holster time. Having a steel frame does make it a bit heavier but helps to take away some of the felt recoil and with a quality holster and belt it could make for a decent CCW. Looking online prices vary quite a bit but I would think a starting point somewhere around $600 (and up), would be a fair consideration for this particular Officers Model.