Gold Cup Elite trade decision help

[testdepth]

I own a Colt Gold Cup Elite National Match .45. According to Colt this gun is one of 750 made and manufactured in 1988. I have been offered one of these as a trade and know nothing about each of them:

Colt New Agent stamped 100s Service Compact .45

Kimber Pro TLE II .45

S&W Lew Horton Pro Series Compact 1911

Can somebody that has greater experience with these guns give me their opinion as to which of these you would choose and why?.



JD

 

[surjimmy]

I think the one you have will retain it's value more then any of the others. Go over to 1911forum.com go to the Colt section and post this question and put ATT "dsk" he is very knowledgeable.

 

[cpirtle]

The same gun is listed on Gunbroker, is that yours for sale? If not, that guy seems to think it's north of $1200, and it would not suprise me. Colt collectors are a unique bunch and will pay top dollar for a nice or rare older one.

I'm not a Colt specialist or anything but your gun is worth at least as much as the guns you have listed, more than likely considerably more.

Your gun is already "collectible", the others have a way to go and I seriously doubt Kimbers will ever reach collector status until guns are banned

With that said value is in the eye of the beholder, if I wanted the Colt gone, did not have the means to sell it for top dollar myself and wanted the Colt or S&W I was offered I'd do it. Since none of that is true of me, I would sell it for as much as I could get via a $1 start, no reserve auction on Gunbroker and then go buy what I wanted. My hunch is you will be getting into a new lower end Dan Wesson or used Les Baer pricing.

FWIW, the S&W is the nicest of the three you have listed. The New Agent is a nice pistol but unless it's the Talo edition most people I know cannot get acclimated to the gutter sight. I'll have tree roots growing from my rear end before I spend another dime of my money on a Kimber.

 

[testdepth]

I saw one like mine for sale on GUNSAMERICA for over $1200.

I did list mine on Gunbroker at auction with no buy it now because like I said I have not been able to value it. My local gun store wouldn't even give me a value because he couldn't find it in his book. I guess i will know the value when the highest bidder wins it.

Thanks for the suggestions. I had thought the same about comparable value on the guns I mentioned.

There seems to be allot of Kimber hate out there in the gun world, lol.

SURJIMMY: I thought about posting on the 1911 forum as you suggested but I read their rules and apparently just posing a question like that over there is their definition of "selling a gun" and you will get booted for it.

Thanks again

JD

 

[psyopspec]

There seems to be allot of Kimber hate out there in the gun world, lol.

It's not that I hate Kimber. It's just that I bought three of their pistols over the years and none worked with consistent reliability. Since I like guns that work, I got rid of them and will never buy another one. Nothing personal/emotional about it. I just have higher expectations after paying that much money for a pistol.

 

[PRM]

I've sold and traded guns, always regretted most in the long run. If you have something that would be hard to replace - KEEP IT.

 

[cpirtle]

I did list mine on Gunbroker at auction with no buy it now because like I said I have not been able to value it

It takes a leap of faith but in my opinion the only true way to determine the value of a firearm when you're not sure is to start them low (under $100) with no reserve and let them run their course. The market will tell you what it's worth. I have sold over 50 firearms on Gunbroker over the years using that method and have only been disappointed once, even then it was only by $50 or so. I have actually seen guns sell for more using the method above while identical guns have a buy it now for less money, bidding frenzy at the end.

I have had a few Kimbers over the years with varying results. After having one that went back for repairs 3 times unresolved the service manager told me I was crazy and basically to stop sending the gun in ($1000 Kimber Super America 22). So I sold both of my 1911's and the SA. Since that time I have seen no less than 6 Kimbers go down at the range or in matches due to the MIM parts. My buddy's .40 went through 4 ejectors in 3 years, I finally told him to install a non-Kimber part and it's been fine since. Lipstick on a pig IMO.

 

[testdepth]

Mr. Pirtle,

I see what you are saying about Gunbroker. People are really funny that way. Everyone is always trying to beat the other guy even if they win by a penny.

I did not know Kimbers were that unreliable. It sounds like you wouldn't trust your life or the lives of your family to a Kimber. Lipstick on a pig! lol

By the way do you have a pricelist for the items on your website?

JD

 

[psyopspec]

It sounds like you wouldn't trust your life or the lives of your family to a Kimber.

Nope. I couldn't even get it to run right for a gun game so let alone anything that's actually serious. Especially when I could get 2 Glocks for the same price, or a Springfield 1911 and a couple hundred rounds.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I'd rather have the Gold Cup than anything on that list.

 

[surjimmy]

Thats not true, there are tons of people including me that has asked the value of a gun with no problems. You can ask, it will be alright.

 

[gunnutter]

I've sold and traded guns, always regretted most in the long run. If you have something that would be hard to replace - KEEP IT.

+1 That is the truth.

 

[cpirtle]

Thanks for the inquiry, I don't have prices online becuase everything I do is custom and made to order, email me with what you are interested in and I can provide pricing. My holsters start at $60-65 depending on style and go from there based on options.

I am thinking about adding "base" pricing to my site though, at least for holsters.

As for the Kimbers, I think they make a good gun but just not at the price point they ask and get for them. It also irks me that moving up in price does not get you better parts/fitting or triggers, just more bling until you get to their custom shop. Even then the parts are fitted but still the same MIM parts used in their production guns. That combined with my poor customer service experiences keeps me from giving them my money.

All that said, I think you are getting excellent advice here. You have to decide if the Colt is sentimental, if so you may regret selling. If you know it's not then you can get a more refined 1911 for what the Colt is worth if you play your cards right.