New pretty and the dilemma that came with it

[hawg]

Okay, I'll admit to being uncertain about this; watched the video, which was fun and informative.
My understanding; the earliest 2nd generation 'Colts' were mostly made here, and will legitimately letter as a Colt. I have a '52 Navy; gun show find, never fired. It would letter as an actual Colt.
Again, my understanding, later 2nd gens are mostly made across the pond, and won't letter. There is perhaps a difference in nomenclature that I'm ignoring.
Which takes us back to the OP's question; would his gun letter?
And if I'm wrong about this, certainly feel free to sort me out.
Moon

Second gen were assembled and finished here by Colt with Uberti parts and will letter. Collectors consider them to be real Colt's. Third gen were assembled here using Uberti parts by a company called Colt Black Powder Arms Co.. However they had no affiliation with Colt. They simply bought the license from Colt to use their name and logo. Colt will not letter them and collectors do not consider them to be real Colt's.

 

[C Younger]

Second gen were assembled and finished here by Colt with Uberti parts and will letter. Collectors consider them to be real Colt's. Third gen were assembled here using Uberti parts by a company called Colt Black Powder Arms Co.. However they had no affiliation with Colt. They simply bought the license from Colt to use their name and logo. Colt will not letter them and collectors do not consider them to be real Colt's.

This was my understanding as well

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Dang. Owning a gun not to shoot it. Well I guess the Widow might make fifty bucks off it after one is dead. Shoot the dang thing. If one is really actually into "investment" and turning a profit in five or ten years, buying an original Colt 1860 would provide a much greater return. And, you could probably shoot it, depending on condition, without de-valuing it.

So yeah, don't salt it away and get a Pietta to shoot, shoot it and invest in an original Colt, and salt it away. Your widow/estate/kids will make a much better profit. !!!

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Okay, I'll admit to being uncertain about this; watched the video, which was fun and informative.
My understanding; the earliest 2nd generation 'Colts' were mostly made here, and will legitimately letter as a Colt. I have a '52 Navy; gun show find, never fired. It would letter as an actual Colt.
Again, my understanding, later 2nd gens are mostly made across the pond, and won't letter. There is perhaps a difference in nomenclature that I'm ignoring.
Which takes us back to the OP's question; would his gun letter?
And if I'm wrong about this, certainly feel free to sort me out.
Moon

I may be wrong, but I think what you refer to as "mostly made here" is the Italians sending the parts, and Colt finishing them up. Letter or not, it's still mostly and Italian gun. ? So "letter" or not, any serious/knowledgeable collector would not really consider it a true Colt, and that would devalue it. ?

 

[hawg]

I may be wrong, but I think what you refer to as "mostly made here" is the Italians sending the parts, and Colt finishing them up. Letter or not, it's still mostly and Italian gun. ? So "letter" or not, any serious/knowledgeable collector would not really consider it a true Colt, and that would devalue it. ?

Colt bought the rough castings from Uberti for the 2nd gens and finished them in house. Colt warranted them and will letter them is why they're considered true Colt's. Colt didn't have anything to do with the manufacture of the 3rd gens, didn't warranty them and wont/cant letter them is why they're not considered true colt's.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Yeah, I watched the video after I posted. !! However, according to the video, (Mike's) they didn't finish them in house, but rather another company that I forgot, did it for Colt. So it does seem to me, still, that they really can't be considered "true" Colts...even though they can be "lettered" and some do consider them "true" Colts, on a very specific, technical basis. Boy I hope that made sense. It seems to me that in the future, when pricing such guns, a serious collector will not consider it a true colt. Again, hope that made sense. Or maybe I should say, it all depends on who's doing the considering.

 

[hawg]

Yeah, I watched the video after I posted. !! However, according to the video, (Mike's) they didn't finish them in house, but rather another company that I forgot, did it for Colt. So it does seem to me, still, that they really can't be considered "true" Colts...even though they can be "lettered" and some do consider them "true" Colts, on a very specific, technical basis. Boy I hope that made sense. It seems to me that in the future, when pricing such guns, a serious collector will not consider it a true colt. Again, hope that made sense. Or maybe I should say, it all depends on who's doing the considering.

Fingers McGee can tell you more about which series was made where. I doubt anybody knows more about second gens than he does,