NIB, Colt 1911 WWI Reproduction-worth $1,100?

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slick6

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Colt 1911 WWI Reproduction questions:

1)I have a chance to buy a NIB, Colt 1911 Reproduction for $1,100, and I'd like to know if this price is worth it to have to pay for this gun(Or, not?)? :what:

2)Would this be a poor investment, to buy this gun only as a collectible(Or, is there much chance for this gun to appreciate in value over the next 3 or 4 years(For example))? :confused:

3)Although I live in CA and therefore these WWI Colt 1911 reproductions are not legal for sale here(As a New gun)this particular specimen, would be a legal PPT(Private Party Transfer)! :neener:

4)Please give your opinions regarding the above-and add any other information that you might like? :D :uhoh:
 
2)Would this be a poor investment, to buy this gun only as a collectible(Or, is there much chance for this gun to appreciate in value over the next 3 or 4 years(For example))?
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I don't buy a gun for it to sit there. I couldn't stop myself from shooting it. :D

But for the price check www.auctionarms.com www.gunbroker.com www.gunsamerica.com .

In Cali where you can not buy this gun new, then I see it going up in value over time.
 
I paid $999 for one about year ago (SN 21xx) and have not had one regret. It's got a good trigger, handles well and shoots straight too. I like the sights a lot and haven't been hammer-bit yet, although it's nipped my dad once or twice.

I spotted mine the day the dealer received it and liked it so much that I pretty much said I'd take it before he wrote the price on the tag. He almost made me swear I'd buy it before he'd let me dry fire it once because at that point the slide had only been pulled once to verify it was empty. The first one he sold only lasted a day or two on the shelf, so I knew he wasn't going to deal on the one I bought. It's only money after all and I like the way they follow us around the store saying "Here, look at this. And this. And this." :)

Will they increase substantially in price? Maybe in California, but I wouldn't count on any great increase elsewhere in the near future because they're still making them.

John
 
Investment? Unlikely.

Any invetment that appreciates just 6% a year will double in value in 12 years. But inflation (2% - 5% some years) eats up the buying power of such investments. Most guns don't come close to that, and if you figure in inflation, they do much worse.

I don't know how many guys I've talked to who have bragged about their guns doubling in value over a span of 20 years or so. But if you run the numbers, you'll see that most of these guns actually LOST VALUE in terms of what their sale prices would buy in today's dollars.

Example: a gun made in 1940 that sold for $200 (and most weren't that costly) would have to have a value of $1500 or more, today to give an annualized return of 3% -- which MIGHT keep you ahead of inflation. That's a mediocre investment, at best. A stock portfolio may have an annual return of 10% - 20% or much more.

As for the 1911 Repro: sounds as though they are well-made 1911s. If that's the case, you can probably do better for the price, but there will be some satisfaction (if not value) in owning a good Colt made the way a Colt should be made. Buy it if you like the gun, but forget about "investment" value.

I doubt a collector will consider it a particularly "collectible" weapon. It is, afterall, a modern-day reproduction of a collectible. But you might value it more highly than its purchase price in terms of its value to you as the years pass. Craftsmanship is what makes a custom gun more valuable to its owner than a run of the mill gun; sounds like these guns might have some of that built in.
 
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Colt 1911 Replica

I would give $1,000 for one of those with no questions asked. If I really wanted it, an extra Ben Franklin would not deter me. YMMV
 
Is it a good "investment"? No. There are lots of better investments. Is it likely to retain its value and maybe appreciate some? Yes. Colt firearms will almost always hold their value well, just because of the history behind the name. There will always be a collector market for Colts. Limited edition Colts are more likely to hold their value than general production guns.

I just bought one of WWI repros about a month ago. I paid $900, though, so $1100 seems awful steep to me. That $900 (plus tax) was new in box from the dealer.

They are beautifully made, by the way. They are finished in the Custom Shop, which does great work these days. The fit and finish, including an authentic carbonia blue, are stunning. Almost every detail is correct to the originals. The only variances from the originals I'm aware of are in the magazines. The originals had two-tone mags with lanyard loops. For some reason, Colt put the lanyard loop on the pistol frame, but not on the mags, and blued the entire mag. They come in a nice case that holds a repro of the original packaging (paper carton), manual, etc.

I don't expect mine to be worth a fortune some day, but I am confident that I could sell it at any time and get my money back out of it. In the meantime, I get to admire and enjoy it. That's worth a lot to me.
 
I paid $950 for mine, but in Texas, without your added difficulties of location in Californistan.

Great pistol -- I shoot with it! Did not buy it as a collectible, but as an example of how they 'used' to make these guns. I would have qualms about shooting an original 1918 or so Colt, but these are modern guns that I can have fun with, without worries about messing up an original.

Some people purchased two, put one away in the safe and used one for shooting, but I really don't think they will ever be worth enough more to make this worth while.

The stuff that I do collect (mostly mil-surp rifles) I want as close to the original 'as-issued' state as possible, and I think most collectors would agree. "Manufactured" collectibles, like this, have some value, but are not desirable in the same way as originals.
 
I paid $995.00 two months ago (Michigan)

I did not buy mine for investment. I bought it for the emotional value...the first-ever 1911! The same one that was carried through WWI with my Great-Uncle Bill. As such, I fire mine every chance I get (50 rounds, then clean). For my part, it will never bring back to me (if sold) what I paid. It is an accurate, pleasant pistol to look at, to hold...and well, firing it? Buy one and find out. :) But, regarding $1,100.00? Never! That seems like price gouging. Just remembered: the salesman charged me $995.00 in error. The price WAS TO HAVE BEEN $950.00! I was errantly charged too much. And that is the other reason that I say $1,100.00...no way!

Doc2005
 
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I debated long and hard about purchasing one until I saw one at a gun show. To me at least it is a wonderful gun and worth what I paid for it. By the way Walt's right the only time I have seen guns go up quickly was after the Assualt Weapons Ban or the import ban when suddenly HK 91's went through the roof.
 
I love my WW1 reproduction.I paid $1050 for mine. Am I sorry I paid that amount no. Mine is absolutly perfect looks great next to my 2 colt ww2 reproduction pistols....I plan on getting another one in the future. :D
 
Found a NIB 1911 WWI Reproduction at show today

I saw a new in the box, Colt WWI reproduction...$849.00 at Gibralter Trade Center's gun show, Mt. Clemons, MI. Trust me, that was THE only good deal there today!

Doc2005
 
I paid $950 for mine back in April. It is an absolutely beautiful gun; the blueing is some of the best I've ever seen. It will make a great keepsake or heirloom, but that is different than an investment. If you want an investment buy an actual WWI 1911.
 
Even older firearms don't seem to appreciate much more than inflation accounts for. For the most part they just don't. Like was said above, really old guns like WWI or Civil War pieces can be good investments though.
 
Mine is absolutly perfect looks great next to my 2 colt ww2 reproduction pistols....I plan on getting another one in the future. ....................could you stop bragging all the time ??... :scrutiny:
 
I paid $800.00 for a brand new Colt 1911A1 USGI replica a few years back.
I replaced the serrated mainspring housing, the long spur wide hammer and the trigger with genuine USGI parts and this cost about $50.00 or so.

Last year I bought an original X numbered 1911 in good condition for $650.00.

I think my original 1911 was the better deal between the two and think you can still find a genuine original 1911s for decent price if you look around enough.

$1100.00 seems a bit expensive for a reproduction, even if the name Colt is stamped on the side.
 
paul45:

I am insulted by your remark for me to quit bragging all of the time! I don't see why you think that I have been bragging? I don't have alot of money and, living in a State like California, is very difficult to find good used guns-and, since I had never owned an autoloader before, I posted questions(About the Colt WWI Replica!)and(In the past)about other guns(Including pictures!) in the hopes of finding out about any newly purchased guns(Or, guns that I'm considering purchasing!)as well as to find out if owner's of these guns, had found their guns to be good guns? Or, if they would recommend buying such guns? And, like everyone else on this Forum, I'm proud to post the pictures of whatever guns that I might have been able to afford to purchase, as well!

If I have seemed to be "Bragging", then, I apologize for seeming to be this way(As my intent, was never to brag!)? I always thought that most Forum members, enjoyed to not only post pictures of their guns for others to view-but also, as a learning experience for other's to experience these various gun types? I'm not a big gun collector-but, I do appreciate guns(And, I do get excited about them!)and, I post my gun pictures in the hopes of gaining "Feedback" from other Forum members as a means of learning about my own guns-for the purpose of gaining new knowledge about them? Aside from this, I had always assumed that we are all basicly "Brothers & Sister's" on this Forum-with ideas, and experiences, and pictures to share amongst each other?

I have seen many pictures of guns on this Forum, that I could never afford to own-yet, I am happy for the owner's of these guns(And, I don't begrudge them owning these beautiful guns!)as I know that they are only "Proud" of these guns-and, I appreciate their willingness to share these pictures, with the rest of us gun "Enthusiast's"! I'm sure, that you have at times, have felt the same need to share your "Prize" with the rest of us(But, mostly, because of your "Pride" in your guns)! Compared to many(More fortunate)gun owner's on this Forum, I do not have very many guns(But, I do have a few nice guns, that I only wanted to "Share" with everyone-and, to get some of their very "Valued" opinions of these guns?)! Afterall, discussing information about our various guns(As well as showing off our guns!)is the purpose of any gun forum? I have learned almost everything that I know about guns, from this very Forum!

If I have offended others on this forum-then, I apologize for this-but, I sincerely, had never given a thought about intending to be bragging about my guns! I didn't realize that by asking about my guns or by the posting of my pictures of them, that this would be interpreted as "Bragging" about them? However, I don't think that it would be abnormal to not be proud of my guns and to hope that other's might approve of(And, enjoy seeing pictures!)of them(Just as I would, regarding their guns)! However, I do feel bad, about the negative comment that you have made about me! I enjoy this forum very much-but, it bothers me to think that I might have offended even one member on this forum! :banghead:
 
slick6 paul45:
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am insulted by your remark for me to quit bragging all of the time! I don't see why you think that I have been bragging? I don't have alot of money and, living in a State like California, is very difficult to find good used guns-and, since I had never owned an autoloader before, I posted questions(About the Colt WWI Replica!)and(In the past)about other guns(Including pictures!) in the hopes of finding out about any newly purchased guns(Or, guns that I'm considering purchasing!)as well as to find out if owner's of these guns, had found their guns to be good guns? Or, if they would recommend buying such guns? And, like everyone else on this Forum, I'm proud to post the pictures of whatever guns that I might have been able to afford to purchase, as well!
Click to expand...
If I have seemed to be "Bragging", then, I apologize for seeming to be this way(As my intent, was never to brag!)? I always thought that most Forum members, enjoyed to not only post pictures of their guns for others to view-but also, as a learning experience for other's to experience these various gun types? I'm not a big gun collector-but, I do appreciate guns(And, I do get excited about them!)and, I post my gun pictures in the hopes of gaining "Feedback" from other Forum members as a means of learning about my own guns-for the purpose of gaining new knowledge about them? Aside from this, I had always assumed that we are all basicly "Brothers & Sister's" on this Forum-with ideas, and experiences, and pictures to share amongst each other?
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NO Slick6, Paul was referring to me, We have a running joke between us on our purchase of colts. He was refering to my comment
Mine is absolutly perfect looks great next to my 2 colt ww2 reproduction pistols....I plan on getting another one in the future
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sorry if any confussion....larry starling :D
 
Larry Starling:

Thanks, for clarifying this situation for me! :what:

paul45:

I apologize to you for my mistake in "Assuming" that you were targeting me, with your comment! :eek: :banghead:
 
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