Rebluing 1971 Colt Gold Cup NM
- Thread starter sh1024
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- 1911 colt national match
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Jim Watson
Member
I haven't seen it. For $525 and likely slow delivery, it better be good.
How bad is your gun?
How bad is your gun?
bannockburn
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sh1024
Before I would send it to Colt I would check out Fordguns.com and look at their various refinishing options. Their Master bluing is quite simply extraordinary.
Before I would send it to Colt I would check out Fordguns.com and look at their various refinishing options. Their Master bluing is quite simply extraordinary.
HPJeep
Member
Maybe keep in mind that once reblued the value will drop quite a bit and collectors will not be interested. It would be simply a shooter grade old Colt. Something to consider.
Jim Watson
Member
True, to a collector friend "100% factory refinish is Zero original finish." Talked me out of the prettiest No 3 New Model Target I ever saw.
But to some of us they are ALL "shooter grade."
Another friend was told of the rifle he was shooting:
"Don't you know that is a collector's item?"
He replied:
"Yes, but what you don't know is that it HAS been collected."
But to some of us they are ALL "shooter grade."
Another friend was told of the rifle he was shooting:
"Don't you know that is a collector's item?"
He replied:
"Yes, but what you don't know is that it HAS been collected."
Howland937
Member
To each their own, but collectability aside, there's something about honest wear that's way more intriguing to me than a refinish...If it's just worn and not rusted/beat to death.
SwampWolf
Member
If you want to retain as much collector's value as possible and still have your pistol re-blued, a factory refinish is your best option.
ApacheCoTodd
member
An issue you might want to consider on re-blue also is that it may be re-polished too and that can often lead to "melted" roll-marks.
Make sure whoever you have do it will stipulate that the markings will not be harmed.
Not much says "bad decision" like melted roll-marks and sometimes, unless verbally protected before-hand, chasing imperfections in the surface will make it almost necessary once bluing is more important than overall condition.
Todd.
Make sure whoever you have do it will stipulate that the markings will not be harmed.
Not much says "bad decision" like melted roll-marks and sometimes, unless verbally protected before-hand, chasing imperfections in the surface will make it almost necessary once bluing is more important than overall condition.
Todd.
If it needs reblued the collector value is already pretty much gone. It's a Gold Cup not a SAA or GI 1911.
I'd be tempted to send it to Turnbull if it were mine.
BBBBill
Member
^^^ That right there. Nothing really special about a gold Cup unless it is just special to the owner. If roll marks are important there are those who specialize in re-cutting the marks and often they look better than the factory original marks. Lots of options depending on desire and size of your wallet. The factory would be one of the last places that I would send it unless being able to say that no one but Colt has worked on it. Better bluing can be had from other sources.
If it were me, I would look into parkerization, or some new, modern finish. Once the finish is gone, its a shooter. And I am going to say, I don't know anyone shooting a Gold Cup in Bullseye Competition. Maybe someone is, but if they are, they probably sent it to a master gunsmith to tighten up. Every good Bullseye shooter I know, can give you a 30 minute observational talk about the wait times at the gunsmith.
An expensive, beautiful blue job will be most satisfying, until the first scratch.As a competitor, I want a reliable firearm that shoots. Looks are secondary. Pretty is nice for museum pieces. Quinn Moore used to say "Do you want to shoot your rifle, or do you want to make love to it?" If you shoot things, they get scratched and dented. If all you are going to do, is lay that Gold Cup on the pillow beside you, and kiss it good night, get the bluing job.
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troy fairweather
Member
I'd side with slamfire, you can even do parckizing at home pretty easy and not much money. I blued a few colts and s&w's and they must have used some magic bluing, because after they were striped there were a lot of grind marks that therefore covered. But the guns need to be a mirror Finnish to get the same blue these days.
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BBBBill
Member
Say what?
troy fairweather
Member
oops don't know how it got doors out of colt.
JFrank
Member
Colt National Match pistols have a cult like following, it’s only original once...
BBBBill
Member
If it were a true National Match pistol I would agree with you. Unfortunately, Colt hasn't built anything of that quality since the pre war guns introduced in 1933 and even they are not up to the current accuracy demands although they are beautifully made and a pleasure to behold.
If the OP likes the character as is then saving some money on it is fine. If the current status is not acceptable then there will be no value lost as they are so commonly available.
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