Should I?

[VaughnT]

I carry a Colt S80, with the old roll marks, every day on the job. It's been tricked by Ted Yost and I love her dearly. No problems with accuracy or reliablity, but I hate those ORMs.

Just visited a shop in town and he had a NRM Colt that was returned by a customer. It has one idiot scratch, and a good one at that, which has scratched completely through the blueing. He's asking $525.

My stainless ORM is a great gun, but I wouldn't mind having another 1911 just in case. I prefer stainless for maintenance reasons, but I could see this blued NRM model being chromed. I even saw a pic of one that had been chromed, polished to a mirror shine, and then coated with boron carbide......it looked like smoked glass and was totally sexy.

Do I pay between six and seven bills for a stainless NRM Colt S80 or go for the cheaper blued one that has a scratch, thus giving me the "need" for a trip to a smith?

If I did get the blued pistol, I'd probably shoot it for awhile just for kicks, but I definitely wouldn't want it to stay blued forever. I'm thinking my next pistol should stay rather milspec in appearance, but I'm open to thoughts. The only problem I had with my ORM model, and one of the reasons I gave it over to a smith, was that the grip safety was digging in to my hand after extensive shooting. Heck, blood was running free well before finishing a 100rnd qualifier in NC. Kinda cool, but I can do without that.

What do I do?

 

[XLMiguel]

I didn't hear anythng that was a real need or necessity, it all sounds like wants and desires. It's your $$$, assuming you've got allyour other obligations covered, do what pleases you most.

 

[10-Ring]

If you're not going to keep the blue one because you know you're going to eventually pick up a stainless one, go w/ the stainless from the "get go" & save the time, effort & $$.

 

[Waitone]

Being from Western SC, you are most likely familar with the mode of transportation known as a pickup truck. Those of us who would rather sell a child than a pickup know good and well you will never use the truck as God intended until the bed is dinged. Smartest thing to do with a new pickup is to go after the bed with a ball pien hammer just to get the shock and trauma out of the way.

Go with the damaged goods and get it chromed and polished. Sounds cool.

 

[Jiml3]

Why spend extra money on getting it refinished? You describe the scratch as being pretty deep! Refinishing it is not going to remove a gouge.
Try going on line to auction arms.com on a weekly basis looking for exactly what you want. Eventually, you will find it and possibly save money in the end.
Don't settle if you don't have to.
Have a good holiday.

Jiml3