What Would You Pay Colt 1911 ?

[JohnBT]

"Most guns made today have sights that are adjustable in some way. I wonder why that is if it is not better."

I've always assumed it was because they couldn't make a run of guns that would all shoot accurately with fixed sights. Or that a lot of buyers wanted to shoot different bullet weights and needed adjustables. I dunno. Some days I think adjustable sights are just one more thing that will break sooner or later.

I was very pleased that my Colt WWI Repro shot to point of aim. I would have been happy with close, but they got it right. From what I've heard about the O1911 Repros, this isn't unusual.

 

[Boomer4570]

If this was a simple question of price why did the OP not look it up on an auction site. On my first read I took the question to be, is a bare-bones 1911 worth $1200. In my opinion the answer is no, no matter who's name is on the side. You can get many good 1911's with all the bells and whistles for less than $1200.

 

[red rick]

Who said I didn't do that, you ?

Keep loving your Rock Island. I would rather pay $1200 or more and have something that I am proud of.

 

[Boomer4570]

The RIA was just one example. The Rugar SR1911 is a better gun for the money, so is the Sig 1911 and probably the Remington( no first hand knowledge on the Remington).

 

[wow6599]

The RIA was just one example. The Rugar SR1911 is a better gun for the money, so is the Sig 1911 and probably the Remington

Better castings? More MIM parts? Better accuracy? Fit? Finish?

Not trying to start an argument, but I would like to know what makes them better than Colt - in your opinion. And I hope you're not just talking beavertails & lowered and flared ejection ports.

 

[Boomer4570]

Why did all the competition shooters of the 1970s and 80s do all those modifications to the Colts so they could compete with them. During that time the competition guys would get an out-of-the-box Colt and take it immediately to a gunsmith and have all that work done to it. My Rock Island Armory 1911 is definitely not as pretty as a Colt, But for accuracy shootabilty, durability, or reliability I would put it up against the Colt any day. My friends Ruger SR 1911 is a beautiful gun, very accurate, very reliable, And it costs less than $800. As I said, those guns dollar per dollar are a better value. Maybe it's just about the name, I was a gun snob too once, But thankfully I grew out of it.

 

[tarosean]

Why did all the competition shooters of the 1970s and 80s do all those modifications to the Colts so they could compete with them. During that time the competition guys would get an out-of-the-box Colt and take it immediately to a gunsmith and have all that work done to it. My Rock Island Armory 1911 is definitely not as pretty as a Colt, But for accuracy shootabilty, durability, or reliability I would put it up against the Colt any day. My friends Ruger SR 1911 is a beautiful gun, very accurate, very reliable, And it costs less than $800. As I said, those guns dollar per dollar are a better value. Maybe it's just about the name, I was a gun snob too once, But thankfully I grew out of it.

You start out talking about Colts and competition.... Is that RIA or Ruger being used in competition week after week? Run em hard and see what happens.

If your the type of shooter that will only shoot 500rds in your lifetime of ownership, then any 1911 will more than likely handle it. However, if your going to be shooting hundreds of rounds week after week, month after month, year after year. I would rather have pinned instead of glued, bar stock instead of MIM, etc. etc. etc. I wouldn't consider that snobbery.

 

[Rock185]

red rick, that is exactly the price a LGS had on one here a couple months ago. I have nothing at all against $450.00 RIAs, they seem like decent guns to me. But, I'd buy the $1200.00 Colt before the $450.00 RIA. I've handled, but never owed, any RIAs, but have bought my share of 1200+ dollar Colts, Baers, Wilsons, Rock Rivers, etc. I don't try to justify buying any of them. I just wanted them, could afford them, and freely admit I don't regret not buying RIAs and other similar 1911s...ymmv

 

[savanahsdad]

Why did all the competition shooters of the 1970s and 80s do all those modifications to the Colts so they could compete with them. During that time the competition guys would get an out-of-the-box Colt and take it immediately to a gunsmith and have all that work done to it. My Rock Island Armory 1911 is definitely not as pretty as a Colt, But for accuracy shootabilty, durability, or reliability I would put it up against the Colt any day. My friends Ruger SR 1911 is a beautiful gun, very accurate, very reliable, And it costs less than $800. As I said, those guns dollar per dollar are a better value. Maybe it's just about the name, I was a gun snob too once, But thankfully I grew out of it.

And I would put my S&W 1911 up against a Rock Island all day, every day, however the OP was asking if $1200 was inline for a 100th Anv Colt 1911 and yes it is , that is about what there are going for , as for most of the upgrades done on the Colt 1911's and others , it was for the most part to shoot something other than 45acp ball ammo , if your going to shoot GI Ball Ammo then the Colt 100th 1911 should shoot just fine ,

 

[JohnBT]

"Why did all the competition shooters of the 1970s and 80s do all those modifications to the Colts so they could compete with them."

Good question. They mostly had Colts to work with. I suppose they thought the mods gave them an edge playing their games.

The modifications done to the majority of those old guns have all but ruined their value, even as shooters. Sure, find a Swenson or something similar and it's out of sight expensive, but the rest of the guns are mostly unloved and barely tolerated.

John

 

[VetPsychWars]

Fixed sights? I grant you that the sights are not adjustable for elevation but they are adjustable for windage and have been, all the way back to 1911.

As for all of the other "improvements" mentioned, the magwells, the longer grip safety, an extended thumb safety... HAH! I grant you the grip safety, but the rest is maybe relevant to someone who shoots competition and the rest of it just doesn't matter as long as you can reach it. Not fitting your hand is one thing (in which case, consider a different gun). Insisting the toys MUST be there... well, not everyone agrees. I sure don't.

Tom

 

[Boomer4570]

And I would put my S&W 1911 up against a Rock Island all day, every day, however the OP was asking if $1200 was inline for a 100th Anv Colt 1911 and yes it is , that is about what there are going for , as for most of the upgrades done on the Colt 1911's and others , it was for the most part to shoot something other than 45acp ball ammo , if your going to shoot GI Ball Ammo then the Colt 100th 1911 should shoot just fine ,

So you're saying your S&W 1911 cost $1200 and did not come with features such as a Beavertail safety, a beveled magazine well, Adjustable sights, And other features that come standard on a lot of modern made 1911's

 

[rduckwor]

Well, I am going to irritate a lot of you.

I wouldn't pay squat for a Colt 1911.

I took a 1996 Gold Cup NM in trade from a guy and not surprisingly, the machining looks like it was done by juvenile monkeys.

There is simply no excuse for this level of work on a gun that is supposed to be one of their top of the line guns.

RMD

 

[savanahsdad]

yes I would pay $1200, I might even pay more for a real nice clone, like this note: no high beaver tail , fixed sights , just a true clone, a thing of beauty , a hand fitted Turnbull 1911 for $1799.99

 

[tarosean]

So you're saying your S&W 1911 cost $1200 and did not come with features such as a Beavertail safety, a beveled magazine well, Adjustable sights, And other features that come standard on a lot of modern 1911's

Do you not realize this is a copy of the original M1911 produced from 1911-1924? Not the current A1 styled guns that are so popular now-a-days...

 

[Lost Sheep]

Nostalgia?

Does anyone place a dollar value on the nostalgia component of the OP's original question?

All this talk about the qualityand utility of various guns (though important) seems to me to be missing the point of producing a gun so identical to the original.

Lost Sheep

 

[red rick]

Thanks all, for the price information.

 

[agtman]

SDM nailed it.
Plus, my 1932 Colt Commerical/Buenos Aires "police model," notwithstanding its old-school pedigree, will still shoot tighter groups with "antiquated" fixed sights than the $1000-$2500 custom 1911s on the line next to me.



Just sayin' ...

 

[Boomer4570]

What if you found an original Colt 1911A1, made in 1925, but it had little to no finish. The bore is VG, at least, and there is no pitting, dents, dings, or rust anywhere. Just no finish. Then you found a guy who "restores" old Colts, and he turned out to be really good, and reasonable along with it. If you had the gun refinished, would you then consider it "collectible", and not want to shoot it? Or would you consider it "collectible" with no finish on it? It happened to me. I was at a gunshow several years ago, and this old Colt called out to me. I thought, "Gee, $900 seems like a lot, but it IS a real Colt, and it is right in that 'can be cleaned up' category." I sent it off to Bill Adair in TX (RIP), and he carefully polished it nicely, all over, and, at my request, fireblued the hammer, trigger, screws, safety, and slide stop in contrast of the deep, dark Colt type blue of the original 1911's. Not exactly a restoration, but it was never intended to be. It became a gun finished to my tastes (and similar to the original 1911 Commercial), and gets carried. A local pistolsmith tightened up the barrel front and aft, and the trigger is stock (albeit better than most). The total cost came in far less than any comparable pre-WWII commercial model, and looks better than most. You CAN find a REAL Colt, made back when they REALLY put some time and worksmanship into them, and tweak it just a little to have a one-of-a-kind work of art, or a custom carry piece, or both. You don't have to settle for the current run, or go to the high dollar off brands.

An old gun fixed up like the one mentioned above is better than a new one of the same style any day.

 

[Roadkill]

This is my Colt series 80 that by all history should be a POS. Has fixed sights and the plunger safety. But its not . Trigger is great, sights are adequate, and it shoots very well. I paid $650 for it about five years ago.

Helps to know how to shoot though. 10M

 

[Boomer4570]

This is my Colt series 80 that by all history should be a POS. Has fixed sights and the plunger safety. But its not . Trigger is great, sights are adequate, and it shoots very well. I paid $650 for it about five years ago.

Sounds like a good deal.

 

[CountGlockulla]

Less than most ask for them.

 

[Casefull]

It is the shooter guys not the sights that matters. It all depends on your standards...I have a couple of colts, one is a gold cup. I doubt they have improved over the years, sloppy, loose fitting guns that usually get the job done. Lots better available from almost anyone though.

 

[Boomer4570]

Today, 08:12 PM #48
Casefull
Member


Join Date: January 30, 2009
Location: Sawtooths
Posts: 538
It is the shooter guys not the sights that matters. It all depends on your standards...I have a couple of colts, one is a gold cup. I doubt they have improved over the years, sloppy, loose fitting guns that usually get the job done. Lots better available from almost anyone though.

Inevitably this is true, software is more important than hardware. The more you shoot the more you improve that software between your ears. I believe my money is better spent on ammo and training time, than expensive guns that work no better than the reasonably priced ones.

 

[agtman]

C'mon, guys, ...

Adjustable sights are for static range shooting, bulleyes, orange dots, etc.

No one ever lost a gunfight because he didn't have adjustable sights or even the most modern of fixed "tactical" sights on the market, despite what the various gun-rag commandos are pushing in the latest issue of American Hangunner, Guns & Ammo et al.

In fact, snag-prone adj sights are arguably a detriment on a dedicated EDC pistol.