Please tell me where you are finding all these cheap Colts?
Why are Colt Officer and Police revolvers worth so little?
- Thread starter Jackal
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I found mine at a local gun store in Nampa, Idaho. Boulevard Gun & Pawn. Unfortunately the previous owner who would pay good money for older revolvers and pistols sold the business about a year ago to a younger guy who is all about more modern semi-autos and not real hot on wheelguns.
GBExpat
Member
On Gunbroker in the past ~18 months I have acquired 2 Colt Police Positive Specials (one in EXC condition) for $250/ea, one Colt Army Special (VG/EXC condition) for $381 and one Colt Official Police (my "Lemonade" pistol) for $350 ... all are .32-20 with 5" barrels.
FWIW.
.32-20 caliber Colts can be had for less. Most who don't reload have no interest in them.On Gunbroker in the past ~18 months I have acquired 2 Colt Police Positive Specials (one in EXC condition) for $250/ea, one Colt Army Special (VG/EXC condition) for $381 and one Colt Official Police (my "Lemonade" pistol) for $350 ... all are .32-20 with 5" barrels.
FWIW.
GBExpat
Member
Sounds plausible.
Or at least only buy one off GB that allows returns.
Here a shooter grade for $269: http://www.gunbroker.com/item/579994098
Driftwood Johnson
Member
Who said anything about these old Colts being inexpensive? I said I would not pay $2500 for a Python. I don't mind paying a reasonable price for an old Colt double action in good condition. I don't expect to find a nice old Colt for $200 or $300 any more, those days are long gone.
Here is my newest Colt. A Police Positive Special chambered for 32-20 that left the factory in 1926. It is immaculate. It looks like it just left the factory yesterday. The chambers and bore are bright and shiny with no hint of pitting or rust. It locks up as tight as it did the day it left the factory.
I paid $600 for it. I think that was a good price, considering the condition of the gun. I did not just stumble on it at a local shop, I had to do a little bit of homework. It was in an auction, not an on line auction, a real brick and mortar auction. I studied the catalog first to see what might interest me. Then I drove up to the viewing and examined it with a fine tooth comb. Examined a whole bunch of stuff that day, including two nice old Smiths. On the day of the auction, I had to bid against another bidder, but he quit when I went to $600.
I never said these nice old Colts are falling out of trees. You have to do a little bit of work, but they are out there.
I am in full agreement with the above. However if the revolver in question is in perfect mechanical condition but suffering from cosmetic issues - such as more then 15% loss of blue or nickel, the prospects are good that this will reflect in a much lower price, with no affect on how well it will shoot - which is usually very good if the shooter does his/her part.
Almost without exception what drives prices up is perfect cosmetics - such as is illustrated in the picture.
Almost without exception what drives prices up is perfect cosmetics - such as is illustrated in the picture.
Several people in this thread have said that they have found and bought inexpensive Colts.
15 years ago I bought an 85% S&W model 10 for $125 from an NYPD reseller. It is a beautifully made revolver - it is hard to imagine that revolvers were ever more nicely made or finished, but the 10 is/was so common that they were dirt cheap.
It appears that certain model Colts, like the Python, have achieved some sort of special status. I don't think it is because all Colt revolvers are amazing, but that something about the Python itself has gotten into people's heads, bolstering its value well outside what it should be as a Colt revolver.
So I don't think it is that the other Colts are grossly undervalued as much as the Python and the like are so seriously inflated in value. The common Colt models appear to be priced similarly to common S&W values, as far as I can tell.
SwampWolf
Member
Great price for a very nice revolver that makes for a perfect match for a Smith Victory in terms of equivalency of configuration and purpose.
Driftwood Johnson
Member
Shoot.
I paid $125 for this 1968 vintage Model 10 about ten years ago. Best deal I ever got on a Smith, except for my Model 19-3, which also cost $125 brand-spanky new in 1975. But that was over 40 years ago and a dollar went further then.
Kookla
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Few years back I went to a gun show with my dad up in New Hampshire. Can't recall the model, but it was a .38spl Colt with target grips, sights and such- think it was for $500 or a little over. Man I wanted that one.
I guess my issue is- I know if I get a smith or a ruger and something takes a turn for the worse, I can ship it off and get it fixed. When I think of Colt, I think of this ever shrinking circle of wizards who charge what they are worth, which is a lot more than I have.
I guess my issue is- I know if I get a smith or a ruger and something takes a turn for the worse, I can ship it off and get it fixed. When I think of Colt, I think of this ever shrinking circle of wizards who charge what they are worth, which is a lot more than I have.
That's a good price for the gun as a shooter, and if it hasn't been rechambered to .38 Special it's worth even more as a collectable.
If you reload, be aware that in this Colt model the chamber throats and barrel groove diameter are the same as their .38 Special's. This being the case you can use .358 bullets that are commonly available. Get a set of .38 S&W dies, plus an .358 inside neck sizing plug. The accuracy will likely surprise you
It supposedly hasn't been converted and that is what appealed to me. I would have just bought an Official Police that started life as a .38 Spl. instead.
I have the .38 S&W dies and an expander that works with .358 bullets. I shoot the X-Treme 158 Gr SWC in my Victory Model.
I remember you posting before about the different throat and groove diameters vs the Smith. I am looking forward to getting it and taking it to the range. I really enjoy shooting the Victory model, and have no doubt I will enjoy this Colt as well.
I have the .38 S&W dies and an expander that works with .358 bullets. I shoot the X-Treme 158 Gr SWC in my Victory Model.
I remember you posting before about the different throat and groove diameters vs the Smith. I am looking forward to getting it and taking it to the range. I really enjoy shooting the Victory model, and have no doubt I will enjoy this Colt as well.
If it's not been rechambered you shouldn't be able to fully chamber .38 Special cartridge, as the chamber throat is supposed to be .358 which is smaller then a .38 Special case diameter. (.379).
A heavier bullet in the 173 to 200 grain weight range may shoot closer to point of aim - but by all means go experiment.
A heavier bullet in the 173 to 200 grain weight range may shoot closer to point of aim - but by all means go experiment.
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How many times have you had a revolver need service from a gunsmith? The Colt 'fragility' is vastly overstated, most shooters won't shoot enough to break anything. I've got a couple from the '20 and '30s that still shoot and lockup fine.
As I said before, to me once you get used to the Colt 'bank-vault' lockup, other revolvers just seem sloppy.
GBExpat
Member
I, otoh, have 4 vintage, early 20th century Colt revolvers and 2 of them required, at least, some "gunsmith-action" to correct serious timing issues.
I do not think that "fragile" is a term that properly sums up what some folks are suggesting in this Thread.
The tight design makes to pistols susceptible to wear-related issues like this that S&W, for example, do not suffer.
That said, I think that the vast majority of Colts requiring "gunsmithing" for such issues are the older and/or pre-owned Colt revolvers with a lot of rounds thru them.
Kookla
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Didn't say they were fragile, just that if they needed work I could be in trouble. I've bought a couple of used Ruger's that seemed fine when I looked them over at the shop, but had some issues when I got to shooting them. Ruger was great in taking care of those issues- on their dime. In one case Ruger replaced the gun, and in another the shop simply told me "your gun was sick and they made it all better." The first was an old model Bearcat and the other was a super Blackhawk. If that happened to a Colt, it could be a bit tougher and costlier for me to get it fixed.
I don't know as much as I'd like to about revolvers, Colt's especially. I'd be worried I'd overlook some things that would be flags for others with a better understanding.
Driftwood Johnson
Member
Plenty!
Colt New Service, 44-40, made in 1907. Needed work to lock up properly and needed the chambers reamed.
2nd Gen Single Acton Army. Needed work because some clown had butchered the trigger in a kitchen table trigger job. Needed the hammer welded up and the full cock notch recut.
Colt Police Positive 22 Target. Made in 1936. Wear on the hand meant it was no longer locking up properly. Needed teeny bit of metal welded onto the hand, then stoned down for proper timing.
Yeah, I have revolvers that are old and still function fine. Both Smiths and Colts. My oldest firearm is a S&W No. 2 Tip Up made in 1863. Still locks up fine. I have revolvers made in every decade from the 1860s on. Most of them still function fine. But sometimes I will buy one that isn't quite perfect if I know it won't take too much work by an expert to make it right.
Old stuff wears out.
The more it got used, the worse it wears out.
End of story.
Do remember that finish wear is immaterial, if it was caused by much carrying but little shooting. Holster wear, in and of itself, doesn't affect how a gun shoots.
But mechanical condition, and perfect bore and chambers do. As has been pointed out, a fixer-upper is probably not a bargain at any price.
And sometimes you'll find somebody's bedside table gun that's never had a round through it since it left the factory, but is chambered to use an unpopular cartridge (.32 Colt New Police/.32 Police Positive) that are functionally identical to the .32 S&W Long; or .32 WCF/.32-20; or (.38 Colt New Police/.38 Police Positive) the same as .38 S&W.
If you're interested in the gun, ask the seller if they have any ammunition for it. Most likely they won't. Look disappointed and about to leave and watch the suggested price go down.
Be prepared to offer cash.
Do some Internet research to learn what the different models were, and a bit of background. It is not unusual to find that the seller has misidentified what they have.
Some, made before the late 1920's may have black/hard rubber stocks that ate chipped or cracked. Plastic replacements only cost about $35. On the other hand a perfect set may be worth twice that and more.
Should the barrel be longer then 4-inches the value as a user usually drops like a rock in a millpond in today's marketplace.
But mechanical condition, and perfect bore and chambers do. As has been pointed out, a fixer-upper is probably not a bargain at any price.
And sometimes you'll find somebody's bedside table gun that's never had a round through it since it left the factory, but is chambered to use an unpopular cartridge (.32 Colt New Police/.32 Police Positive) that are functionally identical to the .32 S&W Long; or .32 WCF/.32-20; or (.38 Colt New Police/.38 Police Positive) the same as .38 S&W.
If you're interested in the gun, ask the seller if they have any ammunition for it. Most likely they won't. Look disappointed and about to leave and watch the suggested price go down.
Be prepared to offer cash.
Do some Internet research to learn what the different models were, and a bit of background. It is not unusual to find that the seller has misidentified what they have.
Some, made before the late 1920's may have black/hard rubber stocks that ate chipped or cracked. Plastic replacements only cost about $35. On the other hand a perfect set may be worth twice that and more.
Should the barrel be longer then 4-inches the value as a user usually drops like a rock in a millpond in today's marketplace.
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