Need advice on 1951 colt navy

I can tell you from personal experience that when the day comes that you have years and wisdom to your credit, you will look back on selling that Colt as one of the biggest mistakes you ever made.

BTW almost any modern rifle will shoot reasonably well at 500 yds. It's the rifleman not the rifle.
 
Well I cleaned the gun up and got it a new storage case as I felt like I was doing the gun a disservice by just caring it around bare (just waiting to drop it). I also oiled every part of the gun with clenzoil which seemed to be a great cleaner/oil which I would assume is very comparable to Breakfree. Posted some new pics after cleaning.

http://s1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee374/wildcamaro/

Also I took it to get appraised by a local gun shop/ "colt" guy...he said it was worth about $110" retail, which I assume to be a little light based on his place of business...bottom line I'm def going to hold on to this piece.

It was all worth when the very second I walked in the shop an older gentleman (who i learned later was a big colt collector) leaving the shop stopped me in the doorway and asked what I had...I said "a 51 colt navy" and he replied "what is it? A reproduction?" which I politely countered with "no, it's the real deal." ...I don't think I've ever been so proud of something in my life...thanks again for all the info/help/direction...hopefully I will be passing down to a future son of my own...
 
No offense intended but unless it cleaned up a lot better than it looked in the pics I didn't see an 1100 dollar gun.
 
I agree with you WHP

You can be rightfully proud of this piece of your family's history.

Especially given the connection to members of your family. You have the pistol and you have your family and each have some inherent value independently. But when you consider the two things together it is far more than twice as good.

Let that pistol get away and both the pistol and the family are damaged.

I am gratified (not that it should matter whether or not I am gratified) that you intend to keep it.
 
I would be inclined to go with Hoof Hearted on the cordless drill, absolute speed control, all sides of the chambers get equal cleaning, and not all day about it either. Of course he's a professional. Plus the nipple threads could be cleaned rather easily, I would think. A replacement nipple with a slot sharply cut into the threads would turn into the cylinder threads and clean them up easily. BUT if I was going to sell this gun, I would do NOTHING to it. Not even oil it. As found would be more attractive to a buyer. IMHO:D
 
No offense taken,but value is what somebody is willing to pay for it...either way it don't matter bc I'm sure the value will only increase as I'm sure more navies will be lost than found in the future...I cant wait til I'm 80 years old, lol, and the gun will be 200 years old...I think I'm going to buy a reproduction just so I can fire one without worrying about ruining my original...the shop I went to had a matching pair of uberti navy repros that I think would be cool to own...And at $500 for the pair is a pretty good deal in my eyes. I see a lot of people speaking highly of the uberti's...
 
Wildhipoint, I too am glad you're keeping it!! The hammer could be repaired and made to look unaltered and nipples for 1st gen Colts can be found at Track Of The Wolf, they also fit perfectly in my Savage Navy. Fact is, with a little TLC it could probably be made back into a shooter.
 
Yea I would def like to make it shootable, even if I never fire it...it is sort of like having a 69 zl1 camaro (only 69 made) that doesn't run...but either way the gun is very cool!
 
Hey I went to that track of the wolf To look for replacement nipples and they have them in brass, steel, stainless, etc...

What material nipples where original to the colt navy?
 
Remember, if you do remove the patina on the brass or polish it in any way you devalue the gun.
Denis
 
bad hawg said:
No offense intended but unless it cleaned up a lot better than it looked in the pics I didn't see an 1100 dollar gun.
Click to expand...

+10

Cleaning devalued the revolver significantly.

The cleaning advise given may be OK for a old repro but not for a antique.:rolleyes:
 
I'm coming in late on the post and I think this Colt is worth finding the what history you can about it. I personally would not shoot it since modern replica's are abundant.
 
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