Old colt 45 single action revolver.... what is it worth- any guesses?

S

Soonerdent

Inactive
This is an old Colt 45 single action that someone is wanting to trade me for some work. It appears the brown finish is 90 % missing. it feels solid. Handles match and barely worn. Any opinions welcomed. Thanks.
 
Old Colts are very collectible.

It's not uncommon to see vintage specimen's with very little finish remaining. Refinishing a rare or collectible SAA is seen by many as criminal.
At least one Italian company makes brand new clones with a period 'antique' finish that would fool someone with little experience.
I don't know value for the market so I can't give you an idea, but you might want to have someone qualified take a look at it for you.
 
About the only thing we know from these exceptionally bad pics and no other data is that it's a 1st-gen smokeless - made between 1895 and WW2, likely towards the earlier part. Condition isn't great, not too bad though. 4.75" barrel, looks like original grips, assuming all numbers match and there's no crude repairs or the like, hmmm...dunno. Might be decent. Looks like it might predate WW1?

Need better pics, needs the serial number minus the last two or three digits (substitute letter xx or xxx).
 
IF all else is correct, that gun is minimum $1500~$2000 range.

That is, all parts are original, no terrible damage, functions perfectly.

As noted, difficult to tell from photos.

Bob Wright
 
I agree with what Bob said, but would boost the value to $2,300 if the action works well, the bore is good, the grips match the gun, and everything is original. My guess is that it dates to right around 1900. If you post better photos with a picture of serial numbers, you could get a more accurate estimate.
 
Agree, would help at least to upright the photo - my tablet's gyro kept quickly correcting it back it to its wrong position! But, from what I could tell, 1900-1920ish given the rounded triggerguard--unless I mis-saw, entirely possible--that's tell-tale for that period, and if that's the case it's (as a general rule) that would be before they got rid of the rounded cylinder/flute chamfer which this appears not to have...so, replacement very late 1st Gen (late 1920s-1930s?) or 2nd Gen (1956-1975) cylinder--and, if so, which looks then to be "aged" to match the rest....or the whole gun antiqued along with the "new" cylinder....which was very popular and fine unless the seller/trader is claiming "originality." My guess. If some or all of the above done and completely operational, $1,000-1,200. If I've missed on these aspects and all original, at least $ 1,800- 2,200...or more, and a letter of provenance should be ordered from Colt. The letter not worth it if significant mods done.
 
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I saved a pic and flipped her for you guys to help the OP
68822B97-6739-4A8D-8A47-C2C92B863604_zpsou6lonb2.jpg
 
back to the original posters question posed or at least hinted---worth of firearm for work rendered. My philosophy pay cash for my work, then I will consider paying cash for the firearm. "just sayin"
 
Trade for work can work, but it only works well if the thing being traded is something the person performing the work really wants. If someone offered to trade me a collectible train set for work, I might value it at less than 50% of what its really worth. On the other hand, if someone had a Korth .357 revolver to trade me for some work, I will be much closer to do it closer to true value.
 
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