collector's 1911 questions

[churchmouse]

I collect 1911's. I buy them. I modify them. I build them from scratch with the help of some very talented friends. The live in my safe. I have so much invested I will never break even if I sell any of them so that means I am collecting them.

I also shoot the snot out of them when I can.

The OP beats on me about this when ever he can.....

 

[DocIndy]

If you truly want a heirloom piece, I suggest you reach out to Jason Burton at Heirloom Precision and commission a custom build. Expensive, yes. Top quality, yes. Hold value, yes. His work is some of the most detail oriented I have seen on par with Chuck Rogers. He is another with a waiting list for his work and one day I will have one from each in my safe.

 

[Expat]

No one really knows what the future will hold for anything. Are some of the prices already at their peak and can only go down like baseball cards were several years ago? About all you can do is buy something that you will personally appreciate and treasure and then wait to see what happens. At this point, the old Colts seem to hold their value more than most. The new "custom" guns seem to have a big hit as soon as you buy them.

 

[42769vette]

This will not be a gun I never shoot. I see no point in shootings this when my Glock 21 will do everything better (that one was for you CM, but I do mean it) It will be more of an heirloom piece. Personally I don't see this type gun going up in value (especially compared to other investments). I don't plan to make money off of it, I plan to have a beautiful piece of art that doesn't hang on the wall.

 

[ROLEXrifleman]

Cabot or Heirloom, but don’t forget your check book!

 

[asevans]

Get an old series 70 colt government or gold cup. That would be your best bet. They are collectable. They hold their value well. A nickle series 70 . Would be a good choice.

 

[WebSnyper]

As a general rule, I've always heard that things that are made to be collectible usually aren't. I prefer guns with a history to them (as a C&R collector) myself.

Yep, that's kind of what I was getting at. Buying a collectible manufactured as such usually (I'm sure there are exceptions) does not pay off.

This will not be a gun I never shoot. I see no point in shootings this when my Glock 21 will do everything better (that one was for you CM, but I do mean it) It will be more of an heirloom piece. Personally I don't see this type gun going up in value (especially compared to other investments). I don't plan to make money off of it, I plan to have a beautiful piece of art that doesn't hang on the wall.

Ok, so that answers the questions earlier. This is a piece to admire, hand down, etc but not flip. I see what you are saying about not shooting, but honestly in what you describe, even though the Glock is a more practical gun that will do some great things out of the box, there is no need not to shoot a 1911 that you get for this purpose. I'm not a 1911 guy, like CM and others. I've seen some amazing work done by Praff, AllenM, and others on this forum, and definitely can appreciate it.

In any case, you might PM this guy: https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/members/cundiff5535.html and look of some of his threads. He has posted some exquisite 1911's that sound like the type you may be looking for. He'll probably have some good advice for you. Unfortunately some of his better pics were photobucket and are no longer available,

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/handguns/454971-new-shoes-my-marvel-1911-a.html

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...hand-full-custom-bob-marvel-build-not-nh.html

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/handguns/409112-some-finishing-options.html

 

[praff]

This will not be a gun I never shoot. I see no point in shootings this when my Glock 21 will do everything better (that one was for you CM, but I do mean it) It will be more of an heirloom piece. Personally I don't see this type gun going up in value (especially compared to other investments). I don't plan to make money off of it, I plan to have a beautiful piece of art that doesn't hang on the wall.

Sounds like you need to commission a piece from one of the handful of master smiths out there. A few have been mentioned; cabot, heirloom, stan chen is another that is still taking work. If thats not the budget you were after, there are other smiths that do 90% of their attention to detail at way less than 90% of their cost.

interesting thread btw

 

[42769vette]

I guess that also brings up another point. As an heirloom has more sentimental value than monitry value mabye I should build one. It's been a few years, but I've done all the machining on custom rifles, mabye a 1911 isn't that far out of my wheel house.

 

[churchmouse]

I guess that also brings up another point. As an heirloom has more sentimental value than monitry value mabye I should build one. It's been a few years, but I've done all the machining on custom rifles, mabye a 1911 isn't that far out of my wheel house.

 

[praff]

I guess that also brings up another point. As an heirloom has more sentimental value than monitry value mabye I should build one. It's been a few years, but I've done all the machining on custom rifles, mabye a 1911 isn't that far out of my wheel house.

DO IT!!!!!

 

[WebSnyper]

I guess that also brings up another point. As an heirloom has more sentimental value than monitry value mabye I should build one. It's been a few years, but I've done all the machining on custom rifles, mabye a 1911 isn't that far out of my wheel house.

That would make it even better IMO.

 

[AlVine]

So I a have never owned a collector gun (IE I wont shoot it much if any). And don't really know what to look for.

What do NIB Colt Government Model 1911s from 1967 sell for? $2000?

Commemorates are rarely good investments and Colt made thousands of the WWI commemoratives. Shooting them at all will lower what value they have considerably.