Dillinger's Colt 1903 (shoots good, needs cleaning)

[Nugget]

Please, please, please tell me one of you guys was the lucky SOB that won this steal of a deal on an amazing firearm relic...

Hibid

midwayauction.hibid.com

I'm not really up to date on the value of Colt 1903 pistols in "bottom-of-the-ocean-for-100-years" condition, but did someone actually buy the story, not the gun? Or does that pistol just need a month in a sonic cleaner to return it to its former glory? Either way, $625 bid + 15% premium + $10 fee seems steep.

Technically, the auction house was trying to scam its bidders, since the pistol is actually labeled "John Dillener's pistol".

 

[bcannon]

Im just as big of a fan of a good 1903 as the next guy but 728.75 for that? Steep would be a serious understatement IMnsHO. That's a hundred dollar paperweight without that tag even with those series 1 grips. It possibly could be a bargain with actual valid provenance.
10 to 1 the buyer is a big Dillinger(gangster) romantic and was a little delirious from his favorite elixir and has more money than sense.

 

[Mgderf]

Please, please, please tell me one of you guys was the lucky SOB that won this steal of a deal on an amazing firearm relic...

Hibid

midwayauction.hibid.com

View attachment 311725

I'm not really up to date on the value of Colt 1903 pistols in "bottom-of-the-ocean-for-100-years" condition, but did someone actually buy the story, not the gun? Or does that pistol just need a month in a sonic cleaner to return it to its former glory? Either way, $625 bid + 15% premium + $10 fee seems steep.

Technically, the auction house was trying to scam its bidders, since the pistol is actually labeled "John Dillener's pistol".

View attachment 311726

Yeah, that's not going to buff out...

 

[Chewie]

Please, please, please tell me one of you guys was the lucky SOB that won this steal of a deal on an amazing firearm relic...

Hibid

midwayauction.hibid.com

View attachment 311725

I'm not really up to date on the value of Colt 1903 pistols in "bottom-of-the-ocean-for-100-years" condition, but did someone actually buy the story, not the gun? Or does that pistol just need a month in a sonic cleaner to return it to its former glory? Either way, $625 bid + 15% premium + $10 fee seems steep.

Technically, the auction house was trying to scam its bidders, since the pistol is actually labeled "John Dillener's pistol".

View attachment 311726

Don't tell me you were there in Mooresville because so was I. Had to be the story that sold it. I guess anything is possible but.......

How about $9750 plus all the fee's for the Browning 300 Win Mag Olympian? Beautiful rifle but way to rich for my blood.

Haven't been to an auction in years and now I remember why. Bid fever was in full bloom on Sunday.

 

[Nugget]

Don't tell me you were there in Mooresville because so was I. Had to be the story that sold it. I guess anything is possible but.......

Wasn't there, but live nearby, so I usually keep an eye on their auctions. I followed this one live online for a while. Went to one gun auction a couple years ago and decided I'd never do it again.

There were a few things that blew my mind. The prices people were paying for bare-bones low & mid-tier ARs were staggering, i.e a Diamondback DB15 300blk for $1000 + fees, a PSA M16A2 clone for $850+, and a S&W M&P with no sights or optics for $625+. Bid fever was definitely in full force.

 

[model1994]

I wanted to think these online auctions might be worthwhile but all I’ve seen is final-minute ridiculous bidding. I think people like trolling soft closes too. But I’ve yet to see something like this pistol

The last auction I went to in-person had many guns where bids only came to 2/3 of the reserve price, so halfway into it folks started walking out. Eventually the auctioneer got so mad he closed the auction early and told everyone to bring more money when they come to these

 

[citizenkane]

I watched the auction online. They said several times that the tag came with it in the estate and they couldn’t verify the story.

They seem to run a pretty clean auction in my experience, their stuff always seems to get bid up to the point of retail. I quit going in person, I couldn’t justify spending the time on site. Everything I wanted someone always bids it up over what I’m willing to pay.

I think like all auctions people don’t take into account the buyer’s premium and sales tax. If you bid $1,000 on something it’s damn near $1200 to get out the door with it.

 

[Leadeye]

A lot of those JD 1903s sold, not sure what the provenance would be. I would imagine that he used more than one over his career, they were common and popular guns.

 

[Mongo59]

Pretty steep price for a set of grips...

 

[2tonic]

Wow!
You sure that's not the one he made from soap, to get out of the Crown Point jail?

 

[DadSmith]

Please, please, please tell me one of you guys was the lucky SOB that won this steal of a deal on an amazing firearm relic...

Hibid

midwayauction.hibid.com

View attachment 311725

I'm not really up to date on the value of Colt 1903 pistols in "bottom-of-the-ocean-for-100-years" condition, but did someone actually buy the story, not the gun? Or does that pistol just need a month in a sonic cleaner to return it to its former glory? Either way, $625 bid + 15% premium + $10 fee seems steep.

Technically, the auction house was trying to scam its bidders, since the pistol is actually labeled "John Dillener's pistol".

View attachment 311726

I seen a video of a guy who restored a gun in similar condition and was able being able to fire it.

 

[Nugget]

I seen a video of a guy who restored a gun in similar condition and was able being able to fire it.

I dunno. You might be able to get that thing to fire one more time, but I'm guessing it would just be the once. There can't be enough metal left under the rust to hold up to firing, can there? I would think under all that rust, it's just more rust, with rust under that. Turtles, all the way down.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

I dunno. You might be able to get that thing to fire one more time, but I'm guessing it would just be the once. There can't be enough metal left under the rust to hold up to the explosion of firing, can there? I would think under all that rust, it's just more rust. Turtles, all the way down.

I dunno, 32acp is a pretty low pressure round hahaha

 

[Nugget]

I dunno, 32acp is a pretty low pressure round hahaha

Still though, when the gun itself appears to be made from burnt toast...

 

[Mongo59]

The card wasn't large enough to tell the whole story. After research it appears that pistol was lost by J Dillinger while on the Titanic but his pet unicorn carried him to safety.

Knowing is half the battle...

 

[rbhargan]

Dillinger was killed in 1934, not 1936.

 

[indyartisan]

Please, please, please tell me one of you guys was the lucky SOB that won this steal of a deal on an amazing firearm relic...

Hibid

midwayauction.hibid.com

View attachment 311725

I'm not really up to date on the value of Colt 1903 pistols in "bottom-of-the-ocean-for-100-years" condition, but did someone actually buy the story, not the gun? Or does that pistol just need a month in a sonic cleaner to return it to its former glory? Either way, $625 bid + 15% premium + $10 fee seems steep.

Technically, the auction house was trying to scam its bidders, since the pistol is actually labeled "John Dillener's pistol".

View attachment 311726

I held out for the Colonel Custard Colt.

 

[Mongo59]

It would be like having a Luger and saying it belonged to Field Marshal Dillon...

 

[LtScott14]

Junk. The namesake is trying to sell the item. Truly are better ones out there if you do your homework. Run away from that thing.

 

[Leadeye]

Looks like it was one of the early guns as it appears slightly longer in the picture. The type 1 was made until 1908 and had a separate barrel bushing, the safety also had a screw to hold it in. Over time Colt shaved a 1/4 inch off the length and did away with the bushing and screw.