1860 Colt Original?

[btech]

This experience is typical of what has completely turned me off to antique gun collecting. These auction dealers have never heard of customer satisfaction. I guess they don't need to. Folks are lining up to buy whatever piece of junk they list, thinking they're buying their own piece of history. Current bid on this revolver is over $800 and it will go higher. I can buy it from Cabela's for $250.

 

[inlikeflint]

Not an expert, but quite the opposite, yet on my CVA 1851 the screws are worlds apart from that clunker. (Blued and polished)
john

 

[rickystl]

If you go to the Smoothbore section of this Forum, I posted on 02/09 a Blunderbuss that was being offered as an original, but is in fact a Navy Arms copy.
My reason for mentioning this is that this 1860 Army posted here I'm pretty sure is being offered by the same Auction Site. JFYI. Rick. :hmm:

 

[btech]

Doesn't exactly fill ya with confidence about the website. You saw his arrogant answer back to me. Most of the time he doesn't even have the gun in his possession and hasn't even looked at it. He just brokers whatever piece of forgery he can find. But there's never a lack of buyers trying to give him money either. That's the sad part.

 

[mjulihn]

Couple of old truisms come to mind here:
"Caveat Emptor" (buyer beware)
"There is a sucker born every minute..."

Someone trading in original antiques has to do their homework... :idunno:

 

[Alden]

“Nobody ever lost a dollar by underestimating the taste of the American public.”

 

[mjulihn]

“Nobody ever lost a dollar by underestimating the taste of the American public.”

True that, Sir Alden! Examples might include several current reality TV shows like Swamp People, Toddlers & Tiaras, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo... (and no, I am not making these up!) :thumbsup:

 

[btech]

But I thought when you tried to sell a forgery you at least had to make it look old. Didn't even bother to do that with this one. Looks like it just came out of Peitta's factory.

"If it's too good to be true, it probably is".

 

[BowerR64]

Here is one thing that i dont get. Ive seen newer colt black powder guns on gun broker several are on there right now. They are actual colts they even have boxes and stuff for em. They wernt made in 1860 but they are still original colts.

How do you tell the difference between those?

Like Clinton said "i did not have sexual relations with that woman" he forgot to say "not today"

The ones on gunbroker are 2-3 times the price as reproductions but its still a real colt right? just not one built in 1860.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Technically yes...Colt continued the production of their old lines and picked up serial numbers where they'd left off in 1873 or earlier. Equally 'technically', most of the "2nd Generation" guns were assembled by Colt using parts made in Italy by Uberti...so many 'ifs', 'ands' and 'buts' about the runs over the last 40 years and how they should be considered as part of Colt's history.

 

[pargent]

Beat me to it +1

 

[SAJones]

I looked at this Colt on the antique website mentioned. It looked to me like a highly refinished original used for modern matches. I did not the almost polished out "Colts/Patent" on the frame and other details. At the time the next bid was $800; a bit much for a shooter, since I do will with my Colt 3rd generation, so did not consider bidding... but I do think it is original, just highly modified. Of course, it's sold my now

 

[Pete G]

The Colnel said it best...

"Beware of fakes and counterfeits"

The roll engraving was added to Colts to help assure originality. The fact that this piece has none should tell someone all they need to know.

 

[btech]

Did you contact antiqueguns.com about the gun being a reproduction and what was ole Rob Robles response?

 

[Rick Son]

It's a proto type :wink:

 

[rr11]

I saw this type at a gun show in Birmingham in 1970, as a 20 year old I did not buy the line of bull back then and it is still a fake. I did a better job on a Navy Arms Navy revolver at the same time used bleach to etch the finish. But I never passed it off as a original.