Did I overpay for this Colt Signature Series?
- Thread starter wiscoaster
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
Done. Slots & wedge deburred and lubed. Didn't really need deburring, though.
Now, back to work: hammer & hand, block, trigger, spring, etc.
Side note: unlike Ubertis, I notice the parts on this gun are serialized, and it was done by hand engraving. They sure wanted to make sure the whole gun stayed a "genuine" Colt. Hah.
Last edited:
It's not what it cost, it's what it's worth to you. Semper Fi.
Good for you in making the purchase. I only regret the ones I passed on, not the ones I purchased. The value you have for the Colt is true value, not market value. Enjoy and congratulations on winning the bid.
- Joined
- May 28, 2021
- Messages
- 498
- Reaction score
- 500
To quote my old unit's motto "Ready and Forward"!!
Well, she's back together:
But honestly, on the inside, she's all Uberti, and I ended up doing pretty much everything and anything one would do to a brand new Uberti. I suspect Colt did little more than serialize all the parts, stamp the nameplate, and provide the pretty box. But even that little does make it a "genuine Colt" if that's what one wants. However, if the label doesn't matter, there's no sense spending the extra money for a "better" gun because it's not. The only "better" I've seen so far is the rather nice grips (also serialized).
I spent way more time and effort and energy than I planned, plus have other things needing to get done, so I won't make it to the range today to bless her with her first shots. The main reason it took so much is I ran into a weird problem: when I reassembled, I couldn't get a half-cock. After much troubleshooting, I think the main reason was the trigger was rubbing on one side of its trigger guard slot, introducing too much friction for the trigger spring to overcome and move the trigger (required to engage half-cock). Maybe the trigger spring is weak, too, dunno; didn't address that. Easing the trigger slot required some pretty extensive filing, with repeated partial reassembles to test, and thus a lot of my time. But she's function testing OK, now.
But honestly, on the inside, she's all Uberti, and I ended up doing pretty much everything and anything one would do to a brand new Uberti. I suspect Colt did little more than serialize all the parts, stamp the nameplate, and provide the pretty box. But even that little does make it a "genuine Colt" if that's what one wants. However, if the label doesn't matter, there's no sense spending the extra money for a "better" gun because it's not. The only "better" I've seen so far is the rather nice grips (also serialized).
I spent way more time and effort and energy than I planned, plus have other things needing to get done, so I won't make it to the range today to bless her with her first shots. The main reason it took so much is I ran into a weird problem: when I reassembled, I couldn't get a half-cock. After much troubleshooting, I think the main reason was the trigger was rubbing on one side of its trigger guard slot, introducing too much friction for the trigger spring to overcome and move the trigger (required to engage half-cock). Maybe the trigger spring is weak, too, dunno; didn't address that. Easing the trigger slot required some pretty extensive filing, with repeated partial reassembles to test, and thus a lot of my time. But she's function testing OK, now.
Disassembled completely one more time to fine tune fit, discover and eliminate some remaining friction, and now she's tight and solid but easy to take apart, runs smooth, and passes all function tests. Didn't suck any caps, either, when test fired in the basement with just caps. Leading to wiscoaster's new cap 'n ball revolver axiom #1: If the new gun hasn't been disassembled and reassembled at least three times it's not yet ready for the range.
Last edited:
lgrimes
36 Cl.
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2023
- Messages
- 78
- Reaction score
- 53
I have a Colt Signature 1861 rifle that I bought unused several years ago. You can bet it wasn't long after that I was out on the range shooting it. It shoot very accurate at close range with mini and round ball, but at 100 yd's patched round ball is the most accurate. Really a nice looking rifle. As I type this it is hanging on the wall just to my right.
r
r
I was simply quoting S.T., a rather well recognized firearms publication, and doing so to enable a man who spent that kind of money better enjoy his purchase. No offense but I’ll take S.T.’s opinion over yours!
No kidding?!?!? I just bought one last night on GB!!
YUP Pietta/Uberti Made Colt assembled really not worth more than a Pietta 1860. Signature Series does not add over $30 to the original value.
Except these days "original value" means nothing, sorry. "Original value" of a genuine original Colt 1860 New Army was originally about $20 in the 1860's.
I was referring to the original cost of the signature series round $300 when they first hit the market...
Gotta say NICE and well I often forget today`s insane pricing I have recently let google assist me, DANG from $525 to $650 pending condition of course. I often forget what COVID and Greed have done to this Country..... I guess "Market Value" is a lot higher today. Good Luck and Enjoy
Ya, no kidding.
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2022
- Messages
- 1,565
- Reaction score
- 1,897
People forget that the 3rd gen Colt’s came into being almost 30 years ago. What price wise today is the same as it was almost three decades ago.
I was planning not to post on this 4 page thread that could have got the same information with one*, I didn't want to continue feeding the fire, but I gotta do it. No offense 'wiscoaster', but I've always understood and with all new firearms I've bought (new of used) that I give the firearm a good cleaning to get rid of any oils/contamination that may be in the bore (cylinders if revolver), give a light oiling to needed parts, and then if the action and parts are functioning as designed fire a number of rounds through it to break it in and see if there are any bumps in the road so to speak. By stripping it down completely (3 times?) and filing on parts you have no idea if that was needed or not, have no idea how the revolver functioned, what it may have needed, and there is the possibility you may hamper functioning and cause problems that were never there in the first place. Just saying. I recall your Kibler SMR and the wreak that was. Your cap 'n ball axiom makes no sense. This is all I'm saying on this and you can post reply's until your fingers are sore, I'm not responding.
*Discussion on various generations of Colt's, ie. 2nd vs 3rd (Signature Models) and current produced models excepted. Too bad it's not on a separate thread.
Last edited:
No offense taken but 3rd Gen. Signature perc. revolvers were made in Italy by Uberti for Lou Imperato under his arrangement with Colt. They are excellent repro.'s and are a little more polished than the American made 2nd Gen.'s. The 2nd Gen.s did have 3 or 4 ruff Italian forgings that were finished and then assembled and completed with US parts here in the US. I believe some people get info for the Colt Single Action Army 2nd and 3rd Gen.'s confused. Mike Bellevue has a good bit of info on the differences between the Colt models on YouTube.
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2022
- Messages
- 1,565
- Reaction score
- 1,897
The only arrangement that Lou Imperato had with Colt for the 3rd gen pistols was a license to put Colts name on the barrel and frame.
Similar threads
SOLD - Pending funds
1861 colt signature series rifle
- Locked
