Did I overpay for this Colt Signature Series?

[Boatncamp]

You now have a bigger question looming.....if it truly is un-fired, do you keep it as such and just admire it, or do you shoot it and enjoy it? Need to get thinking on this before it arrives.

 

[wiscoaster]

You now have a bigger question looming.....if it truly is un-fired, do you keep it as such and just admire it, or do you shoot it and enjoy it? Need to get thinking on this before it arrives.

No question. No need to even think. I never buy anything "collectible" unless I can also shoot it. Might knock a little off its resale value, but I'm not planning on doing anything of that sort. My estate can figure that out.

 

[dracer]

at the worst , you might have bought it to soon

 

[Gtrubicon]

at the worst , you might have bought it to soon

I think certain things are gonna ease on price in the future, this includes muzzleloaders.

 

[Dickydalton]

I think ammunition is the currency of the future and muzzleloaders along with.

 

[wiscoaster]

at the worst , you might have bought it to soon

I think you're right. I came across the auction with 55 minutes left and put in a bid. I should have waited until there was just five minutes left to put in my first bid.

 

[Hawk54]

I think you're right. I came across the auction with 55 minutes left and put in a bid. I should have waited until there was just five minutes left to put in my first bid.

That works once in a while. A lot of people calculate the max they will pay with shipping and tax and enter that. The bid may still remain lower until someone jumps in late and the bid will automatically go up. Other people will wait and bid at the last minute. Then you get the new guys just getting into say percussion repro's who get caught up in the bidding war. Look at the shipping costs a particular seller is asking. Some want $50 to $70 to ship a black powder pistol. Rediculous! Better be something really rare to pay that kind of fee. With common items like a Colt 3rd gen 1860 or 1851 there are a lot of them for sale sale. Calculate the max the total amount you want to pay and put in a bid and let it go. If you don't get it for your bid go on to the next one. You will get one at your price eventually. Patience.

 

[LME]

If you think you payed to much for the pistol just wait a few months and at the rate prices are going you will see you didn't pay enough. Prices have jumped in leaps and bounds! The factory arms have always been over priced but the custom fellow never gets a fair price for his work? Go figure?

 

[Crow Choker]

Good grief 'wiscoaster', what done is done. You bid, you won, you have the gun I assume. Only worrying about if you overpaid will take the joy out of having it and every time you pull the trigger. I've had buyers remorse or at least "did I pay too much" a few times and worrying about it but came to the realization worrying isn't going to change the situation. I could have not bid or layed the cash/check across the counter. MY decision and those few firearms I worried about, I'm glad I bought em now. Just stop fretting and go out and shoot the '60 Army. You only paid too much if you allow your mind to keep thinking that.

 

[Dale Lilly]

My wife bought me a ML rifle for our first anniversary. She paid too much ... well, maybe not. It is now worth three, maybe four, times what she paid. She never even knew I thought she paid too much. She now knows what it is worth and feels goooood about what she did. Shoot it , shoot it some more, display it for your pleasure, then shoot it some more. Money does not buy happiness but it can often buy something that brings happiness. You did very well! Dale P,S. Giving your money away sometimes brings happiness to you and the recipient. That brings even more happiness.

 

[Hawk54]

Good grief 'wiscoaster', what done is done. You bid, you won, you have the gun I assume. Only worrying about if you overpaid will take the joy out of having it and every time you pull the trigger. I've had buyers remorse or at least "did I pay too much" a few times and worrying about it but came to the realization worrying isn't going to change the situation. I could have not bid or layed the cash/check across the counter. MY decision and those few firearms I worried about, I'm glad I bought em now. Just stop fretting and go out and shoot the '60 Army. You only paid too much if you allow your mind to keep thinking that.

Agree! Buyer's remorse can be a bear. Get a deal on the next one and it evens out. $100 is really nothing in today's world. Bidding on auctions is like playing poker. If you can only afford to lose $100 don't take $200. If you lose the extra $100 you will feel worse than you would if only losing the first $100.

 

[Malamute]

My nickel plated Signature series, with use, soon developed a black tarnish/staining which is difficult, if not impossible to remove,...

I believe that was silver plating, as per the originals. Nickel doesnt tarnish black, but silver does. I was surprised at the silverish color showing through on wear spots on an original 1849 grip straps, it looked blue or black on much of it.

On topic, I agree, if you like it, the relatively small premium you paid to get a fully fluted 1860 with the genuine Colt name isnt a bad investment. In time it will go up, and you have something you can use and enjoy every time you look at it and handle it.

Ive paid a bit more than I thought proper market value was, but didnt regret it, as the items in question were something i wanted and liked very much, so maybe I paid more than the market a the moment, but they gained value in time over what I paid.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Look at it this way an item is only worth what one is willing to pay, if you wanted it bad enough what was the limit you set, did you go past that limit, are you satisfied with the purchase and the limit you set, will it increase in value in the future, what if it don't increase in value will you care or what will the executer of your estate think as to price. Beauty is in the eye of the be-holder and usually in there wallet also. Shoot it enjoy it is now yours.

 

[Hawk54]

 

[Cavalry Joe]

The value of something is whatever it’s worth to you.

 

[wiscoaster]

Good grief 'wiscoaster', what done is done. You bid, you won, you have the gun I assume. Only worrying about if you overpaid will take the joy out of having it and every time you pull the trigger. I've had buyers remorse or at least "did I pay too much" a few times and worrying about it but came to the realization worrying isn't going to change the situation. I could have not bid or layed the cash/check across the counter. MY decision and those few firearms I worried about, I'm glad I bought em now. Just stop fretting and go out and shoot the '60 Army. You only paid too much if you allow your mind to keep thinking that.

No worries. No remorse. No fretting. Was just asking for information and opinion, since I hadn't done the market research first. Don't read too much into it. I've bought some six dozen guns on GB, and some I overpaid, some I scored a deal. It all washes in the end. I've also bid both methods: max bid right up front well in advance, and jumping in to last minute bidding war. The latter method is a whole lot more fun, but if one doesn't have that max price already in mind and the discipline to stick with it, could lead to remorse. This auction was a little different because I only happened to stumble across it with little time left to do the research.

Right now I'm just sitting here by the window listening for the sound of the mail truck coming down the block. Could be any minute now.....

 

[wiscoaster]

...Bidding on auctions is like playing poker. ....

Ya!! That's why they're so much FUN!!

 

[Hawk54]

Ya!! That's why they're so much FUN!!

Agree. Just can't get carried away. Easy to do. Lots of 2nd and 3rd gen pistols out there. Keep looking and you will get lucky. Friend of mine got a Colt 3rd gen dragoon in a gun shop recently for $250.

 

[wiscoaster]

The Unboxing

Exceedingly well packed and out of box what I'm expecting:

First impressions: finish very nice, grips very nice, everything seems to fit perfectly. But, I wanted to break it open and take a look at the bore and the internals first to decide if I was going to shoot it first or take it apart and prep it first. Problem #1: this wedge is awfully tight!! Can't tap it through. Need Liquid Wrench and heavier mallet!! Problem #2: with wedge out, the barrel is frozen to the frame!! More Liquid Wrench and a trip to the basement to find something made from wood to protect and enable some more vigorous heavier hammer tapping levering the rammer against the cylinder. It turns out the Liquid Wrench should have been applied down the arbor hole (see note below).

Now, with this gun open, second impressions are very different: everything I see here this gun is virtually screaming at me "I'M BONE DRY!! PLEASE CLEAN ME AND LUBE ME AND LOOSEN ME!!" There is also some very light surface rust in the bore. Doesn't look like anything I can't deal with.

But, this gun is definitely going to get taken apart and its internals are going to get some TLC before it goes anywhere to get shot.

I think this gun is exactly as advertised. Somebody bought it brand new, stuck it in a closet and never opened it and didn't take care of it and forgot about it for 30 years.

Note to @45D - the arbor is not short!! If anything, it's too long, but it's certainly too tight, and maybe that's why the wedge and barrel to frame fit are also too tight. I think some judicious sanding of the arbor end and circumference might be indicated.

This is going to be fun .....

 

[Hawk54]

The Unboxing

Exceedingly well packed and out of box what I'm expecting:
View attachment 255925
View attachment 255926
View attachment 255927

First impressions: finish very nice, grips very nice, everything seems to fit perfectly. But, I wanted to break it open and take a look at the bore and the internals first to decide if I was going to shoot it first or take it apart and prep it first. Problem #1: this wedge is awfully tight!! Can't tap it through. Need Liquid Wrench and heavier mallet!! Problem #2: with wedge out, the barrel is frozen to the frame!! More Liquid Wrench and a trip to the basement to find something made from wood to protect and enable some more vigorous heavier hammer tapping levering the rammer against the cylinder.

Now,with this gun open, second impressions are very different: everything I see here this gun is virtually screaming at me "I'M BONE DRY!! PLEASE CLEAN ME AND LUBE ME AND LOOSEN ME!!" There is also some very light surface rust in the bore. Doesn't look like anything I can't deal with.

View attachment 255941

But, this gun is definitely going to get taken apart and its internals are going to get some TLC before it goes anywhere to get shot.

I think this gun is exactly as advertised. Somebody bought it brand new, stuck it in a closet and never opened it and didn't take care of it and forgot about it for 30 years.

Note to @45D - the arbor is not short!! If anything, it's too long, too tight, and that's why the wedge and barrel to frame fit are too tight. I think some judicious sanding of the arbor end and circumference might be indicated.

This is going to be fun .....

Nice pistol. I really like the look of the fluted 1860's. I don't know what the production numbers are for 3rd gen fluted and I don't believe there are any reliable numbers for production of any of the 3rd gens. On the 2nd gen fluted 1860's the numbers are far lower than the standard 1860's production wise.

People forget when they buy a new pistol or rifle they are not going to shoot and throw it in a safe it still needs to be maintained. It does require some maintenance to stay corrosion free.