What would this 1911 be worth? EDIT: Sold for $800

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What would this 1911 be worth? EDIT: Sold for $800

Posted: 3/27/2009 6:19:38 AM EDT

I posted this in the 1911 forum as well, but thought I would post it here to get more opinions.

I am going to an estate auction tomorrow where several guns will be auctioned off. One of them is an old 1911. The only description listed on the auctions website is

1911 US Army Colt 45 automatic

I know there are probably a lot of variables in determining what something like this is worth but can someone give a ballpark estimate? It looks to be in very rough shape but I haven always wanted to own one.

Here is a pic.

Posted: 3/27/2009 6:20:20 AM EDT

[#1]

If it was at a gunshow?

about $160,000

Posted: 3/27/2009 6:22:56 AM EDT

[#2]

Don't know, but I'd love to own it.

Posted: 3/27/2009 6:24:23 AM EDT

[#3]

$300 is what I'd pay for it.....Looks mostly like surface rust so it would clean up...

Posted: 3/27/2009 6:25:23 AM EDT

[#4]

buy it, it probably shot some Nazi

Posted: 3/27/2009 6:25:29 AM EDT

[#5]

That would fall into the shooter grade class, figure about $500-600. If I owned it, I would send it off for a proper restoration.

Posted: 3/27/2009 6:26:35 AM EDT

[#6]

Two to three hundred dollars IMHO.

Great project gun IMHO!

Posted: 3/27/2009 6:29:55 AM EDT

[#7]

I'm leaning more towards the $450-500 mark. It's a shooter grade pistol, like P08 said, but it's in really poor shape.

I'd be curious as to how many of the markings were intact. The US Property mark was sometimes ground off of these, and if it is missing, the value will be less.

-Mark

Posted: 3/27/2009 6:30:32 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
buy it, it probably shot some Nazi

The odds are heavily against that.

Even amongst soldiers that actually fired their weapons in combat, most didn't hit anything. Of the ones who did, very, very, very few kills were made with handguns. Most officers and NCOs carried a Thompson or a carbine even if they had a pistol.

Pistols were really only used to shoot tanks before air support came in.

Posted: 3/27/2009 6:36:14 AM EDT

[#9]

It's probably a Series 70, making it a better bet for a project gun. Meaning that with $1,000 worth of work it would be functionally/visually in the same ballpark as, say, a loaded Springfield Armory 1911. Which you could buy new for $700 +/-.

$250 tops.

Posted: 3/27/2009 6:40:48 AM EDT

[#10]

Considering how much work you have to put in anyways to make a 1911 not suck, it's a steal.

Posted: 3/27/2009 6:40:49 AM EDT

[#11]

Thanks for the help guys. I will be sure to update this tomorrow with what it sold for.

Posted: 3/27/2009 6:50:05 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
It's probably a Series 70, making it a better bet for a project gun. Meaning that with $1,000 worth of work it would be functionally/visually in the same ballpark as, say, a loaded Springfield Armory 1911. Which you could buy new for $700 +/-.

$250 tops.

i assume you are not a real 1911 man? Otherwise you would know that the gun could not possibly be a 70 series.

Posted: 3/27/2009 6:57:21 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:

Quoted:
It's probably a Series 70, making it a better bet for a project gun. Meaning that with $1,000 worth of work it would be functionally/visually in the same ballpark as, say, a loaded Springfield Armory 1911. Which you could buy new for $700 +/-.

$250 tops.

i assume you are not a real 1911 man? Otherwise you would know that the gun could not possibly be a 70 series.

+A1

This pistol is missing the improvements that were made to the design after WWI which morphed into the 1911A1. The obvious differences between the 1911 and 1911A1 include a longer grip safety (not as crazy as some of the beaver tail safetys that look like they belong at a water park, but longer than the original), curved mainspring housing and relief cuts in the frame just behind the trigger.

Posted: 3/27/2009 7:00:58 AM EDT

[#14]

Buy it and send it to Doug Turnbull for a full restoration.
Doug Turnbull Restoration Inc.

Posted: 3/27/2009 7:13:56 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Quoted:
It's probably a Series 70, making it a better bet for a project gun. Meaning that with $1,000 worth of work it would be functionally/visually in the same ballpark as, say, a loaded Springfield Armory 1911. Which you could buy new for $700 +/-.

$250 tops.

i assume you are not a real 1911 man? Otherwise you would know that the gun could not possibly be a 70 series.

+A1

This pistol is missing the improvements that were made to the design after WWI which morphed into the 1911A1. The obvious differences between the 1911 and 1911A1 include a longer grip safety (not as crazy as some of the beaver tail safetys that look like they belong at a water park, but longer than the original), curved mainspring housing and relief cuts in the frame just behind the trigger.

Wide hammer spur and lanyard ring on the MS housing are kind of a dead giveaway, too.

Posted: 3/27/2009 7:25:54 AM EDT

[#16]

Some things are too far gone for help...

If it's got that much corrosion on the ouside, the bore may be a sewer pipe, and the internals may be just as bad.

Posted: 3/27/2009 7:39:31 AM EDT

[#17]

I sold a deeply pitted vintage 1911A1 for $425 on this forum. It didn't last a week. That one appears to be in similar condition.

Posted: 3/27/2009 7:49:09 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Some things are too far gone for help...

If it's got that much corrosion on the outside, the bore may be a sewer pipe, and the internals may be just as bad.

That depends on who is doing the work. I have seen Ted Green weld up pitting using vintage steel on a Luger then dress it down and blue. You cannot tell it was done! Turnbull can do the same if not better. Who cares about the bore, correct barrels new in wrap are still out there.

Posted: 3/27/2009 8:39:01 AM EDT

[#19]

That pistol isn't worth anything. Please give me the contact information of the current owner so I can let them know it is worthless!

Posted: 3/27/2009 8:43:06 AM EDT

[#20]

I'd hate to put a value on it.

I wouldn't be interested in it above $300, but others might bid more.

Posted: 3/28/2009 5:20:27 AM EDT

[#21]

Keep us updated on how you do at the auction!
What did the 1911 go for??

Posted: 3/28/2009 5:31:18 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Two to three hundred dollars IMHO.

Great project gun IMHO!

It's all I would pay. By the time you get it cleaned up, it'll have NO collector interest and will be a curio and wall hanger unless you replace a ton of parts. I'd bet the barrel is toast to boot. It's at the point where you'd have FAR more money into restoring it then it will ever be worth.

For the person that thought it was probably a series 70.

It's OBVIOUS this is a WW1 era 1911 from just a glance.

Posted: 3/28/2009 6:28:19 AM EDT

[#23]

It might not be in as bad shape as it looks from the outside. I've seen handguns that looked like rusted relics at estate auctions because when the owner passed, the guns were left un attended or worse piled up with all the other items for a year or more while getting the deseased persons affairs in order. Could simply need a thorough cleaning and oiling to get working and maybe a minor resto for collecting purposes. I can't tell by just the pick, the truth will come from breaking it down. I'm not a 1911 freak but i do enjoy the one I have. That said I'd give $350 for it.

Posted: 3/28/2009 9:04:22 AM EDT

[#24]

Well I just got back and it sold for a whopping $800. I didn't get a chance to inspect the inside of it so I don't know what it looked like. Needless to say I did not buy it.

Posted: 3/28/2009 9:50:51 AM EDT

[#25]

I've learned that all auctions held around tax-return time bring out the crazies on a binge, who don't have any money to spend the rest of the year. That, coupled with the fact that it was a firearms auction, means the prices just get too stupid.

All the gun auctions I've been to in the last 6 mos. have gone stupid, then tax time came

Posted: 3/28/2009 10:10:57 AM EDT

[#26]

Whoosh, $800.00, thats why I've already told the wife if I croak, except for the stuff the kiddo gets, there WILL be an auction for the gun related stuff. Every one I've ever gone to has been a waste of time because prices have skyrocketed past the point of rediculous.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What would this 1911 be worth? EDIT: Sold for $800

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