New member question about colt 45

[bergeron]

Greeting fellow members. This is my first post. I recently got serious about collecting handguns. Yesterday I purchased a Colt 45 Battle of Belleau Wood. It is NIPC (Thats new in presentation case,,I just made it up). My question is, In trying to determine its market value for insurance purposes, I find that there are 3 grades..standard,deluxe, and specal deluxe. How do you tell the difference? Also there is a small amount of corrosion on the frame. Can a good gunsmith do spot re-bluing or would the whole frame have to be redone? Also, what do the experts value this piece at? Thanks a lot and I look forward to participating in yhis forum.

[AL MOUNT]

Welcome to the forum......

I can't answer your question, but I'm sure others will.

[Willie]

I have a new book by Shindeler,17th addition,bought yesterday. It says 1968 man.date,
ww1 series Belleau Wood .45 auto $200.00 new, $795 now and 7,400 made.
ww1 series Belleau Wood Deluxe $500 new,$1350 now, 75 made.
ww1 series Belleau Wood sSp. Deluxe $ 1000.00 new $ 2,750 now, 25 made.
Thats all I get from this book. Hope it helps.

[wonderwhippet]

Even a small amount of corrosion has pretty much destroyed any collector value. You may as well shoot it and enjoy it.

[Alpo]

Just in case you are still looking at this site, what you have is a commemorative gun. Commemorative guns only have collector value if they are brand-damn new in the box perfect. If the gun has been shot, it has no collector value anymore. If the gun has finish damage it has no collector value anymore. If there is corrosion damage it has no collector value anymore. A commemorative firearm must be perfect, or it is just a shooter.

Now, your gun is a fine gun, and is worth maybe 5 or 6 hundred bucks as a shooter. But with corrosion damage it has no collector value.

You don't want to hear that? You don't like hearing that? Too bad. Facts are facts.

[Pistolenschutze]

Bergeron, I deleted you last post. If you cannot behave in a courteous manner toward other members then I suggest you do indeed find another forum.

[JLA]

i'd just shoot it anyways. i dont believe in owning guns that i cant shoot

[wonderwhippet]

Thanks Alpo, for so eloquently elaborating on my brief reply. People who are in love with their guns tend to take any criticism very personally. Like many others, he just didn't realize that these made-to-order collectibles have to be kept in absolutely pristine condition in order to retain their value.

[Pistolenschutze]

Originally Posted by wonderwhippet

Thanks Alpo, for so eloquently elaborating on my brief reply. People who are in love with their guns tend to take any criticism very personally. Like many others, he just didn't realize that these made-to-order collectibles have to be kept in absolutely pristine condition in order to retain their value.

That may be true, whippet, but it still does not excuse the discourtesy he displayed. You said nothing to justify such a response and in fact simply responded to his question in an accurate and succinct fashion.

[Willie]

Originally Posted by Alpo

Just in case you are still looking at this site, what you have is a commemorative gun. Commemorative guns only have collector value if they are brand-damn new in the box perfect. If the gun has been shot, it has no collector value anymore. If the gun has finish damage it has no collector value anymore. If there is corrosion damage it has no collector value anymore. A commemorative firearm must be perfect, or it is just a shooter.

Now, your gun is a fine gun, and is worth maybe 5 or 6 hundred bucks as a shooter. But with corrosion damage it has no collector value.

You don't want to hear that? You don't like hearing that? Too bad. Facts are facts.

Alpo: I felt kind of bad when you told me my gun was refinished and it was hard not to be upset also. I realised that to get real info means I might not always be right(say it ain't so) and sometimes that is what happens. My gun I really like and I have learned more than I thought possible. Thanks for your input and everyone else. Always speak truth. No excuses then. Off the soapbox now.

[Willie]

Originally Posted by JLA

i'd just shoot it anyways. i dont believe in owning guns that i cant shoot

JLA, I shot every gun I own. I thought that is why I bought them. I only recently found out that is not good for collectible stuff. Knowing this now, I am still going to shoot every gun I have or get. I want to shoot a really nice "Collectible" right out of the box, 1 time

[Alpo]

Originally Posted by wonderwhippet

Thanks Alpo, for so eloquently elaborating on my brief reply. People who are in love with their guns tend to take any criticism very personally. Like many others, he just didn't realize that these made-to-order collectibles have to be kept in absolutely pristine condition in order to retain their value.

Wonderwhippet, I don't know if you saw the response he made, before Pistolenschutze deleted it, but it read, to me, like he was a spoiled 8-year-old being told that he couldn't do something that he wanted to do. My response was directed to that spoiled 8-year-old.

I figger that, if I ask a question on the wire, and I get a response that I don't like or that I don't agree with, simple politeness has me sayin' "Thank you", and then ignoring it. There was no reason for him coming back to you like he did. Obviously, his mama didn't fetch him up right.

[Alpo]

Originally Posted by Willie

Alpo: I felt kind of bad when you told me my gun was refinished and it was hard not to be upset also. I realised that to get real info means I might not always be right(say it ain't so) and sometimes that is what happens. My gun I really like and I have learned more than I thought possible. Thanks for your input and everyone else. Always speak truth. No excuses then. Off the soapbox now.

Willie, I've got an 1881 double action Smith. I knew it had been re-nickeled. But it wasn't until after I said that about yours that I looked at mine. Shore 'nuff. Hammer and trigger are nickel. I've owned this gun for about six years and that had never registered.

Man. Writing this made me go pick up an old nickeled 32/20. Nickeled hammer and trigger. The stuff you find when you actually look.

[Willie]

Originally Posted by Alpo

Willie, I've got an 1881 double action Smith. I knew it had been re-nickeled. But it wasn't until after I said that about yours that I looked at mine. Shore 'nuff. Hammer and trigger are nickel. I've owned this gun for about six years and that had never registered.

Man. Writing this made me go pick up an old nickeled 32/20. Nickeled hammer and trigger. The stuff you find when you actually look.

I think it is all part if the learning curve for me. I know now some things to look for and will try to buy better now. However the S&W is going to get a good workout at the range this weekend and shooting is,imho,more fun than collecting. I go to work for money, have guns to shoot. Can it be better than that?

[Xracer]

Originally Posted by Alpo

I figger that, if I ask a question on the wire, and I get a response that I don't like or that I don't agree with, simple politeness has me sayin' "Thank you", and then ignoring it. There was no reason for him coming back to you like he did. Obviously, his mama didn't fetch him up right.

Good attitude Alpo.

Here on the Ask The Pros & What's it Worth Forum, we often find it necessary to inform people that their "Very Valuable Antique Collectible Firearm" is actually a POS that's worth about 25 bucks (or less).....but we try to burst their balloons gently and politely.

And......sometimes that $25 gun was Grandpa's and Grandpa taught the poster, as a kid, to shoot with that ol' gun.....and the memories tied up in that firearm are absolutely priceless.

[Alpo]

Originally Posted by bergeron

I was'nt gong to respond to this forum anymore but now I feel compelled to. Lets see if I've got this right...I suggest to someone who is supposed to be a "pro" that he is wrong in saying the piece has no more value as a collector item because of a small amount of corrosion, and I am warned and told to simmer down with my aggressive rhetoric..However, Mr. Alpo can can cast dispersions on my recently deceased mother and thats okay. Strange sense of values you gents have. Remember gentlemen,"If you have integrity, nothing else matters...If you don't have integrity,nothing
else matters. By the way no one ever answered my question of how to tell the grades apart. Too busy telling me it was worthless, I guess.

You did not "suggest he is wrong", you called him nasty names. No one told you it was worthless, we told you it had no collector value. Probably the best way to tell the grades apart is to look at the paperwork that you have with your gun. You do have the paperwork, right? Because without it, even if the gun was perfect in every way, it would not have collector value, as the paperwork is part of the value.

[Shooter45]

Without seeing a pic of the corrision, it will be hard to say if the finish can be repaired. If it isn't too bad, a good gunsmith may be able to spot finish the area. If not, he may be able to reblue the whole frame. So don't give up hope just yet.