Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Colt SAA...worth it?

I do shoot my Colt. Had customized too by Bob Munden and put fancy Walnut stocks on it. I have never been able to handle a 1st gen so I don't know the real difference, but I have no problems with the one I have.

Colt's don't hold their value any more than anything else. Leave it in the box, it will be worth NIB prices. Shoot it and use it, it will depreciate. After decades at $1200, Colt had to file bankruptcy for values to increase.

You’re mistaken. Even well used SAAs retain their value well. They even appreciate.

Craigc: You are just not paying attention - is the only excuse I can imagine for your overly broad and incorrect contention that "Colt's don't hold their value more than anything else"!
I am just dumbfounded you would make such an errant statement!
I have been watching VERY closely and "dabbling in" the Colt pistol/revolver market for the last 35+ years and you are simply wrong.
Sincerely.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

And I've heard people repeat that crap just as long. As I said, Colt had to file bankruptcy for any of that to hold water. As I also said, shoot a Colt and it will be worth less than you paid for it, like anything else. A well used Colt will be worth MUCH less than you paid for it. This is the myth that won't die. Sorry but the idea that you can buy a new Colt SAA, use it for 20yrs, put finish and internal wear on it and sell if for what you paid is nonsense.

I'm speaking of 3rd generation guns here.

If they appreciate, then why was I able to buy this .38-40 tuned and stocked by Tom Sargis ($500 worth of work) that went for weeks without a single taker at $1200?

It's not original for starters. Non factory stocks are killer for colt collectors. 38-40 isn't a popular caliber either. That said, I have a 45 colt I bought new in 2009 for $1000 . I have probably put 3000 or so rounds through it in the last decade. It is in very high condition but you can tell it has been shot. No real finish wear. Twice I have been offered 1800 bucks for it in the last year at the gun range. It's not for sale. As I said all original, high condition, and 45C helps.

I also had a 44 special that my grandfather owned and shot frequently. It was an early 3rd gen before the strike and didn't have the removable cylinder pin. It was probably 90% condition. We sold it for 1600 bucks 2 years ago. That was a lot more than he paid for it in the early 70s.


I have owned 1st, 2nd, and 3rds. Currently have 4 1st and 2 3rds. They are all great guns if you are careful about quality at purchase. Like with all colts be careful of strike years. The guns made since about 2007 or so are the best SAAs colt has ever made in my opinion. Phenomenal guns.

I differ from many collectors in not seeing a reason for a premium on 2nd gens over 3rd gens but that is my opinion.

The factory grips were in the box. So we're stipulating collectors now? Don't those guys typically want unfired guns? How does that jibe with the crap about putting serious wear on them but still appreciating? Sounds like a lot of wishful thinking to me.

$1000 in 2009 was well under retail. Absolutely not typical in a few decades. Couldn't get one that cheap when I worked in a gun shop 25yrs ago.

As I already said, it's only been in the last couple years that things have changed, since the bankruptcy and the firing of custom shop managers and employees.

Just did some digging in old posts and I paid 1200 not 1000, and msrp was apparently 1290 in 2009. Still not a bad return.

Most anyone who buys a colt SAA is a collector on some level. Otherwise you could buy a uberti or even a standard and save some money.

In your previous post you said shoot...not wear out. I will agree with you, if you beat up a gun or put serious wear on it it will be worth less than if it looks new. But if you shoot it and take care of it an SAA will still appreciate nicely.

As for the bankruptcy.....how does that affect appreciation of SAAs. Colts has declared bankruptcy a slew of times starting with Sam Colts death. Also, while firing Brent in the custom shop was bad business, it doesn't affect SAAs as they weren't made in custom shop, which Brent will readily tell you, unless you special order one. But that's a whole other fiasco.

thats a really good looking SAA.