How do you think this will affect Colt prices in the near future? Maybe 5 years down the road. I have a couple and wonder if I should keep them locked up, or shoot them???

Guns are made for shooting. I shoot my Colts. Instead of having a 3rd or second generation Colt you will have pre CZ Colts and post CZ Colts. I think the Pre CZ will bring more money in the long run. I also feel with CZ's reputation the CZ Colts will be better made. Just a hunch.

I believe the older SAAs will continue to rise, as will older premium guns, such as the Woodsmans, Pythons, etc.

I do not believe the relatively recent Colt 1911s will rise near as much, and will probably flatline and find their niche corresponding with their inherent quality. The same will be true, I think, for the current production Pythons.

I think future production quality will drive demand and price, witness the Dan Wesson 1911 line. And if CZ follows what appears to be their current business model, we could see quality rise in other models as well.

yes i agree pre CZ -Colts will be worth more but i feel CZ will do a great job manufacturing new CZ-Colts. we all had a bad taste what happened to Marlin when Remington purchased Marlin but i don`t see this happening with CZ buying Colt either.

USFA made SAA's in the old Colt Blue Dome factory in New Haven. Quality was excellent, some claim even better than Colt. Although no longer in business, USFA SAA’s are in big demand, bring a premium. They didn't hurt Colt prices.

Standard Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Connecticut Shotgun, is making a top quality SAA. Tony Galazan at Connecticut Shotgun has benn making top end shotguns for nearly 40 years, including the Winchester 21. Connecticut makes some of the part for Standard, no MIM, no casting, all parts milled from the best steel.

At $1,800 and at their level of quality, they are actually raising the bar for Colt. Standard SAA screws are all timed, slots running horizontal. That's routine at Connecticut Shotgun, have never seen that level of detail on production SAA's, even USFA's.

I think 1st, 2nd and 3rd Gen Colts will hold their value. USFA and Standard actually raised the bar, presenting CZ with a challenge.

CZ is a gun company, They know quality; they know quality sells. Unlike Colt., CZ won't be run by bean counters; gun people will run the show.

Watching the transition at Colt is gonna be interesting.

DF

Wasn't colt owned by a sand person?

Well, maybe I will just shoot them then.

DF,
I always find your postings interesting and informative. I have a question for you...when USFA first started building those beautiful single actions didn't they use some parts provided by Uberti?

Thanks...

Not really. The owner's father came from Iraq 60+ years ago. I'd say he's an American.
Who owns Colt

I had heard the Uberti rumor. I’m not sure if that’s true or not. At any rate, the fitting and quality were a click or two ahead of typical Uberti guns.

DF

Standard MFG SAA's have had quality control issues. The hands are not hardened (Colts are) and will cause timing issues with extended or hard use. Cylinders over-rotating due to poorly fit bolts. Hammers that bind in the frame because the hammers are too wide for the frame slot. Some have even been found with Italian (Uberti) hands in them no kidding. Qualified screws will make you nuts as they go more out of time every time you touch them. about 10% had mechanical issues. Stick with Colts and USFA.

Thanks for the update on those. I’ve never handled one.

DF

The irony...colts made by an Iraqi being shot at Iraqis. Thank you universe

They should change the link to “who owned colt”

Speaking of soft parts, I traded for a Bill Grover Texas Longhorn Arms #5 revolver in .45 Colt with an extra .45 Mag cylinder. It developed a hair trigger and I sent it to Dave Clements who recut the sear and hardened the parts. It was fine after that. Grover’s guns were known to have soft parts.

A collector offered me a grand over what I had in it and down the road it went. Nice gun, but this guy wanted it more than I did. Real collectibles probably need to be in collections, cared for by true collectors. That and a grand sealed the deal.

DF

Will be interesting to see when in fact CZ begins the full-fledged manufacture of Colts and more importantly distribution. I'm looking forward seeing the quality and an increase in availability. Feeling the 'need' for one of the new Cobra's. My experience thus far is that one would have a better chance of finding hen's teeth.

To this day I kick myself every time I think about it. Had a Diamondback in 38 Special many years ago. Like an idiot I sold it. Bad thing is I can't remember WHY I sold it . . . . Musta learned from that experience as I later picked up a Trooper MK III. Still have it, but it's a step down from the Diamondback.

I would like to see a 45 colt. But I'm not sure it will be in my lifetime. For me, as I have shot Ruger Blackhawks since about '73 it will have to be better than a Bisley in 45 Colt. Be Well, RZ.

Long Barrel Colt

USFA Nettleton

Colt SAA Artillery Model

Nice.

How do you compare the USFA with the Colt?

DF

The original USFA, when Doug Turnbull was running it, are some of the finest Single Actions ever made, in my opinion. Better than 3rd Gen Colts. Wished I had bought a bunch of them when they started out. They bring crazy prices nowadays!

Colt prices pre CZ.

The firearm value + 50% for the prancing pony stamp. If a discontinued model, double the sum of the two.

Post CZ. add 50-100% to the above price for non CZ era guns.

Worked out about the same with JM stamped Marlins after Remlin went bankrupt. If Ruglins are a disappointment, expect another hike for the JM ones.

But as far as the new Colts go. I wouldn't be surprised if CZ does them right. Better maybe?

Many Collectors including my self consider the USAF to be superior to Colts but not by much. The currant production Gen 3 Colt SAA are considered the best ever produced by Colt. The Standard MFG clones look good but there are issues. They haven't been producing them for long maybe they will improve over time

I have a pair of Gen 3, engraved by a retired Weatherby engraver living in TX. I got them from a CAS shooter in TX, sent them to Nutmeg Sports for dead ele grips with deep dish medallions, shaped per my instructions. In fact, I sent them a one piece rosewood grip I had fitted for them to duplicate, which they did. These have nice case colors, iridescent even. They are .38 Spec, perfect for CAS. Actions are super slick. I've had USFA's and these are as nice, even better finished, nicer case colors.

DF

Those look better than any colts or USFA I own. A had a Colt 7.5 inch nickel plated with one piece Ivory stocks bought it new out of the Colt Custom shop sold it a couple years back wish I hadn't don't know what I was thinking.

With the way Colt has been run in the recent past, I can't see how CZ owning them could be anything but better. Time will tell.

Agree.

It will be interesting.

DF

"I believe the older SAAs will continue to rise...."

We'll see. There's a school of thought which holds that when the Boomer generation that grew up watching B Westerns and television Westerns starts dying off SAAs will decline in value, or anyway not continue to increase. Because of the size of the Boomer generation relative to the succeeding generation or two, investments and collectibles of all kinds will decline in relative(inflation-adjusted) value according to that school.

Probably not too unlike fine steel and walnut rifles.

DF