Colt Navy 1851 Question

[.44 associate]

Does anyone suppose the owner of this gun would ever sell it?

The worries about "value" - presumably monetary value - strike me as rather cold. The value to this owner, it seems to me, has far more to do with his father than about what he could theoretically get at auction. If the gentleman wants to spend the considerable amount of money it takes to properly restore a gun like this, then I would think the "value" to him would render financial matters essentially irrelevant.

If nothing else, a well-used '51 Navy is not a very rare thing and doesn't fetch all that much at auction. I'd be surprised if this gun went for a thousand dollars - and I wouldn't be surprised if the bill for a first-class restoration was twice that. So I'm not sure that purely financial considerations are at play here at all.

 

[.44 associate]

Having written all that, and assuming that this is an original gun with original finish, it really is far too nice to tamper with. I am not expert enough to tell, from the pictures, if it is an original gun, but it certainly does not appear to be an original finish. Restoring a previously refinished gun is, at least me, a completely harmless endeavor.

 

[Robert an saa fan]

Does anyone suppose the owner of this gun would ever sell it?

The worries about "value" - presumably monetary value - strike me as rather cold. The value to this owner, it seems to me, has far more to do with his father than about what he could theoretically get at auction. If the gentleman wants to spend the considerable amount of money it takes to properly restore a gun like this, then I would think the "value" to him would render financial matters essentially irrelevant.

If nothing else, a well-used '51 Navy is not a very rare thing and doesn't fetch all that much at auction. I'd be surprised if this gun went for a thousand dollars - and I wouldn't be surprised if the bill for a first-class restoration was twice that. So I'm not sure that purely financial considerations are at play here at all.

If my comments about value were considered cold please bear in mind my closing statement was:

" If the Colt's current condition is how you inherited it from your father my opinion is to honor him by preserving it and not refinishing it."

I have a rifle my dad bought second hand during the depression before WWII. Dad cold blued the entire rifle several times over the years. Cold blue filled the few nicks and dings. The rifle is not attractive at all. My choice is to never refinish or restore dad's rifle.

A first class restoration of the subject Colt Navy would cost roughly $3,000 to $4,500 from someone as skilled as Doug Turnbull Restoration and others. Metal parts would be replaced due to deep pitting or welded up, re-cut and re-marked.

The original poster is of course free to do as he pleases with his father's Civil War era Colt. It is a very personal decision.

I also write about value to try and help others who may read our posts and may be trying to decide what to do with a family firearm or a dear friend's firearm.

YMMV.

 

[Kansas Jake]

With an antique and especially something like a civil war era item, my personal criteria would be to "do no harm." I too subscribe to the caretaker mantra with regard to something like that. At the same time if the pistol was reblued, then it presents more options for consideration compared to an unmolested original. Personally, I probably leave it be.

 

[Ranger94]

Thanks for all of your responses. I talked with one of my Dad's older friends and gave me the history on this gun. My Dad has bought this in the 1950s, when they were dirt cheap and readily available. Here is where it gets heart breaking. My Dad gave it to a buddy, who attempted (poorly) to do a home reblueing job on the pistol, and that is where the pitting came from.... I am speechless.....

 

[Zonie]

Take a look at my Springfield 1842 Musket.

It's obvious that someone in the past 175 years has crudely carved his initials into the stock with a knife.

According to the collectors, that ruined the gun as a good collectible but as I see it, it is just a part of the guns history so the damage isn't really that bad.

It's too bad that someone used cold bluing on the Colt pistol but, that has become just a part of its history.
Don't feel bad about it. Just accept it and be happy you have it. It's a part of your family history.

 

[Gun Tramp]

Zonie, to my eye, your 1842 is gorgeous. Perfect.