Does anyone actually shoot thier 1st or 2nd Gen Colt 1860 Armys?

[inlikeflint]

I don't know if I will ever have enough spare change to get a real colt but if I do, it will be to shoot. Not shooting it would be like keeping a stack of $50 bills to look at and not use. John

 

[rick/pa]

According to Dennis Adler's book, Colt Blackpowder Reproductions and Replicas, the second generation parts were all made by Uberti and assembled and finished here by Colt. The third gen guns were made by Uberti and assembled here in the US by Lou and Anthony Imperato under the name Colt Blackpowder Arms Company. So technically, none of them are completely Colts pistols but the Colt marked guns do exhibit a higher quality of fit and finish over even the best of the Italian replicas such as Uberti. The case hardening colors are much more vivid.

 

[John May]

I have a 2nd Generation 1851 Navy and a Signature 1860 Army and I shoot them both. I bought them both second-hand but had they been new I would still do the same. Guns get lonely locked in a cabinet and bought out just to be stared at!

Just my 2 pence worth.

 

[Poor Private]

the 15 or so years I have more active in the "gun" buying, I really don't see them going up in price. They seem to just hang in the 500-700 dollar range, depending on the type of gun and what accessories are with them. So I really don't see them as any kind of investment. If you buy them for 500-700 15 years ago and they are still at 500-700 thats a poor investment. I can make more money at 1% interest at my local bank in that period of time on 500 bucks. I see em at my local gun shows at that price all the time.

 

[satx78247]

At the last SAXET gun-show in December, I saw a 2nd Generation Colt's 1860 in decent shape (mechanically fine but weak bluing) for 350.oo OTD & didn't buy it. - Perhaps, I should have done.
(I doubt that many new Colts by 1863 would have looked new, either, if they were holstered/carried every day during TWBTS.)

yours, satx

 

[John V.]

necchi, Well it has been a month and a few days since you posted this to me. I shot the Colt and do not regret it and glad I did. Appreciate you being candid with me. Man... these black powder revolvers are awesome. Now I want another. Thanks again.

 

[Strawstalker/NM]

I have a bamboo fly rod that belonged to my grandfather. the ONLY sign of wear is a small section of metal above the grip where his hand rubbed. Some would say this flaw reduces the value of the piece - not me. I look for this every time I fish the rod. In my book it is priceless! Strawstalker

 

[dickydalton]

And 3rd Gens.

Before and after.

 

[smoothshooter]

I would shoot it. The actual collectors of that type of gun are a niche market at best. I see these guns for sale occasionally at gun shows with high price tags, but no buyers.
The next time I see one for sale at a decent price, ( $500 or less ), new condition or not, I will buy it to shoot. Those of us who appreciate quality percussion revolvers are dying off and not being replaced, so there is a good chance that in 20 years their value will only be a fraction of what they are now. I do not see unfired ones as a good long term investment.

 

[dickydalton]

Me either do I. This one set me back less than $500 and looks and shoots fine but not fine enough, hence the Goon.

 

[MacRob46]

Well then it would appear I screwed up?I wanted a REAL Colt 1860 to actually shoot. I never gave much thought to the fact that actually shooting even a 2nd Gen 1860 w/o a box(that had never been turned) would totally devastate its value. I am not a collector, I enjoy shooting them. I have no safe queens,just VERY,VERY well cared for shooting pieces.

I come to this a bit late but, in fact, you would not be shooting a REAL Colt 1860. These guns were assembled by Colt but the parts are Italian. The fit and finish is better than the Italian produced guns but I think it is a stretch to call them "real colts." If you want to shoot it, shoot it. If you want to resell it later, don't shoot it but shoot your Pietta or something else. The only real Colt C&B revolvers were made in the 19th c. in Hartford, CT by Colt manufacturing.

 

[dickydalton]

Well then it would appear I screwed up?I wanted a REAL Colt 1860 to actually shoot. I never gave much thought to the fact that actually shooting even a 2nd Gen 1860 w/o a box(that had never been turned) would totally devastate its value. I am not a collector, I enjoy shooting them. I have no safe queens,just VERY,VERY well cared for shooting pieces.

I come to this a bit late but, in fact, you would not be shooting a REAL Colt 1860. These guns were assembled by Colt but the parts are Italian. The fit and finish is better than the Italian produced guns but I think it is a stretch to call them "real colts." If you want to shoot it, shoot it. If you want to resell it later, don't shoot it but shoot your Pietta or something else. The only real Colt C&B revolvers were made in the 19th c. in Hartford, CT by Colt manufacturing.

So that means that the 1847 Walker isn't a Real Colt and all the London Colts manufactured 1853 to 1856 aren't Real Colts either, right?
If they aren't Real Colts, why will Colt letter 2nd Generation guns?

 

[MacRob46]

Well let me modify my comment. The only real Colt C & B revolvers were made by Colt Manufacturing and its wholly owned subsidiaries, in the 19th c. I think you knew what I meant in spite of the poor phrasing on my part. They assembled the things which is why they will send a letter on them. However, to me at least, assembling foreign-made parts is not quite the same as what Colt did in the 19th c. You can look at it however you want to, just like I can.

 

[Marc Adamchek]

The 2nd generation guns whose parts were made by Uberti but were fit and finished by Colt's are considered to be real Colts both by Colt and Collectors. Colt will letter them.

No such for the Signature series.

and it ain't so easy to find ANY gun made in the 20th century that wasn't bettered by one made in the 19th century.

 

[John V.]

I would shoot it. The actual collectors of that type of gun are a niche market at best. I see these guns for sale occasionally at gun shows with high price tags, but no buyers.
The next time I see one for sale at a decent price, ( $500 or less ), new condition or not, I will buy it to shoot. Those of us who appreciate quality percussion revolvers are dying off and not being replaced, so there is a good chance that in 20 years their value will only be a fraction of what they are now. I do not see unfired ones as a good long term investment.

Thank you. Your views make sense. I admittedly never looked at this whole thing in that light? :grin:

 

[Marc Adamchek]

Does a Colt 2nd generation #2 Dragoon count? Once I get it back from Goons gunworks I'll shoot the living daylights out of it.

It was never shot by anyone before. He's going to tune it up a bit and then I'll bust its cherry.

 

[dickydalton]

Yes it does and you are going to love what the Goon does to it! :thumbsup:

 

[scotsman]

Hi Necchi, your point is well taken. However,there is something very special about shooting an original. I have a Winchester model 1892 built in 1893, and get a huge kick out of shooting this historic piece that someone must have shot 122 years ago!! cheers

 

[Jim C]

Well then it would appear I screwed up?I wanted a REAL Colt 1860 to actually shoot. I never gave much thought to the fact that actually shooting even a 2nd Gen 1860 w/o a box(that had never been turned) would totally devastate its value. I am not a collector, I enjoy shooting them. I have no safe queens,just VERY,VERY well cared for shooting pieces.

I come to this a bit late but, in fact, you would not be shooting a REAL Colt 1860. These guns were assembled by Colt but the parts are Italian. The fit and finish is better than the Italian produced guns but I think it is a stretch to call them "real colts." If you want to shoot it, shoot it. If you want to resell it later, don't shoot it but shoot your Pietta or something else. The only real Colt C&B revolvers were made in the 19th c. in Hartford, CT by Colt manufacturing.

:thumbsup:

 

[don hepler]

I've had 2nd Gen Colts and Uberti's. I really did not see that much difference in fit and finish. Uberti has came a long ways, working with American gun manufacturers, and now produce some pretty decent firearms. I never shot the Colts and eventually just sold them, figuring no use in having a gun that I wasn't willing to shoot. But if I still had the big Dragoon......I'd shoot it.