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LIke I said, I have plenty of older Colt's that would make nice base guns, as well as a few others which have all the makings of perfect base guns. but the economics eschew taking a perfect old gun and cutting it up. He took a $2000 base gun when a $500 dollar base gun would have worked just as well. And in a few years, he would have had a $3000 dollar safe queen, and in several years, he would have had a $4000 dollar safe queen.
Economics?? I'd beg to differ, but I'm not a safe queen guy. That base gun is
nothing special. Not special ordered, not factory engraved, not owned by anyone "famous", and certainly not rare by any means or measure. It's a run of the mill (ever wonder where that phrase came from?) production piece that through no heroics or divine plan was deprived of an early lifetime of service and enjoyment while languishing in a cardboard box for two generations. Attaching personal nostalgic value doesn't change any of that. In my opinion (and experience ), that Colt is much more "valuable" in many ways now than it ever could be if maintained in NIB condition.
I look at it this way. When it was new,
38 years ago, it cost approximately a week's pay for a working guy. Today,
38 years later, it's still worth (and sold for) a similar amount. No real appreciation at all, just an intrinsic value adjusted for inflation. If all my investments were that solid, I'd hang myself.
I've collected guns my whole life, and count among my friends some of the country's most respected and prolific collectors of fine guns. I own guns from Cooper (Malcolm
and Jeff), Applegate, Beckwith, and Joe Foss, among others. There are truly
collectible firearms, and there's everything else. Box - stock Colt Governments fall into the same category as shelf stock Model 12's and 94's, Rugers, Remingtons, and Marlins. Interesting, nostalgic, easy to buy, and relatively inexpensive. Not the arena where we find rapidly appreciating rare and desireable guns.
If one were to truly believe that Colt 70 Series Gov'ts will command $4000 prices in a few short years, there's only one course - buy every example you can and wait to see if the future smiles on the gamble. There are lots of opportunities still available. Maybe someday you can tell me I was dead wrong. I truly hope so, and by cutting up every example I get my hands I'll be doing my part to help a bit.
Not wanting to induce any medical emergencies, but a quick pass through the safes here reveal One 95% Prewar National Match, Two 1968 NIB Colt AMU Governments, one as new 1968 Colt AMU, as well as a Pre-war .38 Super, a NIB 4 digit Colt LW Commander, and some other really NICE base guns. The ones I don't cut up, Jason will. And Yes, they'll be worth
more when they're done.
_________________
Heirloom Precision, LLC.
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Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.
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