Unfired early COlt 1911

[ColonelR]

I am a long time German military collector on other forums...and now have found that many colts have come into my hands. I wanted to post to show the group this unfired early COLT 1911. Family letter verifies that grandpa dies and they found this 1911 in cosmoline and could not get it to function due to resin caked cosmoline...look and see what they found under the dried grease....in "AS nearly" unfired condition as issued 1911...and documented. Fired 200 time by family after gunsmith released it form orginal resin protectorant in 2009...buyer will also get the DVD made by family.

I have placed an ad in classified on this site but if anyone knows a better place to sell please advise me where to find a serious or advanced colt collector.. it should be in one of your hands...not a German collector.....thanks so much
COL R
816-830-2391WWI colt 3.jpgWWi colt 2.jpgWWI colt 4..jpgWWI Colt 1.jpgWWI colt 5.jpg

[Kid Sopris]

This is worthy of the Big Auction Houses...I would start looking through those outfits....BUT we do have a few Big Spenders here so you might get their cash !

[Collects]

Post it here first, in Want to Sell.

Somebody here no doubt wants that pistol, and will pay properly for it.

Good luck, and thanks for showing it to us.

[Kid Sopris]

Colonel, both your post here and classified ad says UNFIRED, yet you readily admit firing 200 rounds from it. Any reason for the descrepency in description?

[oldcanuck]

I see a very tidy brushed blue 1918 M1911.... but none of these pictures verify an unfired example. Internal slide, locking lugs, and barrel hood pictures would be a great place to start. Additionaly, I wasn't aware that the US military used cosmoline prior to WWII. I have several 99% WWI and WWII examples in my collection, but not one of them are unfired as far as I know.... as I believe Colt fired everything under military contract prior to final acceptance and shipment.


Now that I have seen the add, and letter in the WTS section.... it is obviously not unfired, and I'm sorry..... but anybody can write a letter which proves nothing.

[Kid Sopris]

Colonel The Classified area is not for banter, so it might help your cause to address issues here. The letter of your Very Nice and cherished 1911 is more self serving. It's a nice letter, but it doesn't tend to support the issues that face a $10,000.00 price tag. I might suggest that the words to describe your 19911 are yours, not ours; Thus, presuming the ideology we are attacking you, does really nothing to clear the air of conflicting claims.

Third party Documentation helps. Colt Archive letters, or Letters or memo from the US Army would be a nice source of support.

In the past new members who have accused the General Membership, (who may have legitimate concerns for a pistol with a hefty price,) by asserting that we are being disrespectful, have not fared well.

[ColonelR]

"Unfired condition" is a term of expression we are all familiar with that are collectors....it means in my terminology the same "as new in the box".....its a term of expression. We know for example a 2nd Gen SAA from the 1956 has been fired, but we still say its new in the box if it looks like that.....but of course its not new...its been pre-owned by many persons..and certainly fired...but it still is described at auctions as new in the box...because it looks that good. I am glad however that you enjoyed looking at a fine collectible....I suppose thats what a COlt Forum is all about...sharing documented stories about fine only guns. I guess my heart is in the right place.???

sorry if the family letter offends someone...I thought it would be interesting to let others get the story behind the gun...not to be used as a point of derision. I did not show the final page since that gives personal information that will be given to the person that owns the gun. Then he can verify if the story has been made up There are few one owner guns out there...and that makes it interesting if it can be documented. Just tying to show some history here on a surviving military arm...please try to see this in the best possible way! A hooby should be fun...not .....

[kwill]

I have to agree with oldcanuck and Kid Sopris. When you use language like "the only known unfired as issued 1911...and documented" and you are asking an astronomical price and it is your first post, then the burden of proof is on you, the seller. "Unfired" is NOT a term of art that means that it looks unfired. The letter is interesting, but not altogether convincing. Nor is the story about the hardened cosmoline. Colt did not ship them in cosmoline and it is not clear that the military used it extensively on pistols. In the pictures it appears to be a high condition pistol and if the parts are all correct/original then it is worth several thousand dollars. Yes, this is a hobby that should be fun. For most of us it is. But some of the "fun" is dealing with all the bogus sellers, humped up guns, spurious markings, interesting but impossible-to-prove stories and creative documentation. I'm not accusing you of ANY wrong-doing. But please don't think us so naive.

Regards,
Kevin Williams

[USMC Snakedriver]

I am always suspicious of statements of fact, that have no documented proof of same. Most of the senior members of this forum are really good with their opinions. You might not agree with them, but you can't dismiss their logic.

[ColonelR]

Ok, ok, ok. . .peace and love. I thought it was interesting to members to see the letter from the family...did not anticipate this reaction at all. The whole point of the letter was to show some documentation. SO I am silly if I do ....and silly if I dont....,,,,I got some private messages with stories from other guys with letters on their Colts...and they enjoy hearing about this one.....just forget about the letter and enjoy the photos guys,.....is the only thing I can image to say at this point. I am really at a loss for words. If some folks dont like it then I would suggest just try to keep their negative comments private and let others enjoy it.

It is documented, these are real people and for those who dont see the final signed page can enjoy the story ...for the person that it will be important to...and that will be only one person...that person can verify the comments of the person that wrote the letter......until then its interesting to pass on the story....so I guess we are all good here. There is certainly nothing dishonest here at all. The price is also a non-event....It is really nothing for what it is....I spend that much at auction each month on guns with no provenance or documentation at all. ...Yes I guess the auction house is the best place...no worry ...no drama....Just dont like to give auction houses so much in fees..on both sides...thought there would be some that would appreciate this...and I see from my PMs there is...and phone calls....certainly dont wnat to draw hostility form any person that does not even know me.....I might surprise you...and you might like me if you knew me In the years I served this country in uniform no one ever had reason to doubt my intentions or integrity. So......

THe "cosmoline" may be a word for anything the family might have called ANY protectorate coating...I have no idea I was not there....I take them at their word...but I guess none of us were at the depot in France..and I sure they have no idea what the resin substance was...but it did a good job...and after all, I guess that cosmoline covers a wide range of protectants in the mind of the average non specialist...so I dont hold this against the guy at all.....Guys I am just glad to pass along the photos and the story and if someone wants a old colt that was always in the same family then this is something he can appreciate and verify for his own pleasure.....really at a loss of words here.