[Hondo44]

ANSWERS:

1. Pinched frame Colt looks like this. It comes from an article we wrote last year on Colt collecting. Buying Colt Single Actions ? A Beginner?s Guide & Unique Auction It should be very helpful to your current situation.
View attachment 46796

Pinched frames were only produced on the first 100-200 SAAs which had numerous other small differences until all subtle details were standardized. Like very long loading gates, #1 style ejector rod housing, stampings, etc.

Pinched frames are often faked by welding up a later Colt and re-milling. But in the photo above you can see the long loading gate on the pinched frame gun on the left; another way to verify (if it hasn't been faked as well). The very early long loading gate rear edge extends almost all the way back to the hammer.

Notice the rear edge of the short loading gate on the right.
I went to the link above. You guys did an excellent job on that site. The zoom in shots are spectacular. I clicked on the 44 Rim Fire lot # and watched the video. I have to tell you though, I was aghast at your “expert” in the video at the bottom. He doesn’t even know to fully cock the hammer before letting it down and he did it on two $100,000 plus rare Colts!!!

 

[Hondo44]

I don't think someone would go to the trouble to fake a pinched frame and then sell it for $1200. Pictures will tell the story.

At least not until it was "outed" and he may be the 10th owner since it had been faked and not the one who did it, he only knows that he didn't pay much money for it. Outed fakes often end up in the hands of those that know the least about real Colts.

There are also faked guns in very high priced collections that aren't "discovered" until they go to auction where they are finally evaluated by an expert. Having a gun evaluated for authenticity by a professional is not cheap and some collectors would rather not know so they can resell it with a clean conscience. Colt SAAs are the most faked firearm in the world.

 

[Hondo44]

Also. If the seller knows enough to call the ejector rod head a "Bullseye" I think he would know if he had a real COLT pinched frame. At $1200 I am leaning toward a Belgium/Spanish/Mexico copy.

Hardly! Thanks to all the clones produced in black powder configuration, those that know the term "Bullseye Ejector" out number those that know what a pinched frame is by at least 100,000 to 1. "What's a pinched frame?" was even asked in this thread!

 

[Hondo44]

I'm no expert on pinched frames but I don't like the looks of the example posted. If I had the money to buy one i'd require an X-ray of the sight area before dropping the cash!

Not a bad idea, but I don't think it justifies the cost, professionals are likely more accurate than an Xray.
What don't you like with the looks of the one posted? You're welcome to your "no expert" opinion of course. But it clearly looks authentic (as well as can be seen in one photo at least). No one can authenticate from a photo.

It's been the case more than once that a genuine Colt is deemed a fake by an untrained eye only to find out later that they had passed up the buy of a lifetime!

 

[Hondo44]

ANSWERS:

1. Pinched frame Colt looks like this. It comes from an article we wrote last year on Colt collecting. Buying Colt Single Actions ? A Beginner?s Guide & Unique Auction It should be very helpful to your current situation.
View attachment 46796
Which one is "pinched"- left or right? THANKS

Post #13.

 

[Hondo44]

I agree. How many US guns do you see for sale at the shows with a Kopec authentication letter? A bad letter is the kiss of death from a value stand point. I think some ( not all) of the dealers " don't wanna know!"

Rick I believe you are absolutely correct! How many times have we heard a seller say; "Someone said this or that might not be original, but I don't know."? To me, that means the seller KNOWS it's not original but just wants to go on record before the sale to ease his conscience and deflect any comebacks after the sale. Cynical on my part maybe, but usually true. After 50 years of walking gunshows, one learns just too many are out there trying to 'game' it.

 

[Hondo44]

Well the internet is to slow to load pics out here, so will do that when I get to town next.Looked at the gun and it's not a pinched frame, had a long loading gate cutout, but a short replacement loading gate.Almost no blue left, replaced grips(stag) and was stamped Colt on the left side of frame.The se# was indeed 52 stamped on frame in front of trigger guard, and on cylinder.

Yeah, sounds like a copy. The loading gate cutout (loading chute) is always the same length. Only the loading gate was shortened.

 

[Hondo44]

Colts did not ever have cal stamped on the frame and when stamped on the trigger guard it would not be Cal 44, it would be .44 CAL. It could be a Colt that had a caliber change that was stamped on the frame by the gunsmith and a stolen gun with serial # removed and re-stamped #52 by a local authority.