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"Fitz" special

2K views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  Steve H. Bunch 
#1 ·
\"Fitz\" special

So what's the best way to verify a "Fitz" detective special?? Most seem to be manufactured in 1934, and none of these (as far as I can find) are lettered as "Fitz"
 
#4 ·
Re: \"Fitz\" special

I was just trying to help here as most people on this forum are, but apparently you are used to dealing with people with short and curt dashes ....... so I'll let someone else on the forum see if they can help you. For instance you make statements like " none of these" and I don't know what "these" are unless you have several "Fitz's" in front of you. And you mention "lettered" and I have no way of deciphering what you are refering to unless you have already requested a letter from Colt that they are "Fitz's". Most of the people I have met here on the forum are very nice and extremely helpful so I will keep stay off here and see if they can help you.
 
#5 ·
Re: \"Fitz\" special

The only way to verify a genuine factory Fitz, is to get a historical letter from Colt.

Fitz guns have been copied and out-and-out counterfeited many, many times over the years.

IF you have a genuine Fitz, you have a valuable collectible item worth real money.
That's why there are many counter-FITZ
around.

With something potentially this valuable, you should verify it with the factory.
 
#6 ·
Re: \"Fitz\" special

I know of two others that are probably genuine, but other than a destination, there is no mention of Fitz. These like mine also came with boxes etc. All of the Fitz specials that I have examined (detective specials) seem to stay in the 1934 year range. This includes the Lindbergh colt. Thanks again.........
 
#7 ·
Re: \"Fitz\" special

If it is a Fitz, they factory will know for sure. They always kept pretty good records on things like this.

As for the 1934 dating.
Some years ago there was lot of discussion among Colt collectors about a mysterious California buyer buying up all the Colt Detective Specials he could get that were in the 1933/34/35 range. He was paying top dollar for guns with that serial range and he wasn't real picky about condition.
Everybody was wondering if he knew something, and was trying to corner the market.

Seems this guy wound up doing some time in the state prison for fraud. He was making his own Fitz counterfeits and selling them for big money all over the place. One of his customers checked with the factory, and blew the whistle on him to the state Attorney General.

Also again, remember many, many people did non-factory Fitz conversions in years past. Every time a gun magazine had an article that showed a Fitz'ed Colt I got requests to do versions, or had home-done versions show up.
In those days the Fitz was a "way cool" idea, that people copied in large numbers.

Genuine, 100% real, factory Fitz guns are few, and VERY far between.

Again, if this is a genuine Fitz, the factory should be able to tell you.
Bluntly, if they have no data saying it's a factory Fitz......it almost certainly isn't.
 
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