[Kanatak]

"It's The Label, Stupid!" or "How I Stopped Worrying, and Learn To Love NIB Colts"

I first look for the label. It is the label that causes so much difficulty for the counterfeiters. It is the label that is so hard to replicate.

Here is a Bright Stainless Python currently on Gun Broker. It looks like a nice Python and may very well be a Bright Stainless Python. This one is pretty easy to figure out and all one needs are a few photos of known originals or perhaps a few known originals in your safe. Ask yourself if Pythons in this serial number range were packaged in the foam-lined blue plastic case, with label affixed directly on the case (as this one is)? This is the only question you need to ask to know it is a fake. But if you wanted to inquire further, compare the lettering and numbering to your known originals, or your photos of known originals. Are they in the same font style and size? Are the proportions of the lettering, numbering, bar codes and Colt logo, the same as your known originals? You might hear others tell you that Colt used a "bunch of different labels with different style lettering and numbering" and I might be inclined to accept this, if they could show me a single example. But they never have, and I have never seen such a thing with the labeling on the blue plastic case.



Colt Python 4" Bright Stainless New in Box : Revolvers at GunBroker.com

The next one is a 3" Nickel Python, which recently sold on Gun Broker. Maybe the buyer knew what he was getting into, maybe not. But what he did get was a refinished nickel python which happened to have 3" barrel, which the seller claimed was "flawless, collector grade with original box". This one too, is pretty easy to discern and I think most would agree that they have never seen a label quite like it. The lesson for me is that these crafty counterfeiters want your hard earned money and they don't care how they get it. If the label isn't convincing, then dig deeper and ask; in what serial number range did Colt produce its standard 3" Pythons. With serial number T70135, this one is several years off, as all the authentic 3" standard production guns that I am aware were packaged in a different Colt box and carried a different prefix.





3" Colt Nickel Python-Flawless- Absolute Auction : Revolvers at GunBroker.com

We have recently seen fake Colt "picture" box outer sleeves with an option to buy a fake label. Naturally, we then have seen these fake "picture" boxes used in bogus "NIB" packages with several Colt models. Here are a couple of fake Anaconda labels.

This one, like so many, is easily recognized because it is not packaged in the correct box. We know that Anacondas in this serial number range were packaged in the blue plastic case, with label affixed directly to the case. They were not shipped from Colt in this style packaging.



I believe this label is the one that can be purchased as an option with the fake Colt "picture" box outer sleeve. There are many things incorrect with this label, and I would recommend keeping this photo handy as I predict we will see a lot of these in the future.



Here are some other fake Colt labels that I recently flagged and added to my library.






It has been about 3 years since these fake Colt packaging products flooding the market and I don't think they are any better today than they were then. If you are a "NIB" collector, first look for the label. More times than not, that is as far as you have to go.

*****

 

[dws442]

Appreciate the info and work. I'm seeing these at local gunshows now with the owners acting like they had no idea they were fake.

 

[skilled]

Thanks for the info. But??? Could you show us some examples of the fakes next to the real ones??? Some of us.. (and thats me) dont have known originals in their safe to compare to. It would be very helpful.

 

[Cruiser RN]

Welcome to the "FAKE COLT BOX MAN" festival.He has flooded the market with so many fakes it is best to take the attitude,"Phony until proven otherwise."I appreciate the OP's efforts and work in this presentation,but please refrain from doing so again because you don't want a handy easily accessible accurate critique of his work available so he could be tipped on his deficencies and improve the garbage he is selling. This is JMHO and no offense intended and I pray none taken. For those interested use the search function this has been discussed extensively and there are many comparison photos....God Bless....Mike

 

[MtnSpur]

Appreciate the info and work. I'm seeing these at local gunshows now with the owners acting like they had no idea they were fake.

What you are seeing and many are experiencing is how one thieving counterfeiter is affecting an entire market in Colt "NIB" offered high dollar revolvers. Many previous buyers had no idea they bought fakes and went on to resell, thinking they were original, and the snowball just keeps getting bigger. If nobody is willing to attempt to call this guy out on the street at high noon and expose every bit of counterfeit junk he offers, then the problem will simply multiply exponentially.

There is nobody to blame but the people that stand by and do nothing. I don't buy NIB, other than some currently manufactured Colts, as I'm not that kind of "collector" but if I were a NIB collector of the models currently being passed off as original, I'd be one very irate individual and would look at every avenue to shut down the business currently running out of Sparta, TN. The more junk he passes off the worse the situation will become.

 

[BigG]

I don't worry about the packaging. I like the guns. NIB in my terms is just a perfect pistol. I don't really get worked up about the docs and the cardboard/plastic.

 

[Monsai52]

I don't worry about the packaging. I like the guns. NIB in my terms is just a perfect pistol. I don't really get worked up about the docs and the cardboard/plastic.

+1

Best regards

 

[Malysh]

I appreciate your continuing research and saving examples to share with us, Kanatak.

 

[68python]

I don't worry about the packaging. I like the guns. NIB in my terms is just a perfect pistol. I don't really get worked up about the docs and the cardboard/plastic.

If it's a shooter, don't even care about the box.

But if it's a collector gun w/ box & accy's , that I'm paying extra for, then correct ,original items are mandatory.

Thanks, Kanatak.

 

[dandak]

Thanks for the detective work. You should know however, that they are NOT "easy to discern" to everyone. They all looked good to me! I have no idea what boxes and labels Colt used at any given date and for any given serial number. The fact that i also like Rugers and Winchesters etc etc only adds to the confusion of keeping everything straight.

 

[XB40]

To say don't show examples of fake boxes for comparison, makes no sense. Do you think these people are totally ignorant? They use originals as go by's. it seems the only limiting factor is the technology they are using to set up and print the stock. They are as knowledgable as we are, or more so. To not show examples handy caps the consumer. The more knowledge the consumer has the better prepared they are when buying. These people are not clueless, and when they obtain better equipment the product will extremely difficult if not impossible to detect. An educated buyer hurts the bottom line of the fake product market. JMHO

 

[Lumberjack]

I also find it very sad that some of the sellers that do know the difference have been involved with this. When I see someone who has limited feedback and few items for sale I can give them the benefit of doubt since they themselves may have been hoodwinked. When I see a larger dealer that really knows the market well it is quite a different story. I have made several calls to friends over the last several months to inform them that they are bidding on fakes. When these pop up emails should be sent to inform the seller that the box / label is fake. If they do not make the correction to the ad they should be called out.

 

[Kanatak]

Welcome to the "FAKE COLT BOX MAN" festival.He has flooded the market with so many fakes it is best to take the attitude,"Phony until proven otherwise."I appreciate the OP's efforts and work in this presentation,but please refrain from doing so again because you don't want a handy easily accessible accurate critique of his work available so he could be tipped on his deficencies and improve the garbage he is selling. This is JMHO and no offense intended and I pray none taken. For those interested use the search function this has been discussed extensively and there are many comparison photos....God Bless....Mike

Mike, none taken.

I just don't see how the posting of photos of fake products would help the counterfeiters improve these very products. They made them, they have them and can learn nothing from photos of them.

What you are seeing and many are experiencing is how one thieving counterfeiter is affecting an entire market in Colt "NIB" offered high dollar revolvers. Many previous buyers had no idea they bought fakes and went on to resell, thinking they were original, and the snowball just keeps getting bigger. If nobody is willing to attempt to call this guy out on the street at high noon and expose every bit of counterfeit junk he offers, then the problem will simply multiply exponentially.

There is nobody to blame but the people that stand by and do nothing. I don't buy NIB, other than some currently manufactured Colts, as I'm not that kind of "collector" but if I were a NIB collector of the models currently being passed off as original, I'd be one very irate individual and would look at every avenue to shut down the business currently running out of Sparta, TN. The more junk he passes off the worse the situation will become.

MtnSpur, just recently this guy added new products that I predict will drag more interested collectors to the fight. Until recently it was the modern double action revolvers guys that were impacted so severely, primarily Python collectors. Now that he is selling the Blue Colt Custom Shop Box, Pre and Post War SAA Boxes and Labels, and other vintage bogus boxes and labels, there will be others, many others, concerned about what this means to their hard earned collections. I believe that once these other Colt collectors begin to see bogus packages showing up at the gun shows and across the internet, we may be able to do something.

I predict that there are some serious collectors that will want to propose a solution to Colt; not ask Colt to solve the problem, rather approach Colt with a solution. I think the solution has to involve Colt being a part of a legal action and I also believe that Colt will only do this if it receives financial support from the collectors. If Colt can be convinced that its products, and more importantly its trademark is being diluted, and tarnished with junk counterfeit products like these, and Colt does not have to pay for the cost of legal action, I think it would want to participate. But it is going to take a combined participation from a number of highly interested and motivated collectors. I believe we have a number of members here that would participate and support such an enterprise; I know I would participate.

 

[MtnSpur]

Kanatak, while I'd like nothing better than to see "FBG" exposed and driven out of business, here lies the rub. How many collectors focus solely on the NIB oldies that are time capsules of the product that left the factory and were never opened/used/shot, the guys that demand 100% authenticity AND condition in that genuine package? Not many in the scheme of things. The majority are firearm only collectors and the box and paperwork, if they luck upon the genuine article, are a bonus.

Due to the very high value of the Python in NIB 100% original packaging, this is the focus of the counterfeiters. We already know there are reproduction boxes and paperwork from other sources but these are advertised as reproduction. The Fake Box Guy purposely and deliberately misrepresents reproduction as original and THIS is where he needs to be charged, prosecuted and found guilty. Theft By Deception. I'm not an attorney so I don't know all the countless laws this guy HAS to be breaking but certainly more than a few and should/would involve using the USPS for unlawful means. I hate a cheat and a thief and find no way to sugarcoat that fact. Nothing this guy does when advertising his product comes close to doing business with honor and integrity. That get's the "Irish Up" in me, as they say.

 

[XB40]

Law enforcement has to have priorities. A company such as Levi Strass has been fighting this battle for years, because it cuts into the bottom line profit. Colt made the profit on these guns, boxes, printed material a long time ago. They aren't losing money on anything, why would they want to be involved in any legal action because Colt collectors feel cheated buying a fake box for a $100.00. Back to LE. Customs has all they can do enforcing international knockoffs and local PDs SOs are busy with dope, guns, robberies, so what law enforcement group are you going to get interested in this? EDUCATE THE BUYER AND STOP THE CASH FLOW,THESE GUYS CAN'T OPERATE WITHOUT A PROFIT.

 

[Bushwhacker]

I don't think there is any need to involve law enforcement, but if Colt still owns the trademarks on the above packaging, fake box guy could get sued over copywrite infringement. Sadly, the current Colt company probably has no interest in pursuing this. Maybe the CCA needs to get involved on behalf of Colt, set up an account, find an attorney to file the suit. If every member of this forum donated a dollar, there would be $22K to try to get an injunction. Kanatak is right - eventually these fakes will dilute the value of bona fide merchandise.

 

[Monsai52]

I think the only people that really have any interest in this are the few that are seriously into collecting the ephemera that originally came with the gun. I consider myself a reasonable knowledgeable enthusiast/collector, but I probably couldn't detect 95%+ of the fake boxes, hang tags, etc., that are out there.

The experts here should be enthusiastic to share their information on detecting fake boxes, because the more knowledgeable/informed buyers that are out there the better. I'm sure that I'm like the large majority of buyers who don't know what to look for in the correct packaging that comes with a "NIB" Python, DS, or whatever, so would consider it suspect right from the start and pass if there were any significant premium on the price. I think restricting this information will ultimately impact the premium for "NIB" guns. As one of the earlier posters said, you're not hiding anything from the forgers that they don't know, you're just keeping valuable information from their potential victims.

Best regards,