[Cpo1944]

I saw a unfired SAA .45LC 4 inch in a nice wooden presentation box for sale at a LGS for $1500 It is a 1971 era commemorative of the NRA.
What to do buy and shoot it or leave it alone and keep on looking for a shooter?
How`s the price ? The owner wouldn`d budge and there is still tax on top of the 1500?

 

[MtnSpur]

I bought one last February to get into Colt SAAs. The 1971 NRA .357 5 1/2" barrel w/case unfired outside of the factory and was OTD at $1290 (deduct ~94 for tax) so it was priced at 1195 or 1199 as I recall. The .45 commands about $100 more than the .357

This offering was by Colt for the NRA and is a 2nd Gen SAA and rather well made however it does not command the pricing a regular 2nd Gen in like condition will bring. I'm not certain but I believe only a 4 3/4, 5 1/2 and 7 1/2 barrel length was offered.

Once you shoot a commemorative it's no longer as valuable as people that buy these look for NIB, unfired condition. They also do not appreciate as fast as a regular 2nd Gen SAA. Only you can make the call but at $1500 he's asking full retail then tack on your tax and you're looking at $1625...

You could probably find a shooter SAA in that price range that's in good enough condition that it'll appreciate in value IF you take very good care of it. YMMV.

 

[WIL TERRY]

I THINK THAT PRICE IS OUTTA LINE. I bought mine, a 45 7 1/2" version, in '98 for all of $550.00. It did have a broken half cock notch. I sent it to Eddie Janis who fixed the hammer, had the hammer CCH like the old time guns [ I do this with every SAA that needs work ] and a beautiful action job that Eddie is the absolurte master of in spades. The gun itself has beautiful blue and CCH so it was left alone. The stocks are among the nicest I ever saw on a Colt SAA sixgun. The gun itself does what it was meant to do, shoot like a champ !! AND I do not give a damn what it'll ever be worth in the future as it is my 2ND GEN SAA 7 1/2" 45 shootin' gun now until I am gone.
BUT...BUT...I think $1500.00 bucks for one of these is rediculous; shop around !!

 

[ussmanlovede36]

it's a nice gun but is hard too sell because it's a comm. once you shoot it any collector value is gone. I look at this way, it's a 2nd gen colt saa. but I would pass. I don't buy comm anymore.

 

[Monsai52]

Generally commemoratives are decorative pieces, built, IMO, strictly to generate some additional sales. I'm not aware of any commemorative that has any significant collector value. The NRAs are, or used to be, moderately popular to buy as shooters because they were usually less expensive than a regular production SAA, and less ornately decorated than most other commemoratives. If I bought one, it would have to be cheap, and it would be to shoot.

Best regards,

 

[Cpo1944]

Well I spoke with the shop owner today and he is firm with no wiggle room, $1500 take it or leave it! I guess I`ll leave it.
Thanks for the advise.

 

[MtnSpur]

Well I spoke with the shop owner today and he is firm with no wiggle room, $1500 take it or leave it! I guess I`ll leave it.
Thanks for the advise.

You are better off walking away and I think you can spend your hard earned money on a wiser Colt investment. They are out there, you just need to be patient and attentive to new listings or offerings from other local shops (if there are any) or GB auctions.

 

[Hondo44]

You made a wise move by letting him keep it. For one thing they made 7000 and all didn't even ship. It's not rare or even scarce.

He's got it marked at about Blue Book retail. So technically the price is about right. But reality is, nobody wants to buy them, especially unfired at a retail price. So in actuality it's not worth the retail price; law of supply and demand.

However if you find one fired already or no box and case they are usually well below the price of a standard 2nd gen in like configuration, caliber and condition. Because most would rather have the standard 2nd gen, even for more money.

Bottom line is: a used NRA can be a bargain price way to get into a true 2nd gen! Many will have the inscription removed from the barrel and re-blue it, even have it re-stamped with standard markings, or put a standard barrel in it. Change the grips and you can still be under the price of an equivalent standard 2nd gen. and shoot and enjoy the heck out of it!

 

[trapper45]

I got mine as a shooter. It hadn't been fired and was in the wooden case, but no tags or other paper accessories. Since it didn't have all the ornate carving and embellishment normally associated with commemoratives, it was a nice clean example of a 7-1/2" .45. That was three years ago. I spotted it in a local shop and it was priced reasonably, and to sell. It went back to Colt's for some tweaking and wound up coming back with a factory-fitted ACP cylinder, all at well below the $1500 your shop wants. It's a great shooter (had it at the range last evening, in fact). You can probably find one for less if you keep looking. I wasn't looking when I came across mine. That's the way it usually happens . . . .

 

[MtnSpur]

I wasn't looking when I came across mine. That's the way it usually happens . . . .

This should be Colt Commandment #1 as it's more often true than not. Colt Commandment #2: "I found exactly what I wanted but I only had $(fill in an amount) and he wanted $(fill in a larger amount) and didn't do credit cards or layaway".