[TomasNomas]

Hi all,

I was looking at a Colt New Service in 38 Special. It was in excellent shape except it had an aftermarket rear sight installed. What is it worth? I have no pricing guides so any help is appreciated.

Tom Hughes

 

[lonewolf]

Welcome Thomas. Without seeing the gun,its barrel length,stocks & percent of finish it is impossible to even be close. These late model .38/.357 New Services generally bring $1000+ in excellent shape. Add extra for the original box,agency markings,a premuim for the ,357s over the .38 specials. "Odd" features like nickle plating,square butts,etc can also bring a premium-BUT-that aftermarket rear sight(how is the front sight?) will really bring value DOWN!! I guess one of the previous owners was too cheap to buy the "Shooting Master",the target sighted version of the New Service(along with the New Service target) that will bring much more $$. Good Luck,should be a great and strong shooter(if you handload). Doubt if an "advanced collector" would even give it a second look from your description. Good Luck, Bud

 

[ohiobuckeye]

I have a couple of these in 45 Colt, that were fitted with S&W adjustable rear sights. I paid 250.00 for one, and 350.00 for the other, and both were very nicely done, including modified front sights, and they make a beautiful pair of shooters. I have seen many others, not so nicely done, that were downright butcher jobs. The 350.00 one was purchased because it had a perfect pair of checkered walnut grips (stocks for the stubborn purists among us

), that found a new home on one of my unmodified NS Colts, and the gun stayed on as an excellent shooter.
As already stated, milling the frame for adjustable sights pretty much wipes out any collector value. Unless the work was done well enough to make the new sights look like they belong there, they ain't worth much.

 

[TomasNomas]

lonewolf and ohiobuckeye,

Thanks for your responses. The front sight and milling job for the rear sight looked well done. The sight was not a S&W but was similiar in shape with rounded smooth tang on top of the frame and a small screw adjustable for windage and elevation rear blade. I could just see the start of the factory milling on the top of the frame at the barrel end of the rear sight tang. Any idea on the make of rear sight? It's not recent vintage. It has a 7 1/2" barrel and a partridge front sight and the condition I would rate at 95%, not much wear.

Thanks again,
Tom