Value on a restored Colt SAA

[CraigC]

I'm involved in a discussion on this sixgun and in the interests of saving the owner from getting screwed, I'd like to know what the folks here think. It is a 1st generation SAA, built in 1906. It was originally a .44-40 but has since been converted to a .38Spl with a new barrel and cylinder, presumable 2nd generation. It has also had the metalwork restored but the extent of the work done is unknown. It looks to me to be VERY well done work. The flats are flat, the edges are sharp, the lettering and rampant pony are crisp. It has fire blued screws and trigger. Serial numbers match on the receiver and grip frame halves. The stocks are one-piece ivory and appear to be professionally fitted to this sixgun. What do you guys think it's worth?

[Fowler]

Dang pretty gun, I wonder if Turnbull did the work, at least the bluing/CCH looking at the finish quality...

I bet he would have records of it if he did in fact run it through his shop...

[steve]

I have no Idea.............the trigger looks cch, but the nitre screws and ejector rod are a stunning accent!!!!

[jayhawker]

With the mods, the fact that it is a 1st gen adds nothing. Value that of same 3rd gen plus ivory.

[eisenhower]

Boy, I wouldn't be a good source of value, but that is one nicely done piece of work - the polisher/metal guy knew what he was doing, that's for sure, and that's always nice to see on a restoration. I'm thinking the case color is probably not Turnbull as it's not lacquered (though if a special request was made not to lacquer, they would comply), but it's well done regardless. The prep work was spot on.

You might want to have your buddy check the timing real good, as there appears to be a little bit of drag where the bolt exits the recess in the cylinder, and the drag mark in the run-up seems a little far back as well, but the timing may yet be good. Just can't tell from a picture.

Beautiful piece though.

[eisenhower]

Feb 11, 2013 19:00:23 GMT -5 steve said:

I have no Idea.............the trigger looks cch, but the nitre screws and ejector rod are a stunning accent!!!!

Steve, I'm fairly certain the trigger is fire blued as well, it just has a mottled look from wear or the lighting - fire blue is so fragile, it wears quickly. Ironically, when I look at the front sight, IT looks cch to me. But I've never seen or heard of that being done. Would have to see it in person.

[CraigC]

I agree that the work looks to be very well done.

I do not believe Turnbull clearcoats on Colt restorations, or at least they would leave it bare if requested. Not sure if he ever contacted Turnbull's shop or not.

I noticed the ring as well and can only assume that someone not familiar enough to know not to lower the hammer from half cock did so a few times.

Feb 11, 2013 19:04:48 GMT -5 jayhawker said:

With the mods, the fact that it is a 1st gen adds nothing. Value that of same 3rd gen plus ivory.

That was one opinion offered and one I happen to disagree with. If a restored 1st generation gun is worth no more than a new 3rd generation sixgun than folks like Turnbull wouldn't have much work to do. Nor would he be selling them on their site for $5000. That said, I'll buy all the restored 1st generation SAA's for $1200 that I can find.

[eisenhower]

Craig, in my dealings with Turnbull, they always lacquer cch, no matter what it is, unless you specifically ask them not to. They even did it on their "Pre-War" Colts back in the mid-90s (the ones they got from Colt in the white and finished out with a DT serial number) and they did it on one of my current production Colts just a few months ago. It's become the standard for them it seems.

[bigbore45colt]

Easy way to find out if they did it or not. Call them, ask for Todd, he is their shop foreman and a nice guy. Ask him to look it up and he will tell you if they did it or not.

I have seen a lot of Turnbull guns and my money would be that it is NOT one of theirs. However, the nitre blued screws and trigger look great!

BB45C

[steve]

Eisenhower: It's my understanding that fire blue and nitre blue are one and the same. The trigger doesn't appear to have the same "blue" as the screws or ER. From the pic. seen from my computer monitor, the trigger has some discoloration suggesting CCH not blue like the barrel , cylinder and gripframe.

We could be just splitting hairs here, when I hear/see the term "fire" blue........I think nitre blue, as seen on the screws and ER housing.

I'm not going to get involved in any petty arguments........That is a DAMN fine lookin' sixgun

[eisenhower]

Right Steve, I forgot you referred to it as "nitre," and I always use the term "fire," or else I would have used the same term as you. I've just never seen a Colt trigger cch'd, so that would be unique - while we've all seen plenty of fire/nitre blued triggers and screws. I'm assuming this one is fire/nitred and is just worn or the acidity of the owners trigger finger screwed with the color. For instance, it's amazing the color difference on a fire/nitred part with oil on it vs. bone dry. You'd almost think it was a different finish. ... plus, that trigger has some odd scratch marks on it, so wear and tear is there already.

[jayhawker]

1st gen Colt's value is historical. Once the caliber was changed and the gun refinished (no origial finish) the historical value is zero. Now worth what any new Colt is worth, plus the ivory. I do believe it is a beautiful gun, but no better than my 3rd gen custom shop 3 3/4 inch with ejector with Eagle one piece pearl.

[hammerdown77]

The answer to "How much is it worth?" may be more along the lines of how much is a custom gun worth, rather than specifically what it's worth as a collectible Colt.

Bottom line though, it's worth what someone's willing to pay. I don't see hardcore Colt collectors wanting to pay more than a 3rd Gen customized gun would be worth, though.

Better to sell it to someone like me who has a lot more money than me who doesn't really know anything about values of collectible Colts

[cubrock]

I'm watching the same conversation as you, most likely. I've bought a number of restored 1st Gen SAAs for under $1500, but none was as nice as this one nor did they have ivories. I think the estimates of $2000 to $2500 are pretty fair for a "money changing hands" deal. Could you have it restored for that? Most likely not, when you count the cost of the ivories and the base gun. The caliber hurts this gun more than anything else. Just not that big of a market for a non-factory .38 Special. Not that big of a market for a factory .38 Special SAA, for that matter. If this was a .45 Colt, .44 Special, .44-40, or even a .32-20, the market would be much bigger and the price realized would be, as well.

I think this is one gun that proves the adage that you get about half of what you put into a restoration back out of it.

[weagle99]

Agree with the comments above. Beautiful gun that was converted to an unfortunate caliber for a SAA. Why put that much effort into a .38 Special? My guess is that it was built for someone's wife.