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colt re-blue

tone59
I believe my nickeled colt 1911 ser#C2207xx was born(1941 per Colt)with a blued finish.
I will be sending for a letter from Colt.
If as I suspect the gun was plated outside the factory,I intend to have it stripped and re-blued.
Where can I expect to get the best blueing done?
Thank You.
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • yoshmyster
    If the plating nickle/chrome is nice why bother?

    But if you must have it done well second to none, which might cost as much as the gun is worth if not more. Turnbull.
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  • Laredo Lefty
    Check with Colt to see if they will do it. I would have it done by them, that way you can say its a factory finish, not original but factory.
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  • Rack Ops
    Colt
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  • perry shooter
    First #1 thing to do is decide IFthis particular pistol has a family or other connection. #2 except for the nickel is every thing correct on your pistol IE all small parts correct for a 1941 pistol correct barrel grips ETC Slide matching serial # to the frame #3 are there any arsenal rebuild marks on it .

    If answer to #1 is yes then do what you want to make it what you want with no value to what it will bring if you want to SELL.

    If answer to #2 is you don't know or you have replacement parts ,Then you will have to find all the correct parts FIRST. if slide does not match then Abandon your project.
    EDIT I most of my information puts your pistol production was as 1946 C220001-C222001 this information is in book by Joe Poyer. Charles Clawson's books don't really address pistols in your serial number range but does imply it was late 1942-1943 with lower numbers then yours. Please come back and tell us what Colt has to say. You do have an interesting pistol. IMHO very rare if factory Nickle .

    If answer to #3 is yes then Abandon your project

    Remember you can restore just about anything if you sent to a place like TURNBULL. and you can fool a number of people when you take one of his restored pistols and show it off. But a real expert will still know it is restored or at best suspect it has been restored and never give you even what you paid to have it restored. when lettering is restored it is CUT not ROLL STAMPED.

    Sell the pistol you have AS ISfor a shooter and buy one you like Here on Gunbroker
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  • tone59
    Thank you all for the suggestions.
    I hope Colt will do it if I can confirm nickel is not factory.
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  • rhmc24
    Restoring lettering requires removing the entire surface deep enough to remove the lettering impressions and then re-polish the surface.

    I have sent Colt automatics to four 'restorers' after I did the above prep. Three of them replaced lettering by laser or high speed rotary tools or something else. All looked good but not authentic. Only Turnbulls do the lettering by physical impression like Colt did.

    Some early 1900s Colts have lettering in which you can see the 'splash' of the displaced metal. I have had Turnbulls do about six of my Colt 1902 & 1905s and on some I have asked the splash be left on - which they did. Otherwise per phone conversation with Turnbulls, they routinely remove the splash.
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  • tone59
    Thank you all.I appreciate the detailed info.
    This was my fathers gun.
    He lived alone and kept this 1911 loaded in a pillow as he slept.
    It was there that I found it after he passed away in 2001.
    I dont intend to ever sell it but I like factory correct guns.
    I know the grips are incorrect.
    The correct bakelite ones are not hard to find.
    The lettering is crisp with no breaks(perfect).
    But one of the lines on the horse has a break in it.
    It is a beautiful gun with the only flaw I can see being an 1/8in.x1/16in. of flacking at the bottom edge of the slide.
    The grips are checkered rosewood diamond(no medallions).
    The finish is free of any scratches and like a mirror.
    Even so,I would like to get it back to blued if that is how it left Colt.
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  • mrbruce
    What if your father had it plated for a reason ???
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  • yoshmyster
    quote:Originally posted by mrbruce
    What if your father had it plated for a reason ???


    Since he slept with it under his pillow that would make sence. Sweat, drool and oils from the head the plating would help. I think back then folks thought guns were just guns not something to pimp out without a real reason.
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  • Ambrose
    The modifications (if any) were made by your Father. As such, I would leave it just as he did. I have a .38 Super Gov't Model that was my Dad's. It is just the way it was when I took it off the end table next to his chair after he died 14 years ago. (Other than being wiped down with an oily rag from time to time.)
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  • nmyers
    If it has a serial number with a "C" prefix, that makes it a "Colt Government Model". If the slide says "1911", then it would be a mixed parts gun, not worth the money for a Colt letter.

    The risk with removing plating is that there may be problems with the fit of the gun after refinishing. Plating adds thickness to parts, so that a gun that is now "tight" may end up rattling, & require skilled gunsmithing to correct.

    Neal
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