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case coloring longevity?

Spartacus
what would 125 year old case coloring on a colt saa look like today? there's a minty looking saa for sale with a colt letter, that has case coloring like right out of the factory. seller says 100% original, but it just looks too good.
thanks
tom
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Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • perry shooter
    If stored in a dark dry fairly stable temp. it will last a long time . Sun light will bleach it out and . IMHO vivid greens purples ETC turn on a red light for me. Every maker had different colors but colt was more sedate then some rifle makers. Doug Turnbull does some great restoring work but Again IMHO his colors are so bright they don't look "right" on a Colt. YMMV
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  • tsr1965
    As perry shooter mentioned, it all depends on how it was stored, and used. I believe that the SAA's had a bone charcoal case coloring, and in most cases were slightly different in colors than the Winchester's.

    Doug Turnbull is an aquaintance of mine, and I done business with his father for many years, when he owned the famous Creekside Gun Shop in upstate NY. They always had at least 3000 firearms in stock.

    Doug does awesome work, especially in turning like a new Japanese made 1886, or 1892 into a masterpiece. The colors are most likely brighter as the polish is brighter, and therefor they look like a new gun, not a new gun, that is 100+ years old. He also takes the unusable/unshootables, and restores them, but they are not cheap. But, at any rate if you are ever in the Finger Lakes region of NY and want to see some works of art, by all means stop in to see him.

    Best
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  • SP45
    I would be suspect as well. As stated sunlight, dirt, solvents, oil and others will impact the colors over a period of time. The asking price might be an indicator or origionality as well. If you call the serial number in to Turnbull he can tell you if he has restored the gun. Right now on the market there are a plethora of restored commectible firearms. That doesn't mean that they are no good, just that they have been restored.
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  • Spartacus
    quote: If you call the serial number in to Turnbull he can tell you if he has restored the gun.

    I did that earlier today, very nice gal there said there was no record of that particular gun. she even offered to have someone look at the gun for me and give an opinion! after i get my 1911 back from fords i'm gonna send turnbull something to finish (if i can afford it!)
    thanks all for the comments on case coloring.[:)]
    tom
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  • tsr1965
    quote:Originally posted by tplumeri
    quote: If you call the serial number in to Turnbull he can tell you if he has restored the gun.

    I did that earlier today, very nice gal there said there was no record of that particular gun. she even offered to have someone look at the gun for me and give an opinion! after i get my 1911 back from fords i'm gonna send turnbull something to finish (if i can afford it!)
    thanks all for the comments on case coloring.[:)]
    tom


    If you want something that is really beautiful, and useful, grab one of those 1886 takedown deluxe limited editions you see on the auction side...they can be had in the $1500.00-1600.00 range. send it off to doug, and have him lite it up...there is only one warm fuzzy feeling that i can think of that compares....
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