Colt Custom MK IV/Series 70 USS Arizona
My grandfather just gave me a gun that I can find nothing about. Wanted to see if anyone here can give me information as to value, age, or anything at all.
Here's the best description I can give you...
Starting with the box, it's a wooden box unsure of the type of wood but seems a little darker than oak and a grain different than what you normally see with oak. At the corner of the lid is a brass medallion that has an insignia and says 'Colt Custom'. The interior of the box is lined with a gold/mustard colored velvet.
Inset in the lining of the box is a rectangular brass plaque that has etched in it the following. Anchor line around the outer perimeter. The USS Arizona Memorial building in Pearl Harbor. It states 'BATTLESHIP EDITION' 'USS ARIZONA'.
The heart of this piece is the Colt .45 Auto MK IV/Series 70. It is blued. The wooden grips have a small round medallion inset on each side that again has the insignia and states 'COLT CUSTOM'. The slide of the gun has gold inlay on both sides that is bordered with the anchor line. The left side has the actual USS Arizona ship, the state seal of Arizona, and has banners that say 'BATTLESHIP EDITION' '1 OF 500' 'BB-39' 'USS ARIZONA' 'COLT GOVERNMENT MODEL 45 CAL' 'HARTFORD, CT'. The left side of the slide near the hammer is a gold Arizona state flag. The frame of the gun on this side is stamped 'U.S.S. ARIZONA'.
The right side of the gun has the USS Arizona memorial building on it, and a banner that reads 'OCTOBER 17,1916 - DECEMBER 7, 1941'. There is also an outline of the state of Arizona with a star at the capitol. On this side of the gun near the hammer is a golden anchor with a bit of anchor line wrapped around it. On this side of the frame is the serial number and Colt's PT. F.A. MFG Co. Hartford, Conn, USA
This gun has never been fired, and has never had a round loaded in the mag. The box locks and has the brass key it came with. There is no documentation with this gun.
I'm 32 years old and I remember him showing me this gun when I was a small child. For some reason I was thinking he bought it somewhere around '75 or '76. Speaking with him today when he gave it to me, he said he thinks he bought it in '69 or '70 but he can't remember.
If anyone can tell me ANYTHING about this item, I would greatly appreciate it! I have googled it using brand, model, USS Arizona, and every combination I can think of and can't find anything about it. I'm interested not only in knowing how old it is so that I can tell my son one day when I pass it to him...but also so that I can be sure to have it accurately added to my insurance policy.
Thanks in advance!
Here's the best description I can give you...
Starting with the box, it's a wooden box unsure of the type of wood but seems a little darker than oak and a grain different than what you normally see with oak. At the corner of the lid is a brass medallion that has an insignia and says 'Colt Custom'. The interior of the box is lined with a gold/mustard colored velvet.
Inset in the lining of the box is a rectangular brass plaque that has etched in it the following. Anchor line around the outer perimeter. The USS Arizona Memorial building in Pearl Harbor. It states 'BATTLESHIP EDITION' 'USS ARIZONA'.
The heart of this piece is the Colt .45 Auto MK IV/Series 70. It is blued. The wooden grips have a small round medallion inset on each side that again has the insignia and states 'COLT CUSTOM'. The slide of the gun has gold inlay on both sides that is bordered with the anchor line. The left side has the actual USS Arizona ship, the state seal of Arizona, and has banners that say 'BATTLESHIP EDITION' '1 OF 500' 'BB-39' 'USS ARIZONA' 'COLT GOVERNMENT MODEL 45 CAL' 'HARTFORD, CT'. The left side of the slide near the hammer is a gold Arizona state flag. The frame of the gun on this side is stamped 'U.S.S. ARIZONA'.
The right side of the gun has the USS Arizona memorial building on it, and a banner that reads 'OCTOBER 17,1916 - DECEMBER 7, 1941'. There is also an outline of the state of Arizona with a star at the capitol. On this side of the gun near the hammer is a golden anchor with a bit of anchor line wrapped around it. On this side of the frame is the serial number and Colt's PT. F.A. MFG Co. Hartford, Conn, USA
This gun has never been fired, and has never had a round loaded in the mag. The box locks and has the brass key it came with. There is no documentation with this gun.
I'm 32 years old and I remember him showing me this gun when I was a small child. For some reason I was thinking he bought it somewhere around '75 or '76. Speaking with him today when he gave it to me, he said he thinks he bought it in '69 or '70 but he can't remember.
If anyone can tell me ANYTHING about this item, I would greatly appreciate it! I have googled it using brand, model, USS Arizona, and every combination I can think of and can't find anything about it. I'm interested not only in knowing how old it is so that I can tell my son one day when I pass it to him...but also so that I can be sure to have it accurately added to my insurance policy.
Thanks in advance!
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Does it look like this?
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These were issued in 1975 (I think). If I can recall correctly there was also a special edition that had a nickel finish instead of the blue.0 -
yep, that appears to be the same! '75 sounds probably right. It's been a couple of decades since we talked about it, but I was sure he had told me back then that he bought it in '75 when my mom was pregnant with me. He's quite older now and sometimes has some inaccuracies in his recollection. Now he is pretty sure he bought it in '69 or '70!
Do you know anything else about these? Is that one that you have, or did you have better luck than me on finding it somewhere on the 'net?0 -
...It will be one of Colts "standard" commemorative run 1911's.
...For some reason, even if all the original box/paperwork/100% original and unfired condition is maintained, the commemoratives don't seem to escalate in price as much as a lot of Colts other guns, say one of the original DE's (Delta Elites) manf from 1987-97 tend to...never have figured that out. Most of the Comm's escalate, hell, all Colts do, but not at the faster rate some of thier other models do.
...For it to command the highest price, especially being a commemrorative, you need it in the condition I mentioned or it falls back to about what that S 70 model in the it's condition is worth w/o the "special" little additions...[;)]0
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