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Colt Peacemaker Serial Number Restoration

ravan
I have a engraved 1882 Colt Peacemaker 45 with about 5% original silver finish that was confiscated from a drunk Ft. Lewis soldier by the Fircrest Washington Police Department in 1941. The serial numbers were filed off but the department disposed of it in 1982 as a relic without stamping a new number on it.
Columbia International Forensics Laboratory recovered the serial number and I obtained a factory letter on the revolver (that's how I know it was made in 1882). The frame serial number is easily read from the polished area that was acid treated by the forensic technician. I also have a certificate from the lab certifying the number raised.
Questions are;
1. Should I have the serial numbers restored by a gunsmith?
2. If I should have the serial numbers restored where can I find a qualified gunsmith that will restore the numbers correctly?
3. If I have the serial numbers restored should I have the complete gun restored?
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Comments

4 comments

Date Votes
  • Mr Gee
    i can not answer your question..but if the peacemaker is original [all parts including the barrel]their maybe numbers on the front of the cylinder an on the backstrap under the grips, if they are their w/all the paper work you have it may have more value to leave it as is..... i'm only guessing , wait for more answers to your question

    confused....but learning
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  • Der Gebirgsjager
    Well, to quote an unknown someone, "It is what it is". Interesting story and background. I believe, that since you have it all pretty well documented, you should leave it "as-is" and sell it as-is. What is the point of restoring the serial number, when it is easily read on the one location, and you can document how the rest of it got that way? It is interesting and collectable the way it is. Now, if you still aren't satisfied, and want to restore the number, you will need a careful engraver to dig the numbers back out, as you'll probably never find the exact, old time style number stamps. But, I'd leave it alone. It has it's own history.
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  • tomh.
    I agree with the mountain hunter. Probably worth more as is, especially considering all the documentation you have.
    Maybe you could post some pics for us.
    I watched an FBI tech reveal a removed serial number once. He sure made it look easy. Only took him a few minutes, and boom....there it was!
    GB101.bmp

    GB105.bmp

    GB104.bmp

    Here are some pics that ravan sent me. Pretty interesting piece. What do you think?
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  • perry shooter
    WOW I would have a check off to colt for a letter my guess it is factory engraved, what a great find. JUst think most big city police dept. would have destroyed it .
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