Colt New Service(Officer's Target)?
1)What is generally, an average value, for a Colt New Service(Officer's Target)that has a heavy(Untapered barrel)with a long(Maybe, 1-3/4" long)sight blade, in NIB, condition? It is in .38 Special, caliber?
2)Are these Colt New Service, guns, very much in "Favor" with collector's, or not?
3)Were these made in large numbers(Or, in limited quantities?)?
2)Are these Colt New Service, guns, very much in "Favor" with collector's, or not?
3)Were these made in large numbers(Or, in limited quantities?)?
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sir, colts target version of the new service was called the shooting master, yes they are quite collectable. total production of new service and s/masters 356,000 i would guess less than 25% were the target version{ just a guess} how about posting a photo so we can all drool!!
icdux1 and kathy0 -
I just saw this gun, in a Gun Shop-and, I couldn't remember, the exact name, of this target New Service, Colt? I will be going back, to take another look at this NIB Colt, soon? I just wanted to know, if this gun, was very much a "Recognized" gun(Like a "Python")or, if it wasn,t too popular? 0 -
There are a number of possibilities:
1.) New Service, Early Model Target; s/n range 6000-15000, 7 1/2 inch barrel, flat top frame. $3,000+ in LNIB condition
2.) New Service, Improved Target Model; s/n range 21000-325000, 7 1/2 inch barrel. Improvements were to internal lock system. $2,250 in LNIB condition
3.) Shooting Master s/n 333000-350000; 6 inch barrel, flattop frame, slight step in barrel near frame. $1,500 in LNIB condition
4.) Officers Target Model 1st issue, no info. on s/n range, produced 1904-1908, 6 inch barrel. $1,000 in LNIB condition
5.) Officers Target Model 2nd issue, no inro. on s/n range, produced 1908-1940 barrel choices ranged from 4" to 7.5 inch and was also available in 22lr and 32 Police Positive chamberings. $700 in LNIB condition.
6.) Officers Model Match, no info. on s/n range, produced 1953 to 1970, 6 inch barrel with ramp front sight. Long and short actions produced and was available in 22 chambering. $750 in LNIB condition.
From the information given, my guess is number 6 because of the length of the ramped sight and that this was the heaviest of barrels, having to have a notch on the underside of the barrel to accommodate the tip of the ejector rod. But if the front sight is not ramped and there is no notch on the underside of the barrel, I'll fall back to number 5 as being the most likely.
If you decide to buy it post a couple pictures for us.
If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!0 -
Contender Man:
I went back to that Gun Shop today, to get the facts, on that Colt Target gun, that I incorrectly, identified, and the following, indicates exactly, the model of Colt gun, it is:
1)It is the Colt Officer's Special(Made 1949-53)just before the Colt Officer's Match, replaced this gun! It has the long sight blade-but the barrel, is a heavy(Untapered)barrel!
2)Now, the question is, just how "Rare" and "Collectible" is this gun? Also, how valuable?
3)Does this particular, Colt Model, have much "Potential" as an investment?
4)Was this gun, made in limited numbers-or, not? Lastly, was it "Popular" during the years it was made?0 -
When I saw the reference to the "heavy untapered barrel," I assumed it had to be an Officers Model Special. The heavy untapered barrel is the chief characteristic of the OMS. The OMS was in production for the shortest amount of time (1948 to 1951 or 1952)of all the Officers Model variations. I am traveleing so do not have access to my files, but I assume the OMS is therefore also the lowest production. I happen to find the OMS to be the best shooter of all the Officers Models. A NIB OMS is rare, even in .38. It is definitely collectable. Are the target and tools with it? Does the box have a matching serial number on the bottom?
If anyone knows where I can find a Shootimg Master LNIB for $1500, I will take a couple of dozen. In my experience, even the "common" .38 SM is worth a lot more than that in LNIB condition. The number of target New Services revolvers of all varieties and vintages (the New Service Target and the Shooting Master, two distinct models, not just one target model called the Shooting Master as icdux1 says) is nowhere close to 25% of the $356,000+ New Service guns. Most people put the number at a few thousand over the entire 1898-1940 NS production run. (I cannot recall the accepted figure without access to my files. I cannot even remember what I had for breakfast anymore!) I seem to recall a figure of about 100 guns per year for the NST as an average, for a total of about 3,000 to 4,000 total. I think the SM was made at a higher rate, but for a shorter time so the number of SMs is only a few thousand too.
The NST and SM are some of the finest Colts ever made.0 -
JudgeColt:
1)In your opinion, how does the Officer's Model Special, compare with the Shooting Master and the New Service Target, Colt revolvers? I ask this, since you mentioned, that the SM and the NST, were some of the finest Colt revolvers ever made? Is the Officer's Model Special, in this league(Not only in terms of shooting ability-but, in terms of overall quality-and, just being a fine revolver?)?
2)I will have to check to see, if there are any targets or tools, with the OMS?
3)Is $650, too much to pay, for an OMS(NIB-even without tools or targets)? There is not even a turn ring, on the cylinder!
4)Would an OMS, be anywhere near, as popular, as say, a Colt Python, to collector's-or, is the Python, out of this guns ball park(So to speak)? As I had said, I never saw an OMS before? I was wondering, if the quality, of the OMS, could compare favorably, with the Python-or, if not?
As you can see, I'm somewhat new to Colt's-so, any further help that you can give, will be greatly, appreciated? You seem to be very knowledgeable about these Colt guns? Thanks!0 -
Not to pad the topic with an opinion off topic, but if it is your first Colt, and you REALLY like it, what's $50 ~ $150 more if you are off track on value? You gotta learn sometime, and some guys never learn.
I've been stuck twice buying by emotion, and caught myself a third time.
I love my Colt and baby it almost every time I open the safe. One thing is for sure, I'll never lose money on my purchase.
Some guns are worth more in certain parts of the country than in other parts. I notice a lot of really nice NIB Colt Double Eagles coming out of the New England area, a gun which I cannot, regretably, import into California (that word "import" makes it sound like I'm bringing it in from a foreign country).
So if ownership gives you a thrill, and perhaps you'll eventually shoot the gun, then go with the gut. I bought a nice Para model I was tempted to "put away" in the safe, but within a week, I was shooting it, and I've customized it, and now, we are very relaxed together. A scratch doesn't freak me out.
In closing, you might buy for investment purposes, and end up with a gun you regularly enjoy shooting and disassembling and cleaning and re-assembling.0 -
I am not sure how to respond.
The NST and SM are Pre-War guns from the "Golden" era of American gun making. The OMS is a Post-War gun from a time when quality had begun to slip, although still very good. The NST and SM were made in quantities far less than the OMS. If the NST and SM are worth thousands and the OMS is worth hundreds, that should tell you something about which "league" each is in.
All Colt Officers Models are fine revolvers, and are basically the same gun as a Python (except for the very early ones). However, Pythons have a special glamour to many and usually bring more than a comparable Officers Model, even though usually far newer. (Pythons can be from about 50 years old to new and demand and value vary by age and features, etc. Officers Models can vary from almost 100 years old to about 35 years old and also vary by demand, age and features.)
jsergovic gives excellent advice. Over a lifetime of enjoyment, what is a few hunderd dollars?
Buy and enjoy. Then graduate into the senior ranks and start looking for a NST or SM if you are ready! Just remember that the water gets deeper and the sharks larger in those ranks. A mistake there can cost thousands, not hundreds.0
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