Well, I'm in a bit of a quandry here. I have the opportunity to take possesion of a beautiful Colt 1911, besides Smiths I do enjoy the 1911. I've pretty much made up my mind to go ahead with the purchase, i guess I'm looking for encouragement more than anything else.
This is a stone cold mint conditon Series '70 Combat Commander, brushed satin nickle, with a mint state 'wood grain' box. All paperwork is intact and I believe still sealed. There is even a letter included congratulating the original owner on his purchase, most likely a form letter but I've never seen one of these letters before.
I've examined the gun, it does not appear to have been fired, or for that matter racked, no scratches on the barrel hood, no marks on the frame to indicate the slide has been worked.
I know all Smiths have been fired, but have all Colts been factory fired? I've never seen a 1911 in as good conditon. The diamonds on the grips are still sticky sharp, I mean this thing is as 100% mint as one could ask for.

16 Dec 2011

Well, I haggled a bit for this, won't go into too many details on that but it is mine now. After doing some research I learned alot about these particular guns, Thanks Much to all here who gave encouragement and advice. After getting it home and looking at it close it still appears near 100% mint, I do believe it's been fired at the factory which makes sense, but otherwise it has sat for 35 years or so untouched.
I pulled the grips off (carefully) and there is no rust underneath, that was a major concern and I was allowed to do it in the shop, shows the trust these folks have in me, and that always makes one feel good. Box is excellent showing the wear one would consider way above average for it's age, the paperwork is still taped to the styrofoam container, never opened and it does have a form letter of congratulations from the factory.
Well, enough chit-chat, lets look at some pictures, hope you all enjoy them, not often you get to see a time capsule like this one:






































From what i can find online these are a pretty rare gun, i found two for sale on GB, both fired and listed as 95% or 98%, both listed for $1100.
I have the chance to get this one for a bit more, and as I said, am pretty convinced to act on it.
This is an investment gun for me, it will remain a safe queen, I'm a collector and have many such items (NIB) I also have 4 other Colt 1911's to play with, so the temptation to fire this one is not there.
In any Colt experts opinion, would slightly North of $1100 be a realistic figure to pay for a truly pristine example of this gun?
I have untill Thursday to decide, any help is appreciated.
Sorry no Pics' i did not have my camera with me.
RD

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Got a Phd from Hard Knocks U

That just seems high to me, but I know Colts have really gone up. I bought one just like it 6 or 7 years ago for 500. There was no box and the gun had been fired, but very little.

How many 70s era 100% brushed nickle commanders w/ box can there be?

Colts were supposed to be function fired at the factory, don't recall the number of rounds or if a 'blue pill' proof load would have been fired.

BUY IT!
The value is not going to lessen and in that condition you won't find another.
In the late 1970s I purchase (at different times) my five sons a Series 70 Combat Commander .45acp each. Four brushed nickel and one blued.
All five came in cardboard outer boxes with styrofoam inter display forms.
What you have a chance to purchase should be very rare.

If you want it,and have the ready cash, why not?

i'm preparing to buy a colt 45 on the 1911 platform..it's their railgun roll marked "100 years of service" i just gotsta!!so jump in with me!

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

Go get it!! But you must post pics later. We want to see.

When Gells sporting goods went out of business, we purchased a new 6" .22 Trooper with factory Pachmayr's and that finish. A friend owns the gun now. Colt called it Coltguard or Royal Coltguard, depending on the polish. I know it was introduced in the early 1980's and was electroless nickel. I'm not sure which was offered on the Combat Commander. I do know the finish was marked as such on the box, but there are fake boxes and labels. I'd try calling Colt with the serial number to verify when it was made and I'd ask about the finish. Colts e-nickel marks easily and the Series 70 was only offered for a year or two with it, so a NIB example should make a good investment. Unfortunately, my crystal ball is broke...

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"I also cook."

Jump on it. It'll surely outperform cds and mutual funds from an investment point of view.

DON'T DO IT!!!

(and have the guy call me )

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James L. "Jim" Rhiner

Yes, that is a rare example, and given it's condition, it is very rare. I think the price is a bit high, but mint condition guns, especially Colts, with all the goodies tend to keep going up in price...

So, if you've got the extra cash, why not. It's possible that you could lose some money on it, but probably not, especially if you keep it for a while. On guns like that, you always need to find the right buyer, because not everyone is a serious collector that sees the value and is willing to pay top dollar. You have to keep this in mind when buying this kind of gun. Sounds like you've got a bunch of NIB guns, so you know what I mean... It certainly is a much easier decision when you find a gun like that priced below market value. If you are OK with doing some work (listing it) when you go to sell it, it will probably pay off for you.

Also, I agree with the comment that the e-nickel guns mark easily. It is very, very rare to have a Colt e-nickel gun without some sort of mark/blemish. This is probably why the seller is asking such a high price... It is also something to consider before buying it. You need to be very careful in how you keep and maintain this gun, or you can lose a lot of the value by having yet another lower condition e-nickel Colt 1911... Personally, I've stayed away from the e-nickel Colts for this reason.

Good luck, and please post some pictures.

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NRA Life Member

The brushed Nickle series 70 Commander was my least favored 1911. We just didn't get along. That said, I'd get it at that price and condition. You will not loose money on the investment.

Thanks all, I'm probably going to go ahead with the purchase. I'm going to try some trading first, i have a $5 1905 gold piece that I have about $275 in, right now the spot value on that coin is around $411, condition wize it should be around $475. I believe I'll spring that into the deal to lessen the dollar amount.
Gold does a lot to nudge along a deal.
I will definately post detailed pictures, and it is truly just as nice as I described. The Wife has even given her blessing on the deal, so it's pretty much going to happen.

I forgot to mention, that as far as turning the gun to make a profit, I'm not even thinking along those lines, as I said I am a collector and this gun will be put up, most likely for 20 years or so, I probably won't be around when it's finally sold.
RD

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Got a Phd from Hard Knocks U

I'm always confused why people refer to them as Series '70 Commanders. They were not marked as such and they did not have the spring finger collet bushing of the Gov't Models. Though they were made during the 70s , Commanders did not change till they got the Series '80 firing pin block.

Original blue.


Nitexed.


BTW , I've probably seen more of the 'brushed' nickel guns , or as I call 'em 'rough nickel' , than any other finish.

And so does the satin nickel. REAL easily. And it don't polish out either.
f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

you may want to check the price of gold. it went down today a bunch.

This.

If you can afford it, go for it. It might take a little while before you can sell it for what you paid for it...but barring an asteroid hit, the value will only go up, with time.

To the best of my knowledge, EVERY gun is test fired from every Factory. I doubt they fire more than than a few rounds out of it making it hard to see evidence of shooting it. Every gun I have ever bought that was new always had a little dirt from test firing it in the barrel and/or cylinder. In the good ol' days, Smiths were shot 3 times (alternating cylinders) and if you looked carefully, you could see powder burns on the face of the cylinder on every other charge hole. Some Factories might clean them a little better than others.

Chief38

See if you can date the ser#. Colt workers went on strike in '85 or '86 and it lasted a number of years. The replacement workers didn't turn out the same quality. That period is when they turned out the DS style Commando (steel) and Agent (alloy) both were parked. Both these revolvers are considered not up to usual quality. I can't remember when Series 70 was dropped in favor of Series 80. I thought it was closer to '90. I "thought" that's when Coltguard finish showed up as an option. As mentioned I too don't like this finish.

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SOS USA

Took posession, pics are up in the OP.
RD

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Got a Phd from Hard Knocks U

wow! That's nice

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SOS USA

I have the exact gun that I bought used off a private individual. The finish has some minor wear spots and unfortunately the classic "idiot scratch" but otherwise it is an outstandingly reliable shooter. I had to fix a few things on it though. I added a small "ducktail" style grip safety to eliminate the hammer bite and a new extractor and extended ejector to stop random spent cases from bouncing off my forehead. A dab of black paint on the front sight and I have one hell of a carry gun. I paid $575.00 but mine has no original box or is it in LNIB. My totally mint Stainless Lightweight Officers ACP in the original cardboard box like shown in the pictures ran me $800.00. People say the satin nickel guns are rare but that is not exactly true. Maybe ones in LNIB are but they made quite a few of those Combat Commanders in that finish.

Glad you got it, it is very nice. After reading the other posts and seeing a complete blue upper advertised for $500, I don't think the price was out of line. I put King-Tappan sights on mine as I could not see the originals. I shoot it and enjoy it.

Oh man...I had one just like that years ago....I traded it for a truck (now long gone) and wish that I had kept the Colt (it would still be here).

That is a very nice example....I would be torn between shooting it and storing it.....but, it is an investment, so I guess that it should be put up for your kid's future...It is REALLY NICE however, good catch

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On the Oak Savannah

Is the barrel on your pistol blued or is it just the picture making it look that way? I also noticed the grip screws and trigger are blued. I have an earlier model satin nickel Combat Commander (SN 70SC527xx) that I bought new and the barrel is nickel plated and both the trigger and grip screws are satin nickel plated. Colt may have changed all that in later runs, who knows...I'm no expert. Beautiful pistol just the same.

Never met a Colt 1911 I havn't liked yet...!

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Rather be outdoors

also had one like that I bought new, like an idiot I sold it

That is a beautiful Commander. I had a chance to buy one exactly like that in 1976 in new condition. I passed and have regretted it ever since. I'm glad that you got it. It's a beautiful piece and you will enjoy admiring it even if you never shoot it. Congratualtions.

Charlie

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SWCA # 2294

Thats a beautiful piece. I agree, looks unfired since the factory. The sad thing is that you still can't shoot it. Really, don't. Safe-Queen status. Now you need to find a spare shooter version.

It is resigned to safe queen status. I have a few more 1911's that I do shoot.
As for the blued trigger/screws, this was pointed out by another member, in looking at the barrel, the chamber skirt, as can be seen, is nickled, but the end of the barrel is indeed blued.
I can find no marks on this gun to indicate it was ever taken down, not the first one, why anyone would change those things, especially go to the trouble of blueing the end of the barrel and then never shoot it, is beyond me. All this makes me wonder if this was some type of special order or something. I just don't know enough about Colt's to say, but this gives me a project, to research the history of the gun over the winter.
The LGS had just got it in trade not 10 minutes before I walked in, they don't do any work on guns, and frankly woudn't know how to change a trigger. I called today and they are going to ask the seller to call me so I can start tracing all this down. I think I'll call Colt's come Monday and start on that end as well.
I think it looks good set up like that though, the blue contrasts nicely with the satin nickle.
RD

NOTE:
After getting it back out and looking at it (I just picked this up Thursday evening) the barrel is solidly nickle plated, NOT blued at the end, the picture sure makes it look blued but must have been the lighting.

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Got a Phd from Hard Knocks U

Nice catch.
I had one of those about ten years ago. Great guns.
The one I had I bought used and it had been a CCW gun.