Help with colt auto

hugo · #1 03-08-2009, 07:56 PM

I know this is a S&W forum but I am too ignorant I guess to retrieve my login info on the colt Forum.
I see revferences on Smith Auto topic here to Walthers so is it ok to ask for a bit of help here with a Colt NM pistol? ( I mean on the S&W auto forum)
Thanks
Steve

hugo · #2 03-08-2009, 07:56 PM

I know this is a S&W forum but I am too ignorant I guess to retrieve my login info on the colt Forum.
I see revferences on Smith Auto topic here to Walthers so is it ok to ask for a bit of help here with a Colt NM pistol? ( I mean on the S&W auto forum)
Thanks
Steve

ditrina · #3 03-08-2009, 08:09 PM

Ask away.. The worse that can happen is you get a serious answer to your question..

The best is a whole lot of suggestions as to what you can do with your Colt.. Most of which will be to send it to one of US!!

conn ak · #4 03-08-2009, 08:12 PM

A Nat'l Match 1911? I'm sure someone on this forum can help you. Wish I had one, for sure.

Joni_Lynn · #5 03-09-2009, 05:11 AM

Ask away.

Tom M · #6 03-09-2009, 05:42 AM

If you ask here, you'll get an answer, unlike the didactic diatribe you're likely to get elsewhere.

hugo · #7 03-09-2009, 06:16 AM

Thanks for the "go-ahead" here.
I did a bit of further research last night and did learn quite abit about this sort of wierd but very interesting piece that ios 38 spl mid range and national match. Only obvious distraction is that slide has a rather poor cold blue on one side, but has not been polished I don't think as all markings are unaffected as far as I can tell. Frame is easy 98% and gun has not been fired much at all.

What I know is that it is entirely colt work. I see one spring on barrel rear face that as I look it over allows barrel to move a bit back and return, but not like the link rotation of 45, etc-it has a rectangular fixed link I guess it would be that allows 1/4" or so horizontal cycle.
Gun is 38 spl mid range and so marked both on slide and with MR suffix on 4 digit serial #. Chamber has concentric grooves like threaded opposite way that an HK rifle is. this is to retard ejection I discover so that blowback action is not too fast - no barrel lock up but blowback like a 22- inner top of slide is non-grooved and barrel has no lugs. Just a really neat national match (so marked also on l side of slide). Smooth as silk in all ways.
Mag is special and marked - I am sure a tough one to get a match for.
I guess having it in hand allows me to see more than I thought I could.
Anyway, does anyone have any info on #s of these produced-I think years of 60s/70s.
I see vqarious posts regarding value of the gun, but very sporadic
A local collector has high interest level but I am in heavy as I saw it as a valuable uncommon colt even without knowing full story of it.
I am going to sell it to someone but want to know better about it. I am thinking of asking Colt to try to reblue slide only without polishing it as no pits othe rathan possibly one that I can only see with lenses.
Also, I see colt forum has responded now with what I hope is some useable instructions on how to re-register after several years of inactivity on their forum.
Sorry to over do here but any additional info and $ ranges welcome
Thanks-Smith Forum is the best!

Aussie44 · #8 03-09-2009, 06:36 AM

Hugo,Your pistol is worth $1500 and up,The magazines alone are fetching upwards of $150.The gun is scarce,not too many built(Between 5 to 10 thousand).Keep it,it can only increase in value.There was about 7000 made from 1962 onwards,Then the rest in the 70s.Yours having 4 digit serial (Not knowing what the number is) puts it in mid production.And the magazine takes 5 rounds only.The normal stamping with Colts address should be on the slide and not on the frame.One other thing,the numbers should be first then the letters for the serial.

Ken

hugo · #9 03-09-2009, 06:58 AM

Thank you for that. I was thinking that would be appropriate $ range,so I am not far off even with the slide issue as gun is very nice/original overall. Serial # is 45xx MR range, by the way
I want to shoot it badly as I have had several M52s and never shot them-tried to once but Ihad some of my wadcutter reloads that I use in revolvers but had left slight lead exposure and they have to be absolutely flush to feed (as most everybody but me knew), and was too lazy/busy to load more at the time.
Thanks again.S&W forum is #1...

Joni_Lynn · #10 03-09-2009, 06:40 PM

The 38MR started in 1960. The one you have in the 4500 range would be about 1963.
If you're going to shoot it, the bullets must be flush seated and if you are firing factory loads a 16 pound spring would be correct for the gun.
The gun can be fine tuned by going a little higher or lower on spring rates for the load you're using.

m657 · #11 03-09-2009, 07:10 PM

...photos would be appreciated....

shovelwrench · #12 03-09-2009, 07:25 PM

YEAH,
I wanna see pics!!!!!

hugo · #13 03-09-2009, 08:00 PM

Recall now that I am not very computer able so I will send to your individual eamils in a bit after I take some w/low tech floppy camera.
SDtill am overwhelmed w/interest and help here!!!

M29since14 · #14 03-09-2009, 08:14 PM

Quote:

If you're going to shoot it, the bullets must be flush seated...

That is not the way every NM .38 I have ever seen works, and it is one of the main differences between an NM and a 52. The 52 must have flush-seated rounds. The NM can use rounds similar to what a .38 revolver uses.

Joni doesn't normally miss a beat, so I wonder if different versions of the NM .38 were produced? Someone jump in here, if they have info on that.

Steve, overall I always found the NM .38 an easier gun to shoot, but the ones I had experience with did not seem to be as accurate as the 52s, and they were more finicky. They were usually more expensive than a 52, around here, anyway, and I missed a chance to buy a couple because I did not think they were worth the price difference. That was a mistake I now regret!

hugo · #15 03-09-2009, 09:03 PM

Intended to send pictures to everyone???
thanks
I threw in what to me is not a particularly old box, but price is interesting at any rate. sort ofshow age of some of us. I have anote rbox somewhere marked 38 spl mid range too

Joni_Lynn · #16 03-10-2009, 04:47 AM

If you've ever seen one of the conversions to 38 MR done by a shop such as Clark's, those guns function like a 1911 with a link and locking lugs and all. Only the Colt GCNM in 38MR is set up as a blow back design.
Your gun is one of the older ones using the Accro style sight instead of the Elliason. The barrel has probably been changed, the older guns didn't use the MkIII barrel with the ringed chamber but a lot were converted to it.
Your gun also has a replacement recoil spring plug in it. The original had a tapered front button area instead of stepped. The bushing and plug were a set.