Need help with Value 45LC

Glock1736

Glock1736

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I have an opportunity to buy an American Arms what I’m being told is an unfired, factory engraved American Arms 45LC. Would any forum members have any idea or guess as to value. Any help is much appreciated.
 

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That's an American Western Arms replica of a Colt SAA. They're out of business because Colt sued them for trademark or trade dress infringement, maybe both, and Colt won. The guns were made in Italy AFAIK, probably by Uberti. You can see the various trademark issues, particularly the grips with the horse.

In today's market it's a little hard to say what the value is but if Uberti made it then I expect it's a decent shooter and worth a few hundred dollars. I don't think the engraving does much for it's value but it does look nice. If you're a cowboy action shooter that's a fine piece to show up to a match with.

Don't shoot hard hitting, modern .45 Colt ammunition in it. Stick to "cowboy loads" if you buy it and intend to shoot it.
 
ISCS Yoda said:
That's an American Western Arms replica of a Colt SAA. They're out of business because Colt sued them for trademark or trade dress infringement, maybe both, and Colt won. The guns were made in Italy AFAIK, probably by Uberti. You can see the various trademark issues, particularly the grips with the horse.

In today's market it's a little hard to say what the value is but if Uberti made it then I expect it's a decent shooter and worth a few hundred dollars. I don't think the engraving does much for it's value but it does look nice. If you're a cowboy action shooter that's a fine piece to show up to a match with.

Don't shoot hard hitting, modern .45 Colt ammunition in it. Stick to "cowboy loads" if you buy it and intend to shoot it.
Click to expand...

So really no collector value at all? I appreciate your info sir.
 
Glock1736 said:
So really no collector value at all? I appreciate your info sir.
Click to expand...

Actually, it could be or at least become quite collectible considering it's interesting backstory.
To be fair, what makes collectibles collectible is largely abitrary, often times heavily influenced by rarity or notoriety, and historically speaking when it comes to firearms a lot of yesterday's average or even undesirable firearms are today's collectibles.
Collectors are fickle anyway, they'll turn their noses up at certain modern imported firearms with import marks today, but how do you suppose the next generation or the generation after that will feel about import marks once they've become part of the forearms' lore/history?

If nothing else it would make for a fine conversation piece as well as a good shooter. Uberti makes fine SAA Clones, and was even a Colt licensed manufacturer of parts as well as certain cap & ball pistols.

So yeah, if the price is good and you'd like to own a .45LC SAA Clone anyway, I don't see how you could go wrong picking it up.
 
Very good perspective sir. I agree on all accounts. I don’t believe the deal of this engraved clone is at all in my favor or even for both of us. I can live always with over paying for something I want or need. This case is not one of those times after doing research and reading opinions of this forum. The price would have been 1300 bucks. And I believe he thinks it’s worth even more.
 
I had one for a while. It was a very good revolver. I fired full house factory .45 Colt loads in it with no apparent problems. I had their 3 inch model and the ejector rod was not long enough to get the cases fully out and that was the only drawback to the piece that I saw. The trigger was great. The only reason I sold it was because I had picked up a 3rd Gen Colt SAA that had been through the Colt Custom Shop. Did not need two Colt style SAA's. Not sure what they are going for now. I think at the time I paid $500 for the AWA and $1000 for the Colt SAA, it has been several years and a lot of guns ago.

If I had a chance to buy another, I probably would if the price was right. Not sure why though, I have a S&W 25-9 and a Colt Model 1909 U.S.Army. So a SAA would only be the nostalgia factor.

AJ
 
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In 1986 I was set up at an UGCA show in Columbus. The man with the table behind me had a Colt SSA, 100% condition, First year production, Nickel and factory engraved gun. I believe it is the gun your copy is patterned after.

35 years ago, that gun was worth every bit of $45,000 he asking considerably more! His fear was that the new owners would be Belgians or Frenchmen and would take the gun overseas, never to return!

I don't think you have to worry about that!

Ivan
 
Ivan the Butcher said:
In 1986 I was set up at an UGCA show in Columbus. The man with the table behind me had a Colt SSA, 100% condition, First year production, Nickel and factory engraved gun. I believe it is the gun your copy is patterned after.

35 years ago, that gun was worth every bit of $45,000 he asking considerably more! His fear was that the new owners would be Belgians or Frenchmen and would take the gun overseas, never to return!

I don't think you have to worry about that!

Ivan
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I’m sure there is a hidden meaning here, I’ve read it a couple of times. I don’t get it. I’m just a dumb Midwest country boy.
 
There was an article written in Gun Digest back in 70s or 80s by a lady that was in OGCA. The article had to do with the true collector items being milked out of regions and end up in big overseas collection never to return to where they were a piece of the history. I probably didn’t state that right but I know what the guy was talking about.
When the economy tanked in Appalachia and Rust Belt people sold family
heirlooms to survive. City dudes were coming in with bank rolls and buying stuff up.It left the area. It’s hard to take when you see generations hang on to stuff and have to sell it to survive.
 
Drm50 said:
There was an article written in Gun Digest back in 70s or 80s by a lady that was in OGCA. The article had to do with the true collector items being milked out of regions and end up in big overseas collection never to return to where they were a piece of the history. I probably didn’t state that right but I know what the guy was talking about.
When the economy tanked in Appalachia and Rust Belt people sold family
heirlooms to survive. City dudes were coming in with bank rolls and buying stuff up.It left the area. It’s hard to take when you see generations hang on to stuff and have to sell it to survive.
Click to expand...

Make sense. And agree. This particular AWA belongs to my local FFL dealer. He’s trying to make money as he is suppose to with any business. I’m trying to pay fair price without over paying as we always seem to do.
 
Glock1736 said:
Make sense. And agree. This particular AWA belongs to my local FFL dealer. He’s trying to make money as he is suppose to with any business. I’m trying to pay fair price without over paying as we always seem to do.
Click to expand...

Glock1736.

Go to "Completed Auction" on Gun Broker and see if any have sold. I looked and see where several of the plain jane versions have sold for between $700 and $1000. So a Grade D that has a book value of $2,965 is probably worth the $1300 he is asking.

AJ
 
I have no idea about current value but a quick google search says it was probably made by Armi San Marco (no longer in business?) and not Uberti. From some knowledgeable folks on a different forum it seems you either got a very nice revolver or a lemon if you bought one.

I’m in the camp of not spending $1300 on it. If you gave me $1300 I could find something else of known quality and value to buy with that money. That’s my free advice and worth every penny I charged you for it.
 
AJ said:
Glock1736.

Go to "Completed Auction" on Gun Broker and see if any have sold. I looked and see where several of the plain jane versions have sold for between $700 and $1000. So a Grade D that has a book value of $2,965 is probably worth the $1300 he is asking.

AJ
Click to expand...

I’m not a member of gb so I can’t see past sales. But great advise, thank you
 
Ray1970 said:
I have no idea about current value but a quick google search says it was probably made by Armi San Marco (no longer in business?) and not Uberti. From some knowledgeable folks on a different forum it seems you either got a very nice revolver or a lemon if you bought one.

I’m in the camp of not spending $1300 on it. If you gave me $1300 I could find something else of known quality and value to buy with that money. That’s my free advice and worth every penny I charged you for it.
Click to expand...

I have not pulled the trigger on it, as many do on this forum I came here first to get the opinions of the very knowledgeable members here. I was hoping RKMesa would have seen this and offered his expertise on engraved pistols.
Wishful thinking
 
Ray1970 said:
I have no idea about current value but a quick google search says it was probably made by Armi San Marco (no longer in business?) and not Uberti. From some knowledgeable folks on a different forum it seems you either got a very nice revolver or a lemon if you bought one.

I’m in the camp of not spending $1300 on it. If you gave me $1300 I could find something else of known quality and value to buy with that money. That’s my free advice and worth every penny I charged you for it.
Click to expand...


I also read that and many more post and links. It’s conflicting info and we know when that happens it’s time to move on from it.
 
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