Colt Commando score!!!

[Grimjaws]

I was bored (always dangerous to my wallet) and decided to visit a few gun stores. One place is used for police qualifications along with armed guard training so it’s always crowded and very popular with the plastic pistol crowd. They tend to sometimes undervalue older revolvers since most of the crowd prefer the semi automatics.

I looked around and saw a great collection of Smith and Wesson revolvers recently gotten in as part of an estate sale.
- 37 no dash in fantastic shape, 36 flat latch but missing original grips and had a bobbed hammer, two nice 10-5 skinny barrels with some typical bluing loss , a nickel Victory model in 38 S&W, nice 18-2 and a Colt 1917. Prices were decent for the k frames between 350 -550. 18-2 was marked $600 while the 1917 was $900.

Off to one side was a Colt Commando not parkerized with the correct plastic grips. I asked to see it and realized that it was reblued at one point. But I could make out the Ordinance bomb on the upper frame. It locked up like a bank vault. The trigger must be 12-14 lbs but the smoothest double action pull I’ve ever felt. Serial number was 16666 putting it at 1942 manufactured. You could see a little bit of pitting on the side plate and cylinder but overall in nice shape. Barrel had perfect rifling. I could not believe it was in the case for over a month with no takers. They only made roughly 50,000 of these beauties and while the parkerized finish was gone it still had the original plastic stocks and felt perfectly balanced. And I could not resist the asking price.

The price for me out the door was….

$275 including tax and all permit fees!!

SCORE!!

 

[TJm15.38]

Even with the refinish, that's a solid steal. Nice one!

 

[Grimjaws]

As luck would have it

Found a seller on the Bay site with factory ejector rod heads - so a replacement is on its way for $14.

 

[jc2721]

Very nice score, I assume you talked them down a bit since it was missing a part. Glad to see that the serial number doesn't bother you; I had a guy back out of a sale once because the s/n of the piece ended in 666, lol.

 

[LostintheOzone]

Nice revolver. I would have it for that price also.

I was marking trees with spray paint on a road project once. Theses were to be saved from the bull dozer and were to be marked with a red six. There were three trees with big red sixes on them when I finished.

Owner almost had a heart attack and demanded the paint be removed. That's the first time I had ever heard that it was the devils work.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I was bored (always dangerous to my wallet) and decided to visit a few gun stores. One place is used for police qualifications along with armed guard training so it’s always crowded and very popular with the plastic pistol crowd. They tend to sometimes undervalue older revolvers since most of the crowd prefer the semi automatics.

I looked around and saw a great collection of Smith and Wesson revolvers recently gotten in as part of an estate sale.
- 37 no dash in fantastic shape, 36 flat latch but missing original grips and had a bobbed hammer, two nice 10-5 skinny barrels with some typical bluing loss , a nickel Victory model in 38 S&W, nice 18-2 and a Colt 1917. Prices were decent for the k frames between 350 -550. 18-2 was marked $600 while the 1917 was $900.

Off to one side was a Colt Commando not parkerized with the correct plastic grips. I asked to see it and realized that it was reblued at one point. But I could make out the Ordinance bomb on the upper frame. It locked up like a bank vault. The trigger must be 12-14 lbs but the smoothest double action pull I’ve ever felt. Serial number was 16666 putting it at 1942 manufactured. You could see a little bit of pitting on the side plate and cylinder but overall in nice shape. Barrel had perfect rifling. I could not believe it was in the case for over a month with no takers. They only made roughly 50,000 of these beauties and while the parkerized finish was gone it still had the original plastic stocks and felt perfectly balanced. And I could not resist the asking price.

The price for me out the door was….

$275 including tax and all permit fees!!

SCORE!!

I bought an 8" Wusthof chef's knife for a quarter at a flea market this Sunday. I may have beaten you on percentage, but certainly not on absolute value.

Congratulations!

 

[paul s]

Bought a lot of 54 Colt Commando’s about 13 years ago, they were former Alabama State guard guns. Kept one for my collection

 

[ron 57]

Shipment date

The Colt factory website erroneously lists 1942 as a shipping date for all, or almost all, Commandos. Based on factory letters for Commandos somewhat close to your serial number I would guess a ship date of mid-1943 may be more accurate. However, like S&W, they weren’t always shipped in order.
Nice revolver! I would have been on that like a chicken on a June bug.

 

[Grimjaws]

It gets better

Picked her up today and it came in a Colt Python box with a sight adjustment tool inside. After a good cleaning the trigger lightened up considerably along with the stiff cylinder as there was some dried up oil gumming up the insides.

Can’t wait to shoot it

 

[Derosa]

Your picture is on the post office wall. Nice buy.

 

[Retired W4]

Here is one that i sold to a friend several years back. I had it lettered and it went to some defense plant. Kinda wish I had it back.

 

[Grimjaws]

Your picture is on the post office wall. Nice buy.

That’s funny. I cannot believe what they offered as a sale price. Guess they were tired of looking at it.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

A refinished Commando…no matter how solid a shooter it might be…doesn’t have much collector value…but my rule is that any Colt double-action revolver in good mechanical condition is worth at least $400. That Commando is well worth that and more.

Those correct stocks are worth $75-$100 at minimum. I’d consider putting some other stocks for a shooter such as Pachmayr and selling those original ones. That would knock even more off the investment in the gun.

 

[Grimjaws]

Stocks

Yeah I thought about selling the stocks but I like to keep them in the safe should I sell it down the line. I am now on the hunt for some wood grips at the upcoming show. I know there is a seller who had some older Colt stocks that I’ve seen in the past.

My son put Herrett grips on his 66-1 2.5” and asked what he should do with the original grips…those currently sit in my safe now.

I hate to admit it but that revolver fits my hand perfectly and I am loving the trigger…just don’t tell my S&Ws

 

[max503]

Around here they would ask 2X that.

 

[CH4]

Cool Colt. Was bit by the Colt bug a couple years ago. My most recent find is a Cobra I found at a local pawn shop. $600 OTD.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Here's a Colt Commando in its original configuration - Parkerized, with Coltwood plastic grips. I came across this one at a gun show quite a number of years ago and it was the first one I had ever seen in the flesh. Many were issued to the OSS (forerunner of the CIA) and senior officers during WWII. I wasted no time in picking it up. The finish is somewhat worn, probably from holster wear, but I suspect that's about par for the course for a handgun that's roughly 80 years old. General Eisenhower is reported to have been issued one of these for personal protection during WWII. It's a relic not often seen these days. These are well covered in my book 101 Classic Firearms.

John


(Click for larger image)

 

[long colt frazier]

Sell the Python box;-)

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

Yeah I thought about selling the stocks but I like to keep them in the safe should I sell it down the line. I am now on the hunt for some wood grips at the upcoming show. I know there is a seller who had some older Colt stocks that I’ve seen in the past.

My son put Herrett grips on his 66-1 2.5” and asked what he should do with the original grips…those currently sit in my safe now.

I hate to admit it but that revolver fits my hand perfectly and I am loving the trigger…just don’t tell my S&Ws

Any grips that fit a Python, Official Police, 3-5-7, original Trooper and Officer Model will fit that Commando. Lots of options out there.

While it probably won't help the value of that Commando you might consider obtaining a Colt Archives letter to determine where it was originally shipped...it may surprise you and add some value but honestly most went to places not special.

I have five Commandos...two went to the Merchant Marine, one to a police department in Michigan, one went to Army counter intelligence and one to an Army post. Some Commandos went to the OSS which greatly boosts their value. My own opinion is all Commandos should be lettered as sometimes they do surprise where they went.

 

[Rudi]

For $275 you got a screaming deal! A great shooter.