Colt 1873 Single Action Frontier

cek · August 16, 2009, 07:06 PM

This is the 3rd gun I am posting to get more info on.

Previous assessment stated "NRA Exc. or better. Factory refinish (1950). Sound tight. Like new. Especially good case hardening colors.
5.5" bbl.
.44-40 cal
SN 328996

An extremely good looking gun.

Thoughts, comments?

James K · August 16, 2009, 09:01 PM

A beautiful gun. I think it likely it could pass as original.

Jim

cek · August 17, 2009, 12:32 AM

That's a curious comment, Jim. I assume you are implying that there are really good fakes out there that would be hard to distinguish from originals?

Two questions:

How would a professional/seasoned appraiser tell a real from a fake?
If it WERE real, what would it be worth?

PetahW · August 17, 2009, 08:07 AM

[I assume you are implying that there are really good fakes out there that would be hard to distinguish from originals?]

I wouldn't assume that.
I would presume that ANY refinished gun, factory work or not, is deemed to be "non-original", and not necessarily a fake.

[How would a professional/seasoned appraiser tell a real from a fake?]

Through their experience - which cost $$$, both to obtain (as an appraiser) AND to utilize (as a customer in need of an appraisal).

[If it WERE real, what would it be worth?]

It IS "real", just not original (finish), and therfore not worth the same as an identical specimen with original finish.
A factory letter, attesting to the refinish, does help out with value in that respect, though.
A true "fake" is worth even less, some much less.

.

RickB · August 21, 2009, 06:01 PM

I have a gun very similar to that, factory refinished to like-new appearance in the '50s. Is the serial number font the same on the trigger guard and frame? Mine had the frame replaced with a new one stamped with the original number. The numbers match, but the fonts are very different. I'm not savvy on serial number ranges, but that must be shortly before production ceased on 1st Generation guns; should it have FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER rollmarked on the left side of the barrel?

cek · August 21, 2009, 07:01 PM

Yes, it has FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER on the LH side of the bbl. See

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2580/...424867a6_o.jpg

The font of both SNs looks the same to me (at least they are not "very different"). See

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2565/...01da71b4_o.jpg

for the full res image.

I need to take some more pictures and get better at doing so... ;-)

RickB · August 22, 2009, 02:59 PM

It looks "correct" to me, based on the pics. I thought the serial range put it toward the end of production, but it's actually from 1914; fewer than 30,000 guns were made over the next twenty-six years!

August 16, 2009, 07:06 PM	#1
cek Member Join Date: July 12, 2009 Posts: 87	Colt 1873 Single Action Frontier This is the 3rd gun I am posting to get more info on. Previous assessment stated "NRA Exc. or better. Factory refinish (1950). Sound tight. Like new. Especially good case hardening colors. 5.5" bbl. .44-40 cal SN 328996 An extremely good looking gun. Thoughts, comments? __________________ "My Constitutional right to bear arms is, to me, the most significant example of my American heritage of individual freedom and human dignity. Such a right implies that my Government trusts me and, in turn, is worthy of my trust." - Charles E. 'Ted' Kindel (My dad), Gun Digest #19 1965

August 17, 2009, 12:32 AM	#3
cek Member Join Date: July 12, 2009 Posts: 87	That's a curious comment, Jim. I assume you are implying that there are really good fakes out there that would be hard to distinguish from originals? Two questions: How would a professional/seasoned appraiser tell a real from a fake? If it WERE real, what would it be worth? __________________ "My Constitutional right to bear arms is, to me, the most significant example of my American heritage of individual freedom and human dignity. Such a right implies that my Government trusts me and, in turn, is worthy of my trust." - Charles E. 'Ted' Kindel (My dad), Gun Digest #19 1965

August 17, 2009, 08:07 AM	#4
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 4,678	[I assume you are implying that there are really good fakes out there that would be hard to distinguish from originals?] I wouldn't assume that. I would presume that ANY refinished gun, factory work or not, is deemed to be "non-original", and not necessarily a fake. [How would a professional/seasoned appraiser tell a real from a fake?] Through their experience - which cost $$$, both to obtain (as an appraiser) AND to utilize (as a customer in need of an appraisal). [If it WERE real, what would it be worth?] It IS "real", just not original (finish), and therfore not worth the same as an identical specimen with original finish. A factory letter, attesting to the refinish, does help out with value in that respect, though. A true "fake" is worth even less, some much less. . Last edited by PetahW; August 17, 2009 at 08:14 AM.

August 21, 2009, 07:01 PM	#6
cek Member Join Date: July 12, 2009 Posts: 87	Yes, it has FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER on the LH side of the bbl. See http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2580/...424867a6_o.jpg The font of both SNs looks the same to me (at least they are not "very different"). See http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2565/...01da71b4_o.jpg for the full res image. I need to take some more pictures and get better at doing so... ;-) __________________ "My Constitutional right to bear arms is, to me, the most significant example of my American heritage of individual freedom and human dignity. Such a right implies that my Government trusts me and, in turn, is worthy of my trust." - Charles E. 'Ted' Kindel (My dad), Gun Digest #19 1965

August 16, 2009, 09:01 PM	#2
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	A beautiful gun. I think it likely it could pass as original. Jim

August 21, 2009, 06:01 PM	#5
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	I have a gun very similar to that, factory refinished to like-new appearance in the '50s. Is the serial number font the same on the trigger guard and frame? Mine had the frame replaced with a new one stamped with the original number. The numbers match, but the fonts are very different. I'm not savvy on serial number ranges, but that must be shortly before production ceased on 1st Generation guns; should it have FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER rollmarked on the left side of the barrel?

August 22, 2009, 02:59 PM	#7
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	It looks "correct" to me, based on the pics. I thought the serial range put it toward the end of production, but it's actually from 1914; fewer than 30,000 guns were made over the next twenty-six years!