Idiot scratch dollar value

[Chaparral]

Any 1911 I buy is gonna get run good and hot and dirty and get stuffed in and out of a holster all day long. Idiot scratches just enable me to buy 1911s at a cheaper price.

The problem with me selling 1911s with a scratch is that it involves the word "sell" and "1911" in the same sentence and I only do things with "buy" and "1911" in the same sentence

[Jeepers]

on a blued 1911 it lowers the value by as much a refinish .....
on a stainless 1911 not so much as it can be buffed out .....

[Hank15]

Idiot scratches cost the money it takes to fix it.

On a stainless steel gun it's a $100 bead blast. On a Wilson Combat it's a $200+ armor tuff refinish. On a fine high polished blued gun it's $500.

That being said, for COLLECTOR's guns, it's at least 20% of the overall value, as noted by the $16,000 Colt.

If I was eyeing a $1700 Springfield Armory Professional with a slight scratch on it, and the guy offered to pay for the refinishing, he gets all my $1700. Because I am going to use it anyway, and brand new will cost me about $2600 out the door.

If I was eyeing a vintage Pachmayr or Swenson with an idiot scratch on it...he loses 15% of the value.

[Press Check]

Huh?

If anyone says it's not easy to get it's a lie.

That's a bold statement. In all the years I've owned 1911 pistols, I have never had one, and unlike others, I shoot and strip my pistols quite frequently.

[CK_32]

That's a bold statement. In all the years I've owned 1911 pistols, I have never had one, and unlike others, I shoot and strip my pistols quite frequently.

I don't think it was bold at all. The simple fact there are 10 billion 1911 threads ,videos on youtube and picture threads about the "idiot scratch" with several people on each, admitting to have one them selves, my self included, on top of take down levers with notches to avoid this pretty much back up my statement. Unless you take your time and make it a point to avoid this it will happen, even still many of us still get one.

Again the threads, pictures, videos and guys who have them and the simple fact it has a dedicated name for this specific scratch pretty much proves that.

Maybe for you it is, but for the other 98% of us 1911 guys we have to try pretty dam hard to hopefully not get one lol

[nahpungnome]

I have a great example of this. In 2011 I went to the Rock Island Auction and personally inspected this gun. It was in beautiful shape. It should be, it belonged to a well known collector who only had the best of the best.



At auction it sold for $16,000 not including commissions.

In 2013 the guy who bought it put it up for auction again. This time around it was sporting some fresh "IDIOT SCRATCHES".



Sure the scratches are not too deep, but still. Who put scratches on a $16,000 gun? Not only on the frame, but on the slide too! Sheesh!

With the new scratches it sold for $11,000. So that was a $5,000 idiot scratch! LOL.

The real question is, who shoot's a $16000 gun?

[colossians323]

Generally I'd say it takes 10-20% of the value of whatever 1911 it's on away. Except for maybe a RIA. Those are cheap and can be excused as most buy those to learn on.

LOL, only if you're more concerned about aesthetics than function

[colossians323]

Some people like to look at guns. Others like to actually use them. I sure can't see idiot scratches while I'm using a 1911.

this

[Thefeeder]

I have a great example of this. In 2011 I went to the Rock Island Auction and personally inspected this gun. It was in beautiful shape. It should be, it belonged to a well known collector who only had the best of the best.



At auction it sold for $16,000 not including commissions.

In 2013 the guy who bought it put it up for auction again. This time around it was sporting some fresh "IDIOT SCRATCHES".



Sure the scratches are not too deep, but still. Who put scratches on a $16,000 gun? Not only on the frame, but on the slide too! Sheesh!

With the new scratches it sold for $11,000. So that was a $5,000 idiot scratch! LOL.

not only did it cost $5000 in value....it bumped the few left in mint condtion by up a few k's also

[vintagearms]

Some people like to look at guns. Others like to actually use them. I sure can't see idiot scratches while I'm using a 1911.

Exactly. Scratches happen.

[GM4spd]

oh yes one more thing -- on war collectibles (i.e. 1911s from WWI, WWII, etc) the idiot scratch is to be expected. Finding a war collectible without a scratch is very rare.

So in this case you should almost expect the scratch to be there, and then pay a premium of it isn't.

I agree with this,I will give any Military Colt 1911 a pass for this! I also won't
buy any Colt modern 1911 with an idiot scratch,I don't care how much it gets
discounted,I'm not buying,I will find one without the scratch and rest assured
I'm not going to scratch it after I get it. Pete

This Colt from 1941 (RS) inspected gets a pass!



Even the Military one from almost a hundred years ago,barely has one!

[Walking Fire]

Ive never paid more than $100 for an idiot..

[jonzer77]

I don't think it was bold at all. The simple fact there are 10 billion 1911 threads ,videos on youtube and picture threads about the "idiot scratch" with several people on each, admitting to have one them selves, my self included, on top of take down levers with notches to avoid this pretty much back up my statement. Unless you take your time and make it a point to avoid this it will happen, even still many of us still get one.

Again the threads, pictures, videos and guys who have them and the simple fact it has a dedicated name for this specific scratch pretty much proves that.

Maybe for you it is, but for the other 98% of us 1911 guys we have to try pretty dam hard to hopefully not get one lol

That just means there are a lot of idiots out there

[smittty]

At least we all agree that IDIOT Scratch is the correct description for it!

[hambam105]

Don't worry. The idiot scratch on a 1911 will make the bullets go faster. Be Happy.