Tired old Colt 1903

[Rogerbutthead]

I won this, the only Colt 1903 I have ever bid on and won.

Guessing no one else wanted this old, tired dog. Pitted and cold blued, looks like a beaten stepchild.



This was the auction:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1042735588

I think it has next to no collector value, was wondering what you can do to cover up pitting and who parkerizes around the San Jose area - ?

[hermosabeach]

I would clean it well and clean the barrel a few more times.

Most of these guns have barrels that look like a goat has used it as a Latrine for decades.

Old corrosive primed ammo.



If it shoots well, you can decide on the finish.
Simple bead blast and park
Or
Colt cold blue -$$$$
Or one of the ceracote colors that would be similar.


Pits- you can sand them down and Polish them out....$$$

If you have pits on role stamps, numbers and such you get to decide if it's better to lose the colt logo or leave pits.



20 or so years ago one of the east coast outfits had replacement barrels.
They worked well but were very rough.
Yes bore and outside. Extractor grove needed to be hand fit as it was undersized.


Here is the trade off

Spend $1200-$1500 on a collector
Or spend $400 on a rough one and maybe spend $300-$700 more in gunsmithing.

[hermosabeach]

Another thought

https://www.brownells.com/tools-cleaning/paint-metal-prep/paint-finishing/aluma-hyde-ii/?sku=430107437

Brownells has a bake finish that is a bit thick


Get ready to laugh at me, but clean the gun with proper prep, and fill the pits with alumna-Hyde

Add with a tooth pick
Heat with hair dryer
Add more
Heat with hair dryer

Repeat until pit is full

Lightly sand and then spray the entire gun with the 3 coats and bake



IT's preferred to bake when spouse is out of the home.

Spouse will be happy as you used easy off and cleaned the oven (before the bake)

[Rogerbutthead]

Interesting ideas.

If I do try it, I will post some pictures of the unimaginable damage I can do with my clumsy digits.

Can't look much worse than it already does......

[kris smith]

That looks very much like the one I sold a few years back. But mine had white grips. It was ugly as sin but a great gun. I miss my 1903s

[dfletcher]

It looks like someone tried to remove the safety and didn't quite know how, based on the tap marks around the post. The grips are in very good condition, may be added after.

Wondering if parkerizing similar to the general officers offering is viable, will fill the pits?

[Tere_Hanges]

If you are going to shoot it be extremely careful or you'll bulge the barrel. I'd recommend buying a new production barrel for it for shooting.

[SVT-40]

I kinda like it just as it is. Yeah it's worn, but it has character.

[Rogerbutthead]

Oh, well, probably won't do much with it except throw it in a gun safe.

I still have bad memories of a number of guns I scratched or parts of guns I broke because of my stupidity.

[lodicollector]

You actually did good. By the time it gets to calif., you will be in to it for almost $600. Leave it be

[THBailey]

Looks just fine to me as-is. The "been there, done that, have the T-shirt" look. The 1903 never was a target pistol, rather it is easy to carry and prompt to deploy, probably from your pants pocket, for those sudden face to face desperate encounters of one sort or another. Just be careful not to drop it.

[DaveInOroValley]

According to this month's American Rifleman it may be likely at one time or another it was an officer's carry pistol based on the model.

[Tim padilla]

If you are going to shoot it be extremely careful or you'll bulge the barrel. I'd recommend buying a new production barrel for it for shooting.

Explain if you will please about these guns being Susceptible to barrel bulging. I own and am very interested. since I own one now that?s in 92-95 % original condition and don?t want any negative stuff happening to it.

[kris smith]

I would also like to see sources on the bulging issue. I have had 2 and shot hundreds of new made ammo through them without an issue.