(this won't be a popular opinion, but) ...way high. Original 70 Series guns were hit or miss quality wise...it might work, it might not. At that price, I'd want something vetted and confirmed perfect. You can buy a new-made Colt for more than a grand less that will probably be of higher quality and run out of the box. Colt's current Classic series are much less expensive and you'll be getting something with a warranty, and support from Colt if there's an issue. If you buy that one and it starts having problems, Colt won't be taking it in as a warranty repair.

It's tempting, but at that price...I'd pass. It's not inherently valuable compared to a new manufacture one, IMO. Obviously, YMMV...

Also, bearing in mind today's clown-world inventory status of new Colts, so who knows when you'll actually be able to get a new-made Colt Classic, blued, in 38 Super. That may alter your calculus.

 

.38 SUper is hard to enjoy unless you reload, you don't exactly find that littered on the shelves even in the good times and when you do it's typically watered down in velocity. I don't think that NIB/1974 adds anything meaningful to the price. way too much @ $1800.

 

I picked up this one used of the 1975 vintage recently for about 1/2 that, no box or papers but it's a shooter for me and as Viper_29 mentions for the .38 Super round reloading is pretty much needed as availability in spotty - for me it would be pass at that price.

 

I guess it depends if you’re buying it to shoot or keep in the safe as NIB.

I wouldn’t buy it as a shooter you can find cheaper options & personally unless you already reload for 38 super I’d stick with 45 or 9


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It would be kept as a safe queen. I agree with your opinions. I like to shoot all my guns. I am not rich enough to leave a gun sitting in my safe and never shooting.
Thank y’all,
Bud

 

I think $1800 is a little too high for a 70 series pistol even though the pistol is NIB. If you plan on it being a shorter, you can do much better finding one that has been lightly used. If you plan on it becoming a safe queen, there are probably better Colt options.

 

I think that price would be in the acceptable range for a Gold Cup, but high for a mill-run Government Model.
Also, back in '74, Colt was still headspacing their .38 Supers on the case rim, rather than case mouth, and that didn't allow for the best accuracy.
If you're going to shoot the gun much, and be happy with the accuracy (the last Colt road test I read reported 3" groups at 25 yards with five or six different rounds), you'll have to add the cost of fitting a new barrel to the already-high asking price.

 

Just keep in mind that Colt .38Supers were headspaced on the rims all the way until 1986 or so. That means older .38 Supers have mechanical accuracy that ranged from side of a barn to pinpoint.

I wouldn’t mind buying an older .38 Super just for giggles but not at $1800 even though it had original box and everything. I’m not a Colt collector.

 

Somehow I missed this post and managed to basically repeat the whole thing. Please excuse that oversight 😆

 

The members who suggested a current run Classic are correct IMHO. The older barrels headspace differently and accuracy is unpredictable. More serious shooters will have a new barrel & bushing fitted. New Classics are out there on the market. As for ammunition, it’s available if you buy online - which I’ve always done and the prices are no more hideous than current 45acp and 9mm. I’m some cases they’re better. You can’t buy Super at Walmart but it’s readily available, decent loads running 1220 FPS or so. Component prices suck mud for all pistol calibers right now so that’s a toss up. BTW the newer run Colt Supers are very good shooters. I have more than one.

 

I would pass for all of the reasons already given here. There are plenty of better Colt shooters out there for less money. The NIB condition is worth something to some people. But the first time you take that thing out and shoot it , it's value drops by half of that price. .

 

In 2018 I bought a then new GCT Lite in 38 Super for a little over $1.1K Below it is field stripped soon after I bought it. So far I have just replaced the dual recoil spring and smaller guide rod with older single spring and larger guide rod. Colt also makes this same gun in 9mm and 45ACP by the way. It also has no Series 80 parts in it.



I would also pass on that old 38 Super for that price.

 

Governments go for less than commanders and I have watched the Older-Colt Commander market closely for the last year (9mm and 38 super) and many, if not all, 38 super commanders are north of $1,800 in the last 6 months and many above $2,500 and a few complete NIB have broken $3,000 on GB. I don't follow the Government market but they go for less. In their current format they are not all that shootable, in the hands of Yost, Burton or many other Smith's they are works of art.

I paid $1,300 for this 38 super in February of last year and then it went to Nighthawk in March for another $2,700 in work. This was a 1977.

 

If you are looking for a Colt new my LGS in Florida has a 1911 engraved TALO 38 super for $1900.00 in the show case. I ask him if it came with a box of ammo, he did not reply.

 

I'm not a Series 70 billboard rollmark fan so I don't follow them all that much, but if that were a pre series 70 and it was listed on gunpoker with an 1800 buy it now price I doubt it would last a day.

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No worries!

 

I follow Supers on the auction sites and right now $1300 is that absolute LEAST one will pay for any Colt in .38 Super...

Here is the above gun...no box...

GunBroker.com - Error

$1800 is a very reasonable price in todays market....plus the fact that there are not going to be any more "original" Colts made...like loosing the "JM" stamp on the Marlins when Freedom Group bought them...

Bob

 

Can you explain how the new Colts are not going to be original Colt made? Is CZ gonna make them in their Czech factory then stamp Colt on the guns and export to the USA?

 

I wouldn't pay that and I LIKE .38 super. Of course mine are all shooters.

 

...if you looks at the SERIES 70 I posted...it had no box, no paperwork, wear on the grips, barrel hood and bluing wear...and it brought over $2K plus postage...

So if the guy who wants to sell the OP a LNIB with hang tag put that gun on an auction site would it bring less than $1800...or well more than $2K.

As far as future collectability of pre-CZ Colt firearms goes...only time will tell. I bet they will increase with the purchase of a pair of Single Action Armys before the price gets too high...

Bob

 

I agree with you , Hartford Colts, pre CZ, will go up in value

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To anyone pissing and moaning that CZ bought Colt, you had your chance to buy the company and keep it 100% American-owned last year when it was up for sale. Since you didn't (or couldn't), be glad another gun company bought them and not some effing joke like Cerebus Capital Management (the people behind the so-called "Freedom Group" who screwed over Remington and Marlin). I'd rather see Colt owned by a foreign gun manufacturer who actually gives a damn than yet another "suck 'em 'til they're dry" hedge fund.

Anyway, back to the pistol mentioned here, $1800 is more than I would pay as well. Unfortunately however the seller knows the current market, and if he puts it up on Gunbroker he'll get his price sooner or later. This isn't the time to be looking for good deals on guns.

 

I doubt that a pre-CZ 1980s crap Colt is going to increase in value or desirability. Or the Double Eagle. Or the Colt 2000. Or the plastic Mustang. Or the 1991A1. That’s just my personal opinion.

 

When I hear people talk about buying collector's item, specifically a gun I suggest that they really think about what they are doing. Very few guns actually go up in value in relation to traditional investments like the stock market. But guns do not often go down in value like the stock market. So, if the thought is this will increase in value and that is one of the key reasons to buy, then just ask yourself, when will it be sold? If you are never planning on selling it it is not an investment, it is just a cool thing to own.

When guns are sold after someone dies they usually bring less money. The family may keep a few and sell the rest so they sell them cheap or maybe consign them and lose 15%. And they have the hassle of getting rid of our pride and joy.

So, if you want it just because you want to own a Colt go for it. The problem is virtually every 1911 made today is probably a better guns that a Colt made in 1974. They have perfected the steel, the manufacturing, and stolen the design, so they all come out great.

 

You guys just don't know the market. For a new in box 38 super it would easily bring $2,000+ on GB.

You may not like today's pricing or wouldn't pay it but if the OP is asking about comps, $1,800 is more than fair.

OP, as for shootability, it'll probably stink, stubbie beavertail, marginal sights, etc. The best use is a base gun in the hands of a great gunsmith, IMHO.

 

I for one think the purchase of Colt by CZ is a good thing...especially as said, it could have bought by something like "Freedom Group" that was nothing but a vampire... Look at what has happened with Dan Wesson pistols since the takeover by CZ...EXCELLENT quality guns at a very reasonable price point.

As to guns as investments, I can take any gun in the safe out right now and make 10-500% over what I paid for them....and I have had the pleasure of owning them all this time.

Look at what the Colt/Lew Horton "El" Series guns are now bringing...they could be purchased for $1-2000...now they start at $5K. I paid $900 for an El Capitan...the last three sold on GB were $6K, $8K and $12K... Have you priced a SUPER 38 lately... Just a nice condition 60s vintage gun that one could buy for a grand a few years ago are now $2500+. Early guns...as in pre-WWII are in excess to $8K...

Yes, one can make more money elsewhere...but you can't hold it in your hands...

Bob