The Royal Blue with shich I'm familiar is the one applied to Pythons and other high-end Colts since the '50s. What distinguishes Royal Blue from Colt's normal bluing is the level of polish, rather than something exotic about the bluing chemicals or process. It is a modern, hot (water) bluing process that is nothing like the prewar, oven bluing that Colt did. I'm sure someone can supply a link to a description of the process. So yes, it is a traditional bluing, in the style that was common 100 years ago.

 

Thanks RickB - that's exactly the information I was looking for. It almost looks like a clear-coat over a traditional blued finish, it is very lustrous. I like it, but have never seen that finish before.

I purchased it to carry, but it is just too nice. (The cell phone photo doesn't do it justice... I'll take a real photo at some point.)

 

They were finished in a charcoal bluing. They were highly polished before going in the oven. It is very beautiful.

 

Yours has more finish left than mine does. I still take it shooting every now and then. It's pretty fun and very reliable. As stated, the royal blue finish is traditional bluing with the only major difference being the extreme level of preparation the metal receives. The final stage polishing media had the consistency of flour.

 

Nice. Yes, they are very reliable shooters... though they are "toy sized", they are not toys.

 

Here's mine, built around 1920.

I believe over 500,000 were made and most probably very rarely fired, hence so many still in good shape. It's great that we can enjoy these vintage Colts's today.

 

Finish

Just my 2 cents. The absolutely most beautiful finish on earth is the original Colt Carbonna Blue. Don't know if that's what you are looking at. Carbonna blue over a high polish, has no equal in looks. Very durable too. Worst case of "sellers remorse" I've had was a full custom 1911 built by "Clark's Custom" done in Carbonna Blue. Someday I'll re-create that pistol. May even build a shrine to to. It was that beautiful.

 

Good morning...Does anyone know...On the original 15k, Colt Thompson SMGs...where these produced with a Colt Royal Blue finsh?
I'm researching this for a new project soon. I can use any validation for this question.
Thanks for your help...Pete

 

No, as stated in the first reply in this thread, Royal Blue is a post-WWII finish that is completely different from that used by Colt in the prewar years. The oven bluing process is explained in great detail in a book called History of the Colt Revolver (and probably elsewhere). I have a prewar edition of the book. The process involved suspending the polished gun parts in a heated, revolving drum that contained some combination of charcoal, fish oil, eye of newt, etc., and exposure to the heat and smoldering "stuff" created the blue finish. It was more of a silvery blue, unlike the black "oxide" bluing that everyone uses today.

 

One of my all-time favorite designs next to the 1911. I think it is a very classic and sexy look.

It's also pretty hilarious that this is a popular airsoft gun too. Who would've thunk it?!

 

Thanks Rick...that answers the question. Much appreciated! Pete

 

I was at a gun show on Saturday, and a seller had a '31 Colt and a '48 Colt side-by-side on his table. While both were beautiful, the difference in the color of the finish was very obvious. The older gun was definitely blue, while the newer was closer to black, with the level of polish being about the same.

 

What would be the best place to find a buyer for my Colt? I have the original box, the condition is quite good. Cabella's had it listed for $800 when I purchased it a couple of years ago.