1970 Colt Commander - Finally in my grubby paws.

[ACfixer]

So now that the TBI/TICS denial was overturned (jeeeeze) this is what I was waiting on.

I picked up this nearly flawless Colt Commander from 1970 according to the Colt website. Very little evidence of it being fired outside of the factory. A little wear on the trigger, but not much else... Any apparent flaws in the pic are glare or dust, no wear on the slide or frame at all. Blueing typical of Colts I have seen from this era has become slightly plum colored on the slide. Factory box shows an original; price of $125 marked down to $104.

The box shows it's age, but the cosmo paper and the original instructions are there.

Question for you Colt guys, is it taboo to repair the box a bit? I mean obviously anything done to the gun is off limits to purists, but what about box repairs?

 

 

[Grayfox54]

Very nice!   I'm not a serious Colt collector, but I doubt anybody would get seriously bent over a bit of tape on the box. 

[AuEagle]

Nice Commander!

No problem with some tape on the bottom half of the box, I wouldn't recommend putting any on the top.

Edited December 11, 2020 by AuEagle

[KahrMan]

Do not repair the box unless it is just falling apart.  If the gun is as flawless as you say then keep the box the way it is.  It will matter to a Colt collector.  They would much rather have an unmolested torn box than a taped up one.

 

Nice commander!

[gregintenn]

I'm with AuEagle. I'd tape up the bottom with clear Scotch tape and leave the top alone. This looks like it would keep the box from tearing further.

 

Very nice piece!

[ACfixer]

Thanks folks, yeah I was kind of leaning the same way. I can probably keep the box from getting any worse... and if I was to repair it, I can never really un-repair it right? And for some reason I agree fixing the bottom would be okay, but the logo'd part, leave it be.

As is always the issue with stuff like this, shoot it? I don't have many guns I don't shoot, but I don't usually buy old guns that haven't been shot. I usually lean towards classics that are in A- condition so no guilt in enjoying it. I paid $1,400 for it so I mean it's not like if I shoot it I lose a thousand bucks or anything... I need to look it over a bit close tomorrow in some good light.

[TripleGGG]

5 hours ago, KahrMan said:

Do not repair the box unless it is just falling apart.  If the gun is as flawless as you say then keep the box the way it is.  It will matter to a Colt collector.  They would much rather have an unmolested torn box than a taped up one.

 

Nice commander!

This x2. Very nice. Congrats! 

Edited December 12, 2020 by TripleGGG

[Grayfox54]

3 hours ago, ACfixer said:

As is always the issue with stuff like this, shoot it?

Hell Yeah! Shoot it! As long as you take good care of it, you won't hurt it any. 

[Pickaroon]

I agree with KahrMan - don’t tape it. And while I’m not a collector with safe queens I wouldn’t shoot that one.

[tnhawk]

I said many times I would never have a safe queen but now have an M1A and M9 that reside in the safe. Not sure how much longer however!

[ACfixer]

I have a couple safe queens, but not many. I mean I have several I wouldn't toss in the side by side on a dusty Arizona fire road, I have guns that are tools for that. But even guns I own that are pristine I generally take out and shoot from time to time, we just treat them with the respect that a vintage collectable firearm deserves.