1979 Colt Government Mk IV

45 Ralph

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Found this beauty in my LGS. Part of an estate sale. The gentleman that owned it used it at Camp Perry every year. Until he couldn't anymore. This is what I was told. It has a rare Swenson thumb safety I was told. I'm interested. But the price I feel is a bit steep, $1000. Very nice trigger. Feels like a 3 pound maybe a tad lighter.20200602_170326.jpg
 
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41 Charlie

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That's certainly an acceptable price in my neighborhood. But... it never hurts to put the "would ya take" on them! Also, ask if you can have a peek under the Pachmeyer style wrap around grips. Good luck, she looks like a fine pre-80 series.
 

45 Ralph

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Good idea. Thanks. Other than rust what should I be looking for under the grips? The slide has a tad play but its decent. The only thing that makes me wonder,are the role marks on the slide. They read "Colt's". And I always thought that was on WWI guns. So I think this slide may not be original to the frame. The bluing is different also.
 

41 Charlie

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Good idea. Thanks. Other than rust what should I be looking for under the grips? The slide has a tad play but its decent. The only thing that makes me wonder,are the role marks on the slide. They read "Colt's". And I always thought that was on WWI guns. So I think this slide may not be original to the frame. The bluing is different also.

I'd only remove the grips to inspect for rust. There are lots of pre-80 series Pony's with "Colt's" roll marks. He's a picture of my 1970 National Match. However, I wouldn't anticipate too much deviation in the bluing between the frame & slide.


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joepistol

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" I feel is a bit steep, $1000.".. I agree, that is a little steep for a well used 1911,
BUT... it is a series 70, has different (than oem) trigger, sights, ext. mag release & safety, beaver tail grip safety,(how well is it fit to the frame ?)
plus trigger work.. maybe more ? If those are mods you like, they'd bump up the price..they are desirable upgrades.

I'd look @ the barrel fit,.. any play @ the hood when pistol is locked up ? How snug (or loose) is the barrel bushing ?
How does the bore, & the locking lugs look ? I'd expect everything to be tight for $ 1K...but I am a COB.
I'd offer 'em $ 850.
 

45 Ralph

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Has a little slight play. But not bad. The trigger breaks like glass. Feels like a 3 pound competition trigger. I offered $825 he said $900.
 

joepistol

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Years ago, I wanted a Commander sized 1911, to compare it to my Govt. sized pistols.
Put an ad on a gun website (Mi.Gun Owners ) in their "wanted to buy" forum.
Got a nice used Colt Combat Commander in SS (what I wanted) for a very decent price..but had to drive 1/2 way across the state to buy it.
(The seller actually met me about 1/2 way ). Not sure but I suspect it had some trigger work done, as it has a very nice trigger
I'd guess around 3#.. & it's one of the few 1911's I've owned that hasn't had trigger work done (by me or gunsmitth)

What I found was that I could shoot it as accurately as any of my 5" 1911's
 

45 Ralph

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I agree. I shoot my 4.25 Commander just as good or bad as a regular 5 inch 1911. Its just a tad snappier. But that's expected.
 

PJP

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Nice pistol but at that price you are close to a New Colt Gold Cup.
The concern for me is somebody monkeyed around inside the gun and unless you have proof of the gunsmith and his credentials it is a crapshoot.
As a side note my experience with NIB recently produced Colt 1911's is they are some of the best quality in a long time!!
 

Matthew Thomas

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Buy it. It looks fantastic. That's a fair price. Just grab it. Looks like it has soul. It will cost more later when you wished you would have bought it.
 

Murphy

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The gun was heavily modified for obvious shooters preference. Possibly nice up grades but the work looks a little amateurish the grip safety, which requires modification of the frame wasn't nicely done. Mag release, thumb safety, trigger, the hammer and sights. Likely the bushing and internals too. Not bad just changed out. No collector value but at a shooter price that's ok. The rear sight was dovetailed for a BoMar sight. There are fixed replacements. The front is staked in. Hard to change out if needed. It's about an $800-900 gun in my opinion. I like old Colts and prefer the Gov't model. The Gold Cup doesn't handle hard ball well. Wadcutter are hard to find. It could set up for wadcutter ammo with a 14# recoil spring. I'd use a 17# for ball. Bullseye requires a 3 1/2# trigger for wadcutter, 4# for ball. Or that was the call of the day. I shot it for 25 years, 1972-1996. Good luck with it.
 

45 Ralph

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Nice pistol but at that price you are close to a New Colt Gold Cup.
The concern for me is somebody monkeyed around inside the gun and unless you have proof of the gunsmith and his credentials it is a crapshoot.
As a side note my experience with NIB recently produced Colt 1911's is they are some of the best quality in a long time!!
The deal never happened. He didn't want to come down and I didn't want to meet his price. It's okay it happens. Thinking about getting one of them Nighthawk tricked out Colt.
 
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