Ruben has a Colt 1928 Navy Overstamp For Sale for $36K

[dalbert]

Ruben Mendiola in Miami, Florida has a Colt 1928 Navy Overstamp for sale with a reproduction FBI case for $36K. This is serial number 2417, so it has the desirable, early "AUT-ORD-CO" logo. It shows honest wear, and started life as an Indiana State Police gun, according to Gordon's serial number book. It was also once owned by J. Curtis Earl, and by a collector in Tempe, AZ, also according to Gordon's book. This Colt Thompson was made at about the 16% mark into the total production run of 15,000 Thompsons manufactured for Auto-Ordnance by Colt during the 1921-1922 timeframe.

 

Ruben can be contacted as listed below, if you have any further questions. I am posting this for him because I would like to open it up for discussion, he is my friend, and he does much behind the scenes to support this website. If you are looking to buy a Colt in a worry-free transaction with a very reputable dealer, here is your chance. My brother Andy took the pictures.

 

Ruben Mendiola

Class III Dealer Since 1985 | NRA Benefactor

PO Box 566300 • Miami, FL 33256-6300 • (305) 271-3436 • (866) 415-7066 Fax • ruben@dealernfa.com

Call Toll Free 866-NFA-WANT (866-632-9268), 7 Days a Week, 7am to 9pm (Eastern)

 

Thanks!

 

David Albert

dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

[ppgcowboy]

I did not see a hole in the pilot. Does this have one? There was a post looking for a 28 Navy pilot with no hole. Just curious.

[dalbert]

ppgcowboy,

 

I do not see one. Based on the detail in the photo, I'm pretty confident it does not have one.

 

David

[Normal1959]

How do we verify barrel wear? I assume that is a major consideration?

 

I have bought upwards of 13 machine guns from Ruben. All as advertised. Of course I am better informed at this point and know the questions to ask. Price is always higher than most but condition is always better than most. Almost all the time.

Eric

[dalbert]

Normal1959,

 

I'm sure Ruben could describe the barrel condition to you, but that could also be a very good excuse to take a fun flight down to Miami to check it out in person.

 

David

[Normal1959]

Could anybody please address the issue? Should i be concerned? Can i expect more than "looks pretty good" ? Pass if it's well worn?

I am not even on the board when it comes to knowing this stuff. I did buy a Colt M1918 that gauged practically new. Outside looked new. Shoots like it's new. Internals were Winchester but I didn't know to ask back then and they weren't mentioned. No matter since the price was very fair and I could not be happier. This is different. Looks well handled. Not like the M-16's or the M-60's. ...........Easy fix for the barrel on those.

Would love to see more discussion on this.

Eric

[Black River Militaria CII]

Normal1959: Call Ruben and ask him about the condition of the bore. He is direct and honest and will give you an honest appraisal. If it helps, I do all the gunsmithing on reactivations, repairs, as well as mechanical and condition assessments for many of the MGs he sells and I can vouch for him from this experience. He is very partial to high condition MGs for sale to his customers and has sufficient knowledge to know what is what.

[robbo]

Curtis Earl was notorious for swapping original Colt parts out of his guns. I wonder how much of that fine firearm is still original. Cant really tell from the pics. Just saying.

[robbo]

As an after thought, about 10 yrs back at the Western Thompson Show/Shoot in Kingman AZ someone had some Colt parts for sale wired to a piece of cardboard supposedly once owned by JCE. I always wondered how many guns those were stolen/swapped from.

[Normal1959]

Curtis Earl was notorious for swapping original Colt parts out of his guns. I wonder how much of that fine firearm is still original. Cant really tell from the pics. Just saying.

 

Exactly my point. After taxes, people want $40,000 for a gun and the major, important issues are not even addressed. Nothing about internals and nothing about the barrel. I am much more informed about NFA now and will be more discerning, after being educated. I am also willing to pay up for condition. My priorities are originality and condition. Not price.

Eric

[dalbert]

Eric,

 

Give Ruben a call if you're interested in the Colt. If you've dealt with him many times before, you know he's a reputable dealer, and he certainly doesn't buy/sell junk. Ask him about what the barrel looks like. Maybe make a quick trip to Miami to see it in person. Personally, I would want to see a gun that I'm paying that much for, but Ruben also provides the best array of photos in the business, and that can really help in a physically unseen purchase.

 

David Albert

dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

[Normal1959]

I actually praised Ruben in my first post and would not waste my time to check out his guns. As i commented, all were as described. I just need to know if my concerns are valid. Can i swap a barrel if i have to? Does it affect the value? Do the internals matter? So on and so on. These are questions i want answered here by the experts and not by a very credible salesman. I trust everything he says. My concerns are about what is not mentioned.

I am enjoying every tidbit i learn here. All very unbiased.

I also think after buying so many high end guns from him and commenting positivley, this discussion should help him.

Eric

Edited March 30, 2017 by Normal1959

[ppgcowboy]

Normal, Your concerns are all valid. Ask Ruben if the internals are all Colt, he has dealt with enough Thompsons to know I would think. He offers a guarantee, if things are not described after the form 3 is done send it back. There are a few board members that I am sure would be happy to take take a look for you that live in the area. Things to look for, Is it a two piece actuator, get a measurement of the bolt, is the wood is Colt, the pilot looks legit. The blish lock I am still learning about but is there a stamp on it? The barrel, I understand they can be shot a lot, but a bulge will devalue them a lot, although a bulged barrel can still be shot according the the English. I do not shoot FMJ in my Colt. I use plated bullets to avoid lead build up in the compensator and they are easier on the barrel. My 2 cents.

[wwiifirearms]

It is curious that I have never seen an objective measure of barrel condition on a Thompson. Guns like M1 Garands have a standard and readily available gauges that go back to the military standards. I have always suspected the reasons are; no existing military standard for wear (that I know of), no available cheap gauges, and finally it is a submachine gun so any wear or damage not clearly visible has no real impact on function or value ( it isn't a match rifle).

That being said, if I had gauges made, would people buy them?

[TD.]

Great advice about seeing it in person before purchase. This affords a great time to really inspect the barrel. First I would suggest additional pictures of the front of the butt stock to see if the anchor mark is present and of the butt plate. I would also want to know if the actuator is one or two piece. A picture of the actuator from the bottom will tell the tale. The lack of a compensator pin does give me something to think about. If 100% correct it is certainly priced right.

[RoscoeTurner]

Pays to ask specific questions about the barrel. I bought a BAR from Rubin a few years ago and you can imagine my disappointment when the throat erosion gauge almost went in up to the handle. Previous owner was a reenactor that had ruined the barrel shooting blanks in it. The inside of the muzzle had also been tapped for a blank adapter. Barrel had been described as very good to excellent.


http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/vv121/roscoeturner/100_1856_zpsshhmtbed.jpg

[dalbert]

My understanding from Ruben is that this Colt has been sold today to a board member here...

 

Thanks!

 

David

[Normal1959]

My understanding from Ruben is that this Colt has been sold today to a board member here...

 

Thanks!

 

David

 

Congrats to the new owner. I am learning more every day on this site. Personally I held off due to the information that was NOT posted.

Eric

[buzz]

Is there such a thing as a throat erosion gauge for a pistol caliber?

 

The 45acp is a moderate pressure round and it has a giant bore diameter, would it ever erode at the throat in the manner of a rifle?

 

Also, up to the point that the bore is so worn out that the bullets tumble, would the practical accuracy of the Thompson suffer any if the throat of the barrel is worn?

 

if you eyeball the 10" of bore and it looks good, you should be GTG, correct?

[buzz]

Eric,

 

It would not be a bad idea to run your purchase decisions past the some of the experts on this website if you are in the market for one.

 

Gun collecting is tricky, the values can vary quite a bit from gun to gun. Especially with these Colts.

 

I'm not one of the experts, BTW. Not even close.

[Robert Henley]

I saw it when it was first posted, and thought it looked good although I think it was missing some Colt parts. The advertisement on the boards mentioned there was no visible anchor on the stock (plus it didn't look like it matched). However, it looked like a pretty good gun. Hopefully, whoever bought it will post some more detailed pictures.

[Normal1959]

Eric,

 

It would not be a bad idea to run your purchase decisions past the some of the experts on this website if you are in the market for one.

 

Gun collecting is tricky, the values can vary quite a bit from gun to gun. Especially with these Colts.

 

I'm not one of the experts, BTW. Not even close.

 

That is exactly what I did and could not agree more. As I mentioned, I now am being a little more discerning. When something as important as barrel condition is not mentioned, it runs up a red flag. So I checked here to confirm if I should be concerned. It's a $40,000 gun, all in and if condition is omitted, in some cases, there might be a reason. In the early days I was very lucky buying these things and not knowing the questions to ask. I am still learning and so might others be. Paying up has been good to me and when you are willing to pay up for condition, you have quite a few opportunities.

Eric

[RoscoeTurner]

Is there such a thing as a throat erosion gauge for a pistol caliber?

 

The 45acp is a moderate pressure round and it has a giant bore diameter, would it ever erode at the throat in the manner of a rifle?

 

 

Never heard of an erosion gauge for a pistol.

 

My post had more to do with the advertising and asking the necessary questions before buying. A description of very good to excellent barrel condition should not gloss over the problems I found with that BAR. The barrel had to be replaced before the BAR was safe to shoot. I do not believe Ruben meant to be deceptive, I think it was more of a matter that he just didn't inspect the rifle very well. We worked it out so that we would split the cost of a NOS barrel and the price of having it installed.