Adios to my 1962 Colt 1911 National Match

[AlphaCoyote]

After a decades long love affair with the .45 ACP round and after amassing a collection of 1911s, I put on Gunbroker today my last .45: My beloved 1962 Pre-70 Series National Match. It was tough, but when you are culling the herd, you have to be ruthless. I needed to focus on fewer calibers. Still, it's sad to see it go. That 1911 bug was tough to shake. And letting this piece of history go will be particularly hard, since it's in such pristine condition. I wish my kids had an interest in inheriting the gem, but they don't.

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[DieselScout]

Can I be your kid?

Seriously, they don't take up that much space, and who cares if it sits in your safe unused. Just fair warning, someday you'll be walking down the road or watching TV and hate yourself for getting rid of it.

 

[AlphaCoyote]

You make an excellent point. And by that logic there should be plenty of people on GB who feel the same way, and others who kick themselves for not buying it in 2013 when they had the chance and when it cost what some plastic guns were going for at the same time and in 2023 are just going to be old plastic. Same thing with my Colt Woodsman 1st Series and High Standard Target. Steel craftsmanship of Colt firearms is never coming back.

 

[jbett98]

I was given a beautiful 1968 Pre-70 Series National Match. Shooting reduced loads wasn't much fun, I went a different route.
So instead of hiding it in the safe, I bought an Ace .22lr conversion slide, and when combined with the great target sights and trigger, it's been my practice pistol of choice lately.
Feels like a .45, looks like a .45 and the floating chamber, once polished to a high shine works great.
The only drawbacks were finding original mags that worked.
I purchased six on eBay over a couple of months time and only two worked perfectly right out of the box.
I tweaked the feed lips on another one and it feeds fairly well with the right ammo. The rest are going back on eBay to recoup some of my funds.
The Ace conversion only cost me $225.00

 

[orygun]

I, too, had a 1962 National Match. Since I was born in 62 I "had" to have it when I found it for sale. I've never paid more for a gun in my life.
But, like the OP's, it just sat there. And sat there... If I wanted to take a Safe Queen out to shoot, it was usually my 51 Colt Commercial. I have a different 1911 that I use and abuse daily. The National Match just sat there.

I decided to sell my "extra" firearms to finish my race car.

I sold it for more money than any other gun I've sold. And I know exactly what I did with that money. I couldn't be happier.

Oh, I'll never shake the 1911 Bug. I've loved them forever, owned 'em for nearly that long, and plan on having some to pass on to the grandkids when I die.

 

[aasbra]

I have a mid 60s vintage National Match I picked up about 15 or 20 years ago. I don't shoot it much, but when I do, I have a big smile on my face. I was looking for a nice 70 series Gold Cup when I found it on a table at a show. I couldn't pass it up, as even back then you didn't see very many new guns that seemed to be as high quality. Even harder to find that kind of thing today. It shoots as good as it looks, and it is a looker with that nice, deep bluing. Maybe someday I will find a nice, old Python with the royal blue finish to go along with it...