Euclidean

Interesting proposition late night on a Sunday.

All right so just a few days ago I switch off guns with an amigo for a long term loan, each of us keeping the other's gun for collateral. I figure why the heck not, get to try something new, save us both some money in research, plus I did it as a little bit of a favor because I'm not always a complete jackhole just most of the time.

Anyway the tradeoff was a very beat up Sig 220 I got a great deal on for a SS SA WW2 GI Milspec 1911 or whatever the heck they call it. The Sig is mine, the 1911 is his. I was interested in a 1911 later in the year, he was interested in getting a Sig, so it seemed like a natural exchange.

I've been tied up painting and doing other crap here lately, I got out to kill some paper the other day but that's been about it. I've field stripped the 1911 and cleaned the dickens out of it, that's about it. This gun has been poorly maintained but has fired "8 cases" (read 400 rounds) without incident, all of it WWB I would bet. That impresses me, because 1911s are supposed to be fussy.

But I digress. I get this late night phone call and he sounds like we're 18 again. "Dude, this gun is frikkin' AWESOME."

Well yeah it's pretty good, it's a Sig 220, doesn't really get any better.

Anyway he's sold, and he offered to buy it. I was honest with him, I told him I originally put it on layaway when I was 100% convinced the .45 ACP XD would never come to exist and I hadn't really done much with it other than plink, but I did like it and wasn't sure if I was ready to part with it.

His offer is a sort of trade + money: He'll send me his four extra magazines (I asked, they're Wilson 47Ds), $200, and I keep his gun, which still has the original accessories/papers.

I told him I thought he was actually losing too much money on the deal, and he reminded me he still owes me 20 bucks from about 6 years ago, plus he's right that even though those magazines cost about $26 new, used they're worth maybe $10-$15 at best on Ebay or something. I also tried to tell him he could probably get $300-$350 for his 1911 + the mags for it, these things sell for about $500 new.

I flipped through the CDNN catalog and pointed out he can get a 226 in all sorts of finishes and two or three different calibers and conditions for what would probably be under $450 in a lot of cases, but he's adamant about wanting a .45 ACP. He's a border patrol agent, so I can respect that he'd want to hedge his bets as much as possible.

I made him a deal I'd go research the approximate value of a beat up Sig 220, and I'd go shoot his gun after work sometime this week to see what I think about it, and if I was keen on his piece I'd come up with a fair deal.

Now to be fair to him, where he's at guns cost $50 more than what you'd typically expect to pay in a Free State so from his POV his offer probably is fair, but I don't want to rip the guy off. And honestly if this weren't an old friend who happens to be in law enforcement, I wouldn't even consider it I'd just keep my gun and give him his back.

It's really no skin off my nose, my business .45 is the XD, the Sig I never would have bought if I'd known ahead of time the .45 ACP XD was coming down the pipes. I like the Sig but I'm not attached to it or heavily vested beyond four very intensive cleanings that seemed to have corrected a "problem" with the trigger pull. For him though it'd be a weapon for personal protection, and I hate the thought of someone I give two craps about not having what they need for personal protection especially when they're willing to make a more than fair offer.

So I may become a 1911 owner here pretty soon, but what do you all think about this?

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I am The Armed Educator.

Ti Carry

Euc, I'd do it but knock that $50 premium off that he is thinking and call it good. You said yourself you don't need it and if you knew that the XD-45 was on it's way you wouldn't of even bought it.

This is your chance to get into a 1911 and your helping a friend out too.


Ti.

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dr_cmg

Euc, I agree with Ti. Let him keep his $50 and become the proud owner of a 1911. You have some investment in it too. How much cleaning did you do on it?

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George

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe. Albert Einstein

Euclidean

No big deal dr_cmg, had a thread about it... the trigger seemed really stiff and I found what Bud White thinks was probably some grease where it shouldn't have been and I agree with his analysis because the carb cleaner/Gunscrubber whatever you wanna call it cleaned it right up. It fired and dryfired perfectly after that.

Maybe $8-$9 of cleaning supplies AT BEST and I won't hold that against him or anyone else, that'd be chicken excrement. Cleaning/maintenance/repairs comes with the territory.

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I am The Armed Educator.

rfurtkamp

In all honesty, when CPO 220s are difficult to get (and they often are), the 220 does command a value premium over the basic GI model Springfield.

Don't get me wrong - I own one of the Springfields, and it's a nice gun (not as nice as the GSR next to it, but I digress....) - but if it's not what you want in a 1911 from the get go, don't.

The sights will cost far too much to upgrade if you're not 100% happy with them, and the rest of the gun is functional but not something I'd consider on par in value.

On a good day, you can probably get $525-550 out of the Sig. You'll be lucky to get $350-375 out of that 1911.

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CLASS3NH

Euc...........RFurt is tellin ya good stuff...........KEEP the Sig, as it commands more money..............<personality change here>
Euuuuuuuuuuuuuc <Vader voice> You know you are on your way, to the Dark Side. You WILL fullfill your destiny, and keep the Sig, yet you'll find another 1911.
RFurt or I can assist you in fulfilling your.......Destiny.. as we have namy items in the cases on both sides of the Country.. <mecanical breathing>

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Bud White

Go for the swap .. Then if ya want a sig get a new one later..

Not like your gonna use the 1911 WWII as a carry Piece.. But i will tell ya i shoot good with them little sights and you might to ..

Rock and Glock

Does your "Poll" tell the answer, Euc? You have three options,and two of the three are "Keep the 1911", and the second option is pretty ambivalent in its structure (if not down right confusing - me thinks it says "Keep the Sig - it was a good price - but darn - they're easy to find"?) So....IS the 1911 IN your future? As Darth3NH says, "Euuuuuuuuuuuuuc <Vader voice> You know you are on your way, to the Dark Side."

Darn - I don't even have a 1911! And here I am gettin' excited for ya!

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Richard

NRA Life Member

"This world is not a playground where children at play are pampered by friendly nannies," Wendelin Wiedeking

OD

I'd keep the Sig.

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OD
"Slow down, you'll get a more harmonious outcome...."
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"The pistol, learn it well, carry it always ..." - Jeff Cooper

CLASS3NH

I'd keep the Sig...........cuz there's tons of 1911s out there...........the 220s sell for a lot more than the 1911 unless it's a good Colt, Kimber, or higher priced Springer...heck....you can always get a nice Norinco, AO, Springer, Kimber, colt down the pike.........Just my opinion tho.........but I see the Sigs sellin, and the 1911s not as fast as the Sigs............well in my neck of the woods that is LOl.....
BUT......you WILL pass down the Dark Side, sooner or later hehehe
Our lowest price Sig 220 is 525.00 in 90% with a spare mag......nes is about 748.00..
NEW mil spec is 660.00 about 440.00 used.
Guess it's up to you..

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Why Waltz when you can Rock-N-Roll