need help fast please,

[equinehat]

I have a motorbike for sale and had a person offer me a trade.
It is a colt ww2 vintage pistol. I was asking 1600 for my bike. I believe his colt is worth more than my bike, it came from a col. who died and his wife sold it to him, the col. had his insg. made into cufflinks, and his side cap and a box of ammo and holster comes with it. what help can you offer on this gun? many thanks.

[Ronnie Fry]

Hat,
Both the slide and frame are Colt. That's good. S/N shows mfg in about 1944. Pistol shows some good honest wear. With the other items you are being offered, I'd jump on that deal!!

r

[Gary Cain]

What Ronnie said!

[Rylan]

That is one hell of a Colt .45 rig, very nice

[Shenkursk]

absolutely - an excellent deal. Good for you!!

[stahlhelm47]

absolutely - an excellent deal. Good for you!!

Absolutely

[Alan Smith]

I would do the trade - as quickly as possible before he changes his mind. The motorbike will depreciate; the .45 pistol will appreciate - at least that is how I would look at the situation here in the U.S.

How are Canadian firearms laws re: ownership of functional pistols? Is there a ready market for such items so that they do have collector value?

I ask b/c one time I was talking with a financial planner and we discussed my gun collection. He was impressed with some of the values, but did offer the insightful observation that "those guns may end up being worth only $50 each in a gun buy-back program, if the Feds (Bill Clinton was then President) ever get their way and ban all private ownership of handguns".

I assume that you don't have a real threat of such adverse governmental action stripping you of the app. CD$1,600 value you are contemplating putting into this pistol? If so, you might want to reconsider and just realize cash for your motorbike. Otherwise, go for it and enjoy the really nice pistol rig.

[equinehat]

canada

Since joining I have moved to Arkansas and become a citizen. So there is not canada problem. I could not take the cold weather anymore. I have not updated my about me file. I will have to take a bit of time to do so. In arkansas you can do a face to face trade or sell with no paperwork if there is no dealers involved. I OKed the deal and am meeting this weekend. I would like to finalize it tomorrow night if I could. I have checked and from what I can find the gun and extras are worth around the 2400+ mark to a collector.

[Craig W.C. Brown]

If you can, track down the Col's. widow and get bio details of him from her and if possible a photo of him wearing the piece.

[equinehat]

owners info

I could not get the number of the wife, but inside the cap is a faded ink stamp I could read with ultraviolet light, it says POLING_V on the other side of the inside is ink writen V.L. P.
scrached in the leather sweat band is W/O Poling I was thinking the W/O was for warrent officer? but it came with two eagles that were made into cufflinks, I also assumed they were for a col. or did I get it wrong. any idea on how to look his name up and service? also found that the ribbon bar was for
The European-African-Middle Eastern (EAME) Campaign Medal was awarded to personnel for service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater between 7 December 1941 and 8 November 1945 under any of the following conditions:

(1) On permanent assignment.

(2) In a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 days not consecutive.

(3) In active combat against the enemy and was awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that he actually participated in combat.

b. The western boundary of EAME Theater is from the North Pole, south along the 75th meridian west longitude to the 77th parallel north latitude, then southeast through Davis Strait to the intersection of the 40th parallel north latitude and the 35th meridian west longitude, then south along the meridian to the 10th parallel north latitude, then southeast to the intersection of the Equator and the 20th meridian west longitude, then along the 20th meridian west longitude to the South Pole. The eastern boundary of the EAME Theater is from the North Pole south along the 60th meridian east longitude to its intersection with the east boundary of Iran, then south along the Iran boundary to the Gulf of Oman and the intersection of the 60th meridian east longitude, then south along the 60th meridian east longitude to the South Pole. The EAME Theater included Europe, European Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Africa, Iran, Iraq, and Turkey.

The thing I saw said that a bronze star is worn on the ribbon to indicate participation in certain campaigns. I wonder if 3 stars means participation in three of the designated campaigns?