118: How Factory Letters Work: Behind the Scenes at the Colt Archives | No Lowballers #podcast

This week on the No Lowballers podcast, Logan Metesh of High Caliber History and Allen Forkner with GunBroker sit down with Paul Szymaszek of the Colt Archives for a deep dive into one of the most fascinating—and misunderstood—parts of the firearms collector world: the factory letter. Paul walks us through the origin of the Colt records, how the archives operate today, what a letter can (and can’t) tell you, and why those handwritten ledgers from the 1800s still matter so much in 2025.

The trio digs into everything from rare shipping destinations to the truth behind Wild West provenance, why “not listed” grips aren’t a mystery, and how factory letters help authenticate, restore, or debunk collector pieces. You’ll hear stories about guns shipped to Medellin, Mexico’s police forces, unusual engraving finds, and how a missing inscription led to one of Paul’s favorite personal discoveries.

This episode is a perfect blend of collector geekery, firearms history, and practical insight for anyone who’s ever considered getting a Colt letter—or wondered why their 1911 shipped to the “Commanding General” doesn’t mean what they think it means.

Show Highlights
The origins of Colt records dating back to December 1860 and why their survival is remarkable
What factory letters actually document: caliber, finish, barrel length, grips, shipping destination, special features and engravings
Why “rare” isn’t always about quantity—it’s often about where a gun shipped
The truth behind Wild West obsession: Texas, Arizona Territory, Indian Territory, Oklahoma Territory and more
How factory letters can dramatically increase (or decrease) collector value
Why grips often read “not listed” and how to determine what’s correct for a gun
Paul’s example of a Colt shipped to Medellin, Colombia with original checkered walnut grips
Debunking family lore, mythmaking, and “Billy the Kid” stories
Understanding the limits of the records—especially with government-issued 1911s and 1911A1s
How Colt Archives collaborates with Colt for modern-production guns
Why the Colt online lookup and the archive letter often differ
The most common models ordered for letters (spoiler: Single Action Army rules)
Paul’s favorite ever research discovery: uncovering an obliterated inscription tied to the Chief of Police in Juarez
How wartime demand scrambled serial number order, especially for 1911A1s
Turnaround times, the expedited service option, and why handwritten ledgers from the 1800s still slow researchers down
A preview of the all-Colt Collectors Elite Auctions event, including engraved pieces by Bob Burt, Howard Dove and others
What do you think?

Have you ever ordered a factory letter for one of your firearms? What did you learn?
Do you own (or hope to own) a lettered Colt with an interesting shipping destination?
If you could have any Colt model lettered and researched, what would it be and why?
Should Logan get his wife to engrave “Thomas Logan Metesh, etc.” on a revolver?
Drop your answers in the comments—we love hearing your collector stories.

Don’t forget:

👉 If this episode inspired you to look deeper into your Colt collection, be sure to visit CollectorsEliteAuctions.com where a special premier all-Colt event is live right now—including dozens of factory-lettered pieces from a single high-end collection.

👉 Reach out to the Colt Archives to get your own factory letters started at coltarchives.com/

👉 Don’t forget to vote for the No Lowballers podcast for Podcast of the Year over at the Gundies Awards. You can vote every day until Dec. 15 and win some great prizes along the way.

And as always:
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Follow No Lowballers on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ for behind-the-scenes content, historical deep dives and weekly drops every Thursday. Find Logan at ⁠⁠High Caliber History⁠⁠ and Allen at ⁠⁠GunBroker⁠⁠.