[lugerholsterrepair]

Jim, Earth calling Jim! Come home, we miss you! The economy of the World is constantly changing and if you haven't heard , everything of value is expensive. If Colt were to provide this service for free every idiot on the Planet would pester them incessantly asking about the most mundane pistols.
A charge filters out those who are serious from those who are curious. I would emagine that an official Colt letter would add at least the cost of the letter to the value of an expensive historic Colt. Not necessarily so to the often mundane pistol.
I think Colt has a perfect right..nay.. a responsibility to charge whatever the market will bear for this service if nothing else to support it's continued existance.
To maintain these historical records in storage and hire a researcher costs money. When did you last perform a public service for free? Jerry Burney