Colt Purchase?

[Rocket 6R]

I've been wanting a new 1911 for a while now. I have looked at all the manufactures and models and came down to the Colt XSE Government. I had asked my gunsmith regarding quality and reliability and he stated a fullsized Colt would best suit me. Anyway, I been checking around for this model of pistol here locally in Phoenix, AZ. and when they have them, the local shops don't have any at this time, they have been going for $899+tax (8.1%) (best price that I've seen). I have found some sales on GunsAmerica and can purchase one for $795+shipping. My question, does anyone know of any reliable internet sales merchants? What are some things I should look out for or be aware of? Meaning, I don't want to order a pistol that may be new but has handling marks or has been dropped. Also, if it's legal, I would prefer to prepay for the pistol as to avoid sales tax when I pick it up from my local FFL.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks, Rocket 6R

[harleydog]

I ordered a Gold Cup from this guy and he is a straight up shop to deal with. http://www.budsgunshop.com. He has what you are looking for priced at $764.19. He sells blue Gold Cups $827 which is the best price I found on the net. He takes payment any way you want and shipped the day the FFL arrived. Check him out.

[Rocket 6R]

Thanks for the info! I just placed an order with them for my new Colt XSE. They had my shop's FFL on file. I called my shop and they stated that they will charge me $25 for the transfer, pretty fair price. The total price which includes $34 for shipping and insurance, $764 for the pistol, 3% fee for credit card, and the FFL trans. of $25 came to a grand total of $846. This saves me $127 if I were to have ordered the pistol from my FFL directly. Wow, now I have enough money to by some spare mags from Metalform.

Thanks, Rocket 6R

[Rocket 6R]

NOW I FEEL SICK! I wanted that 01070XSE with the "novac style" sights, which is showed on Colt's website. When I just reviewed the pop-up picture of the pistol I just ordered (01070XSE) it has the 1991A1 sights on it.
Anyone know what going on with this?

I'm going now to throw up in my toilet.

Rocket 6R

[bangbang]

You just learned a lesson today. you may not want to hear that tho.

Before you get so quick to buy off the web, know what you want and ASK questions even if they seem SOP. Note that some selles use the mfg stock pics and some use their own pics eventho they are of poor quality, not focused, or lack detail. But at the least ask quesions and always confirm the type of payment and get a phone number and address where you can verify it from web address/phone searches. If you send $$, make sure its a MO and have it sent with "signature required and notification"

since you saved that 127$$, put it to the sights you want and call it good.

[Rocket 6R]

Does Colt even use the non-Novak sights on their O1070XSE model? I wonder if it is just an out of date model that they have used for the picture. I will try and call the seller on Monday and cancel the order if they are not the right sights. They are open only Mon. through Friday and if I catch them early enough perhaps they will not have processed the order. I think the seller does say that it takes 3 or more bus. days to process the order. If not I will not take possession of the pistol from my FFL and have them send back the pistol. If they try and charge me for it I will dispute it with my credit card company.

Thanks, Rocket 6R

[harleydog]

Call them Monday and talk to them. I am betting the picture is one they downloaded and are using on more than one of the guns.

[44 Man]

Well, you can do that, but you should expect to pay for the shipping to your dealer, your dealer still deserves his $25 handling fee, and of course you will have to pay for the return shipping. So it's still going to cost you $93! I'd take the pistol and change the sights if necessary. For just a little bit more you can send it out and have night sights installed on the slide. It's still a great pistol for the price. We all have to make some changes to all of them to get them the way we want. 44 Man

[Rocket 6R]

I did some further research! I went to colt's site http://www.coltsmfg.com/cmci/XSE.asp and it shows the Novak sights on their model. I then went to the media section of Colt's site and found the same picture that the seller has on his site http://www.coltsmfg.com/cmci/downloads/XSESeries_O1070XSE.jpg So, it appears that Colt has two different pictures of the same model. I have browsed the forum and can not find the model I've ordered without Novak sights, which is a good thing. The seller also matches up the specs on their site with the specs on Colt's site. However, both sites just say "white dot". It looks like I will be going through some anxiety attacks until I can reach the seller on Monday. However, it does appear, at least I hope, the seller has the same wrong photo that Colt has on there media section, therefore, I may have in fact ordered the right model.

Thanks, Rocket 6R

[Hawkmoon]

Other than the fact that you got a surprise, is there a particular reason you are fixated on the Novak-style sights? The late-model Colt 3-dot upright sights are excellent. I have them on my 1991 Compact, and my two Para Ordnance P-series pistols use identical sights. I much prefer them over the "Novak-style" sight on my Para 12.45 LDA.

[Rocket 6R]

Hawkmoon, I like them for several reasons. They have less sharp corners to snag on when drawing the pistol from my pants or to catch on my shirt. I have a CCW for my state and I plan to use the pistol. Also, if I wish to change out the sights for some sort of "night sight" then it can be easily down with the dove tail slots. I don't want to rely on a gunsmith trying to stake in the front sight.

Thanks, Rocket 6R

[Rocket 6R]

Well, I called BudsGunShop and they sold the XSE model that I have placed an order for. The pistol was sold several hours after I placed my order for it. The reason that they did not sell me the pistol is that my FFL has moved locations, about one block away, and they would no longer accept the current copy of the FFL that they have on file. They have no more of these pistols in stock. GREAT!!! They did say that they would try to hunt down another one but could not guarantee price or even if they could get it. As a side note, I had called my FFL dealer yesterday before placing the order with BudsGunShop and they said that BudsGunShop will accept their FFL even though the address had changed, NOT.

There is another shop (WOLVERINE SHOOTING SPORTS, INC.) on GunsAmerica that is selling the same pistol with the Novak sights for $795. I tried there website and it will not come up. I even tried calling them and the call will not go through.

By the way, I called Colt and they said they produce both models. One with the Novak style sights and the other like the standard 1991 sights. They did say that they are back ordered four months for these pistols. They stated that they only way to find them was to locate a distributor that has one left, which is becoming harder and harder to find.

Rocket 6R

[mike56]

I've found that the initial low prices seen at gunbroker or gunsamerica are offset when you figure another 25. for shipping (more for handguns) and most local dealers will charge 25.-35. for the paperwork transfer.
Unless it is a hard to get model that someone has, you're better off shopping around locally.
At least that has been my experience.

[Rocket 6R]

mike56, I have been on the phone non-stop calling local dealers. I actually found one for $899.95+tax (8.1%), which is the going rate for Colt XSE models when you can find them here locally. DO YOU GUYS THINK THIS IS A GOOD/FAIR DEAL? Since they have been so hard to find I think I should purchase it.

Thanks, Paul

[Hawkmoon]

There is another shop (WOLVERINE SHOOTING SPORTS, INC.) on GunsAmerica that is selling the same pistol with the Novak sights for $795. I tried there website and it will not come up. I even tried calling them and the call will not go through.
Dunno why their web site won't come up, but around here most (of the few) gun shops in the area are open on Sundays and closed on Mondays. Some leave an answering machine or an announcement, others just let the phone ring.

[mike56]

Not sure where you are, but Hoffman's in Newington, CT had one in their case on Sunday for around 950. so I'd say go ahead and grab that one.
I saw elsewhere on this forum that Colt won't be making any 1911's until the second half of the year so I would imagine they will dry up for awhile.