Intrigued by Colt.

[Cary Ford]

I'm wondering why I have paid little attention to Colt since I started buying my own 1911's in 2006.

For some reason, I was under the assumption that they were not the Colt of yester-year and that quality had diminshed or changed. However, my interest was rekindled at my father's house for the holidays where I opened up his gun safe and discovered a collection of 1911's, mostly all Colt, dating all the way back to pre-war prototypes and including many GI issues from WWII, a Colt Ace, a Combat Commander that he had customized by a man named Kurt Hardcastle (sp?) and a beautiful National Match that he competed with while an officer in the 2nd Armored Division in 1965, among others.

Am I wrong to think that the Colt of today is anything less than the Colt of yesterday?

[swampthang]

I have a series 70 reissue that has a fit and finish that is superb.I never had an original 70s, but Ive seen posts where the new models are compared favorably to the originals

[Joni Lynn]

Most of the new Colt's are great guns. The Gov't models are quite well built.

[Captain America]

...Am I wrong to think that the Colt of today is anything less than the Colt of yesterday?

The Colt of today is producing some of the finest M1911A1 pistols on the
market. I have owned Colt 1911 pistols since the early 1970's. Since Colt
was the ONLY 1911 pistol you could buy. There were no others. Maybe
that explains my fierce loyalty to Colt.

You owe it to yourself to take a good look at the Colts of today.
The Series 70 repro and the WWI repro are faithful reproductions of
John Brownings pistol the way he intended it to be.

He intended for it to be a close range defensive weapon. A task it still
performs perfectly, almost 100yrs later. It was not intended to be a
target pistol or a beautiful show piece with full length guide rods,
beavertail grip safeties, and all that other stuff people hang on their
1911s.

It was intended to function reliably and to eliminate multiple hostile
targets at extreme close range as rapidly as possible. No other
pistol even comes close.

[larry starling]

Cary Ford I'm wondering why I have paid little attention to Colt since I started buying my own 1911's in 2006.
Well maybe your better informed now?
Am I wrong to think that the Colt of today is anything less than the Colt of yesterday?
Colt had some issues several years ago.But IMHO Colt is producing some of the finest guns they have made in years. All the new Colt's I have bought or have examined have been top notch. :)

[paul45]

Am I wrong to think that the Colt of today is anything less than the Colt of yesterday? To answer your question.....YES!!! Now for your pennance......buy a new Colt and then curse yourself for wrongly assuming! Remember what the first 3 words in "assumption" spell!! OK, you opened up yourself for that one! Seriously, follow your old man's lead.....

[Hunter]

Yes I will agree with my friends here. Colt is not only making some of the finest 1911s they have ever made but the finest 1911s on the market today to me.
I have Colts from 1918 to 2005 and all points in between and they are all excellent pistols.
You would be doing yourself a favor if you got yourself one and found out first hand that they are excellent 1911s.

[Cary Ford]

I just checked the Roster of Approved Handguns for the state of California and realized how limited I am in which model Colt I can acquire. My interest in a Series 70 is made moot by its exclusion from the list, for instance.

[Hawkmoon]

Unfortunately, California has their infamous "drop test" to deal with. Various manufacturers deal with that in various ways, but the logistical problem is that it isn't a blanket approval. Each individual configuration of each model to be sold in CA has to be tested, at a cost of several thousand dollars per test. I don't know which models Colt has submitted to be tested, but it's probably safe to assume that they stuck to the models with the firing pin safety as added insurance of passing the test.

That means no Series 70, but it includes the M1991 models and the XSE models. Both are fine pistols. A whole lot of folks here really like the XSEs. Personally, I prefer the classic look, with vertical cocking serrations and none on the front end of the slide, so the M1991 would be my choice. You can't really go wrong with either one.

[Cary Ford]

That means no Series 70, but it includes the M1991 models...

I really love the M1991 Stainless (Government) but I'm a bit confused about which one is available to me - the Roster of Certified Handguns for CA specifies "Series 80" however the Colt website makes no such designation for their 1991. The Roster also specifices a "Matte Stainless" whereas the Colt website does not show such a pistol (although there's a Matte Stainless 1991 for sale on Gunbroker).

Is there some "California legal" version of the M1991 that's not shown on the website?

[OD*]

The 1991s are all Series 80s, regardless of finish.

[dakota1911]

To join the choir, the present crop of 1911's from Colt are as some of the best they have ever made.

[Cary Ford]

The 1991s are all Series 80s, regardless of finish.

Great. Thanks to everyone for chiming in.

[191145]

The Colt of today is producing some of the finest M1911A1 pistols on the
market. I have owned Colt 1911 pistols since the early 1970's. Since Colt
was the ONLY 1911 pistol you could buy. There were no others. Maybe
that explains my fierce loyalty to Colt.

You owe it to yourself to take a good look at the Colts of today.
The Series 70 repro and the WWI repro are faithful reproductions of
John Brownings pistol the way he intended it to be.

He intended for it to be a close range defensive weapon. A task it still
performs perfectly, almost 100yrs later. It was not intended to be a
target pistol or a beautiful show piece with full length guide rods,
beavertail grip safeties, and all that other stuff people hang on their
1911s.

It was intended to function reliably and to eliminate multiple hostile
targets at extreme close range as rapidly as possible. No other
pistol even comes close.

Yeah, brother!!!!

[John]

M1991s are Series 80 pistols.