Colt Custom Shop - good idea?

[TBM]

I have to send my Gold Cup Trophy into Colt for some warranty work (finish problems, mainly), and I was thinking about having the Custom Shop do some work while the gun was there. Is that a good idea? Was planning to have them do a trigger job to get the pull down from over 5 lbs. to 3.5 as they advertise in their price list. Also figured I might have a dovetail front sight installed (the stake-on sight is loose anyway), do the high grip cut, and maybe have the front strap serrated like the old Gold Cups. What do you think - do they do good work?

[dakota1911]

They have in the past. Save the papers as it may be important to say that they did the work.

[TBM]

That's really why I was consider them in the first place - to be able to say all work done on the Colt was by Colt. Just wanted to make sure there wasn't some reason to stay away from them.

Thanks!

[azreloader]

If you need a COLT Service reccomendation, just check out my thread. Read the Before and then look at the after!
http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=37716

[zenner22]

While you hear complaints about Colt's out of the box product from time to time I don't believe I've ever heard anything but high praise from anyone who has sent their pistol in for custom work.

[TBM]

The gun's on it's way to them. We'll see how it works out...

Thanks!

[tailgunner]

TBM,

You'll be pleased! I sent my ORM 1991A1 in recently for some action work and they did a wonderful job, so much so that I just sent my XSE in for a trigger job as well.

[allstop]

TBM,

You'll be pleased! I sent my ORM 1991A1 in recently for some action work and they did a wonderful job, so much so that I just sent my XSE in for a trigger job as well.

Hi tailgunner. This is interesting, because I just hacked together a goofy trigger pull measuring thingy today to get a rough estimate of the trigger pull on my commander XSE before I send it back to Colt to have the ejector replaced (rear post sheared after 500 rounds). I'm assuming you're having them bring it down to 3 or 3.5 lbs? Mine stock from the factory is at the very most 4lbs. I was surprised.

[tailgunner]

I didn't really think much about the trigger pull on the XSE until I got the 1991A1 back. I felt that it could use a little work so I sent it in. Once I felt the improvement, I decided to treat the XSE to a 3.5# trigger job. My XSE is the older style so I asked for ambi safeties as well. I'll post pics when I get it back (should be in the next week or so...)

[allstop]

I didn't really think much about the trigger pull on the XSE until I got the 1991A1 back. I felt that it could use a little work so I sent it in. Once I felt the improvement, I decided to treat the XSE to a 3.5# trigger job. My XSE is the older style so I asked for ambi safeties as well. I'll post pics when I get it back (should be in the next week or so...)

I may be finally sending mine off tomorrow, and one thing I was going to ask them to do is put on a standard extended safety and drop the ambidextrous. If I may ask, why do you prefer the ambidextrous?

[Joni Lynn]

Now all the anxiety of the wait will begin.
I think you'll be quite pleased with it when it comes back to you.

[allstop]

Now all the anxiety of the wait will begin.
I think you'll be quite pleased with it when it comes back to you.

Hi Joni. Do you have any idea what Colt's turn around time is like? (not rhetorical.)

[tailgunner]

... If I may ask, why do you prefer the ambidextrous?

I currently don't own any 1911s with ambis and since my XSE's right grip panel is already cut out for them I thought I'd give it a try. For "shiggles" really ;)

BTW, typical turnaround time for routine work at Colt is 35 days. I sent my gun in around the middle of Sept.

[azreloader]

Hi Joni. Do you have any idea what Colt's turn around time is like? (not rhetorical.)
From the time I shipped mine till the day it returned was about 10 weeks. Yours may vary depending on what you are having done.

[Joni Lynn]

No clue, the only ones I sent back were for warranty work and they were close to a month.

[allstop]

No clue, the only ones I sent back were for warranty work and they were close to a month.

Thanks Joni, azreloader & tailgunner. Based on my life-luck up to this point, for me it would be 8 months just to replace the ejector. :D

[elijdub]

That's really why I was consider them in the first place - to be able to say all work done on the Colt was by Colt. Just wanted to make sure there wasn't some reason to stay away from them.

Thanks!
As far as re-sale value, etc., there isn't a better place to have work done on a Colt. I've only heard good things about the Custom Shop...and the pistols that have been coming out of there (both, the individual's, and their "line's" of guns...all the repro's for example) look fantasitic! I wouldn't hesitate to have them work on my Colt's (and probably will ;))!

[allstop]

Thanks Joni, azreloader & tailgunner. Based on my life-luck up to this point, for me it would be 8 months just to replace the ejector. :D

As sort of a FYI for anyone shipping to Colt, I had some issues with UPS. Only main shipping-receiving can accept a firearm (I.e. not the 'UPS Store'), and I was informed that they may ask for the box to be opened and the firearm disassembled. From what I can tell, only shotguns and rifles are required to be disassembled. Since UPS gave me the willies, I called FedEx for scheduled pick-up, and the service rep. I spoke with was just fantastic about everything. I won't attempt shipping with UPS again! :nono:

[Joni Lynn]

Excellent point. I've had a few less than pleasant experiences with trying to ship a handgun with ups and now I'll only use FedX if the choice allows.

[DuckRyder]

You will be happy.

I was and I am pretty picky...

[TBM]

Yeah, it was a good idea. Pistol got there yesterday, and I got a call from Colt this morning. Paul said he would cover the work I wanted done if I covered the shipping to them. Uhhhhh, yeah - no problem. That's gonna save me about $160, so no problem at all.

Unbelievable...never would have expected that.

[azreloader]

That's good to hear. Paul is the one who worked with me through my recent service and he was extremely helpful.

Now the hard part begins.....the wait! ;)

[daveohno]

Front strap serrations and dovetail cut sight for the cost of shipping? OK! The other stuff is just warranty, but the things mentioned here for the cost of shipping is a deal.

[BLine]

I had same problem with UPS out of Ft.Worth,Fed Ex took it no problems.

[LUVMYCCO]

Carol from colt just called to say my SCG will be delivered today by 3pm. They started work on the 16th, so that is 7 days from the start of work to delivery back to me. I'm very impressed with colt's customer service.

[tailgunner]

Well I got my XSE back today and I absolutely love it; as expected the factory did a wonderful job on it. My XSE is one of the older incarnations with the standard 3 dot sights (which I prefer). I had the stock safety replaced with extended ambis, got the trigger job done and had nickel medallions installed in the stock grip panels (which were already cut for ambis):

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/5666/project2kf5.jpg

I can't wait to try it out at the range!

[daveohno]

Tailgunner, That's very nice!

[DuckRyder]

Oh, hey, well since we are showing pistols off...

http://home.att.net/~duckryder/O1080XSECustomW.jpg
;)

[Joni Lynn]

That's pretty sharp! Good looking Colt.

[TBM]

My GCT is on its way back home - should be here tomorrow! Can't wait...

I called yesterday just to check, and the nice lady on the phone said something to the effect that "I can't believe they told you it would be done in 35 working days - there's no way that can happen." Needless to say I was bummed...then, not 5 minutes later she calls and says it's done and will shipped out today. She made a mistake, but I like the result!

I'll try to get some pics when I get it back...

[TBM]

Much better!

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff123/tbm_pistola/colt9.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff123/tbm_pistola/colt8.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff123/tbm_pistola/colt7.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff123/tbm_pistola/colt6.jpg

Wish I could take better pics, but without the sun to help light things, I'm not much of a photographer.

Very happy with the results. I added the grips and Wilson drop-in beavertail grip safety. The high radius cut and the beavertail make this thing handle great. The trigger breaks at 3 lbs. 6 oz. with no overtravel (a little take-up, but nothing to complain about). Can't wait to shoot it!

Colt sure treated me right on this deal...

[daveohno]

Look like it turned out great! Let us know how she acts at the range.

[DGW]

Nice looking Colt! I wish it was easier to send mine from Canada to them but then on the other hand I have a lot of Colts so I would probably spend a small fortune getting them all smithed! She looks great!

[allstop]

I may be finally sending mine off tomorrow, and one thing I was going to ask them to do is put on a standard extended safety and drop the ambidextrous. If I may ask, why do you prefer the ambidextrous?

My XSE combat commander just got back from the hospital in Hartford, CT about 20 minutes ago. They were only about a week over their estimated 30 days. The "refinish" (stainless) isn't 100% perfect, and I guess I'm a bit of a perfectionist, but I'm very very happy with it. They replaced the ambidextrous safety, at my request, with a standard safety (the same part number that is on my Gold Cup Trophy).

Work summary includes: polished the feed ramp and throat, replaced the busted ejector, refinished frame and slide, replace the ambi safety with a standard safety, checked sights, and sent along a test fired target from 15 yards using 185gr Winchester. This work was at no charge.

It came back dirty, but, as I understand it, that isn't unusual. A friend commented that they were his kind of people.

I shipped it FedEx, and it came back FedEx. It's funny, the same guy that picked it up brought it back, and he remembered exactly what it is. :)

I'll send some lead downrange this weekend, and maybe post a pic once it's cleaned up. If you've seen one XSE, you've seen 'em all, but it's a Colt! :D