Colt Defender

[tjboy]

I am looking to buy a light compact .45. What do you all think of the Colt defender model offered on Colt's web site?

[GCT00427]

The Colt Defender is a sweet carry pistol. Mine has been very reliable and is also accurate. They are light and in a proper holster are great carry guns. I do not believe that you can find a 3" 1911 that will be any better.

With kind regards,

Chuck

[cloc10]

I love the Defender. I had my eye on one fore a long time and when Ohio passed CCW law I went out and bought one. I like the way it feels and the way it performes. The only problem I had was the rear sight came loose at the range,but this was a simple fix.

[eddailey]

The Colt Defender is a sweet carry pistol. Mine has been very reliable and is also accurate. They are light and in a proper holster are great carry guns. I do not believe that you can find a 3" 1911 that will be any better.

With kind regards,

Chuck

My experience mirrors Chuck's. I did A LOT of research before buying my Defender, months worth! After two years of ownership and a lot of rounds down range, I'm still VERY satisfied that I made the right choice.

Ed

[tjboy]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm new to this forum. I just bought a new series 70 after I sold my XSE to a friend of mine. I had been carrying the XSE in my Jeep and now I need something to replace it with. The 70 is just alittle to nice and too big to keep in the car. Thanks for all the info.

[GCT00427]

I got a Glock 32 for a car gun. If it were to get stolen, not as much of a loss as they are a dime a dozen. It is a good gun, but is no Colt. You will find that the Defender will find a place in your heart and be special, mine is a definate keeper. When you get yours, you can post pictures. Mine is the old style with the ski jump sights. Here is a couple of pictures. Maybe this will get your juices pumping.

Take care,

Chuck

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v392/GCT00427/MoreGuns002Medium.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v392/GCT00427/MoreGuns004Medium.jpg

[molly1]

I am also interseted in a colt defender. I am presently looking at a used one that they are asking 675.00 for. It is about 95+ condition. Supposedly has only 150-200 rounds through it. Made in 1998-- no modifications.

Need to make a commitment tomorrow or pass on it.

Is this a decent price? Anything specific to be aware of?

What should I look for?

Thanks for a quick reply.

[stans]

Look for signs of abuse or modification such as feed ramp work. Any idea of why it was traded in after only a couple hundred rounds? I know a lot of these little cannons get traded in because of recoil, but some get traded because of reliability problems. That being said, with enough patience, and sometimes money, reliability can be achieved. These little guns do eat recoil springs in a hurry. Where you can get 1000 to 2000 shots out of a Government model before replacing the recoil spring, these compact guns will wear out the spring in 500 to about 800 rounds. As for price, $675 sounds a bit high to me, but I know prices vary from region to region.

[larry starling]

Im also in the market for a Defender! Found one of the early guns at a local dealer for 659.00 used no box and they will not dicker!!! I was kind of turned off by the guys attitude, but im really intrestead in this model! I also read some where else that new springs were avilable directly from colt for these fine little guns! :p

[paul45]

Gee, Larry!!...could you slow down?? You are on a Colt buying frenzy!!!

[cloc10]

Gee, Larry!!...could you slow down?? You are on a Colt buying frenzy!!!

He is helping the economy!!!

[larry starling]

Paul45 is my best friend, I try to buy them before he does!!!!! :p

[cloc10]

Paul45 is my best friend, I try to buy them before he does!!!!! :p


I hope you 2 leave some for me!!!

[molly1]

I purchased the one that I was looking at. I have not fired it yet, however, I noticed that one of the mags seems to stick slightly when I press the release button. The other seems to pop out.

Neither looks bent or abused.

Any suggestions?

They are both OEM mags.

Thanks

[eddailey]

I purchased the one that I was looking at. I have not fired it yet, however, I noticed that one of the mags seems to stick slightly when I press the release button. The other seems to pop out.

Neither looks bent or abused.

Any suggestions?

They are both OEM mags.

Thanks
Take that mag apart and clean it. The single best thing I did for mine was buy a couple of Tripp's CobraMags trippresearch.com (http://www.trippresearch.com/products/45acp/a7mo.htm)! The factory ones were "okay" but the Tripp mags make the gun SO MUCH smoother! I liked them so much that I bought 6 10-rounders for my 5" to compete with. Heck, I even bought them at the old price of $44ea, they're $29 now.

Ed

Ed

[molly1]

Help me to undedstand how cleaning a magazine will allow it to release from the grip easier. I do intend to clean them anyhow, however, I am curious. One will drop clear without resistance, but tghe other seems to hang up and needs to be pulled out.

Again, no bends or anything. I tried another mag friom my colt compact and it also drops clean.


Thanks for the replies.

[molly1]

can anyone shed some light on the problem I am having with the magazine? One really springs out and the other seems to hang up almost to the point that sometimes I need to pull it down.

I have not shot the gun yet but I am just curious how to approach it. I didn't really want to go out to buy another mag just yet.

thanks

[eddailey]

Help me to undedstand how cleaning a magazine will allow it to release from the grip easier. I do intend to clean them anyhow, however, I am curious. One will drop clear without resistance, but tghe other seems to hang up and needs to be pulled out.

Again, no bends or anything. I tried another mag friom my colt compact and it also drops clean.


Thanks for the replies.
Sorry, I haven't been here in a couple of days. Most factory ammo is filthy stuff so all that use it (I don't) have to clean their guns often, but they forget about the magazine. Remember the follower and top section of the tube are right up there were it's dirty, especially firing the last shot in the mag.

When you insert an empty mag into a gun with the slide closed and then press the mag release, it'll spring out a short distance. What's causing that "spring" is the follower (usually the front part) pressing against the slide. Try it with the slide open (nothing to press against) and there's no spring assist. Okay, the mag spring is at its weakest fully extended and if the mag is dirty with gritty powder residue around the follower and the top inch of the tube, it's not free to "spring assist" its removal.

Of course there is several other things that could be happening like a weak mag spring, a bad follower or a miss shaped tube but the easiest and first thing to do is simply take the mag apart and clean it. I keep a can of silicon spray on the bench to coat both the inside and outside and the follower with. NOT sticky and won't hold grit.

Good Luck,
Ed