I hear from shooters that Colts are crap!!??

[thomasanelson]

I purchase a 1991-A1 a few years back at around the time that Colt was supposedly not selling to the public. I heard from several people (gun store owners and clerks, fellow shooters, 1911 types) that the "new" colts were "Crap" and I should get a "Loaded Springfield". I realize that the SA Loaded is a "better" gun, but are the negative references to Colt 1911s based in reality or does it have other reasons???/

[Moose63845]

I heard the same stuff about Colt back when the 1991's came out. But it was only in reference to the 1991's, there was a lot of talk that they broke quick and were just shoddy firearms. I don't know if any of it was/is true or not, but I haven't heard anything about it since then.

[Sabre]

Ya, Colt's are "crap", and all Kimber pistols break at least once per magazine, too. (They are MIM, ya know... :rolleyes: )

[Joni Lynn]

Most of the Colt's I own are fine guns. The series 80 Gold Cup I bought new in the box, was a perfect example of very poor quality control. I finally had it completely worked over and it's now one of the finest guns I own. Most of the internal parts were good enough quality that they were not replaced. Everyone can make a lemon now and then. I've seen them from other makers as well, but I still buy those brands as well.

[thomasanelson]

OK "Sabre" so you think Colt's are getting a bad wrap, so what does MIM mean???

[larry starling]

Quote:that the "new" colts were "Crap" and I should get a "Loaded Springfield". I realize that the SA Loaded is a "better" gun,

First of all let me say this! It appears your mind is all ready made up that colts are junk! In my dealings springfields are not beter than colts!My friend and I just recently sold SS springfield loadeds one NIB and the other had a few hundred rounds through it!We had a very hard time selling them! we got $500 for one and $550 for the other one! Not proud to say this but both sold for a loss!!!! If you think colts are junk don't buy any that will leave more for me and the rest of the colt junkies out there!!!! :mad:

[thomasanelson]

You got my message all wrong. I love my Colt and I bought it after I had heard several of these comments. My reference to the SA is only that the loaded gives you lots of bells and whistles that one might choose to add to a standard 1911. I would buy more Colt's, but my question was whether or not there is any "truth" to the negative comments.

[shield20]

MIM means the parts are made from metal injection molding instead of forged/milled etc.

I HAD a brand new Kimber last year that sucked - the extractor(s) did not work 2 or 3 times every 1 or 2 mags. Don't know about SA, but since they are made in Brazil I am glad I didn't buy one. My S&W has been perfect so far - maybe 500 rounds or so.

My new Colt is an XSE Commander and a great piece, although I only shot 50 rounds so far - dead on aim-wise and no problems. Has all the extras I need right out of the box.

I think the rumours of them being crap are greatly exagerated.

[paul45]

The gun store commando's say that to sell more SA's and Kimbers,so as to acheive Master status. I now consider gun store warrior's no better than shady used car sales men.Sorry if I insult the honest few.Also I much prefer to not have unnecessary "bells and whistles". I also dont want to buy Brazilian products anymore.....Whew, I feel better for ranting....

[mitchjoe]

thomasanelson:

This could turn in to a very lengthy thread. Realistically, any mass produced product stands a shot at encountering less than ideal quality during its lifetime, including 1911's.

I've been involved in one way or another with 1911's for over 30-years and the old adage "anybody can make a lemon" still rings true. Just like "X" brand car; the person who buys one example, has problems, and swears off the brand is short-sighted, ditto for the 1911.

I've seen far more good pistols than bad from most manufacturers. That being said, I don't think there are any bad "era's" of manufacture (except maybe wartime...depending on whether your winning or losing :D), just bad examples.

mitchjoe

[SAWBONES]

That's just dumb.
Colt 1911s probably have the best metallurgy, certainly of the small parts, and maybe of slides and frames, too, of any major maker out there.

Colt's QC as to assembly and fitting is certainly inconsistent, granted, and their customer service is not the best, but their parts quality is generally quite good, excluding their silly plastic MSHs, of course.

[Gary W. White]

I just won (per auction) a Special Combat Government for a pretty decent price. Excluding the checkering on the front strap (which I will do) it looks like the gun comes pretty well equipped. I will check the internals and make any changes necessary and do any tune ups but I am really proud to finally own a Colt 1911!! I have a SIG GSR that shoots great and is really well made since it is made from Caspian, EGW, Wolff and Kart parts and has never caused me a lick of trouble. I have messed with it a little and had to change the plunger that stuck a little and smooth up the trigger a little to get the Series 80 parts to disengage properly. The one thing I wanted to comment on is that pride of ownership is something that you just can't put your finger on and that is something you have with a Colt!!

Good Shooting!!
Gary

[XavierBreath]

Colt's bankruptcy and subsequent exit from the business world has been greatly exaggerated in many gunstores that sell Kimbers and Springfields.

Ford dealers say Chevys are crap. Pepsi says Coke is crap. Microsoft said Netscape was crap. They don't care if you get a good pistol. They only care whether you get a pistol from them. Don't believe what you hear in gunstores about merchandise they don't have on the shelf. A salesman sells what he's got.

The choice between Springfield and Colt is a personal one. Both are good guns.

[GFW]

I am the departmental armorer for a large agency here in Texas. My staff and I have seen problems with virtually every type weapon. You name it, Sig,Glock,Beretta, Smith and Wesson, Remiington,etc. They all make good products. And they all make a lemon. That' life. Is Colt crap? No way Jose. I personally purchased a 1991 Commander 9 years ago for test purposes. The only thing that was ever done to it was to lube it and clean it after every 500 rounds. We put 5,000 rounds through it. Commercial rounds too; Winchester,Remington, Federal, Blazer,etc. FMJs,semi-wadcutters,and hollowpoints. We even shot commercial reloads through it. After 5,000 rounds ( all documented I might add ) we had exactly 2 malfunctions! Most dealers want to sell what they have. Therefore Kimbers are great because I'm a Kimber dealer. Or Smiths'. Or Springfield. Consider the source. Try it yourself. Just my two cents.

[rudie8125]

Haha.

I still haven't bought my first 1911, but I went to a store the other day and mentioned buying a colt. The guy behind the counter looked like I had just kicked him in the testicles. He went on and on about how hard it is to find a Colt, to get in touch with customer service, etc. A little later he showed me some custom Kimber he was so proud to have in his case. (He got two of God knows how few they made, because he's a MASTER kimber dealer.) I guess I should have put two and two together.

I guess whether he's a car salesman, gun salesman or army recruiter, they're all just salesmen after all.

[Sabre]

Haha.

...I went to a store the other day and mentioned buying a colt. The guy behind the counter looked like I had just kicked him in the testicles. He went on and on about how hard it is to find a Colt...

The place where I work here in mid-Michigan has had four NIB 1991 Government Models come through in the last six months. Two of which are still there, one of which is now mine. We also had one used ORM '91 and a used Commander during that time. I find it hard to believe that they are as rare as people indicate. Not as easy to find as a Kimber, probably, but not rare.

all of the Government Models we have seen are very good in the fit and finish department. All yours for $629 + tax ( + $25 shipping to your FFL)

[cloc10]

I have had many different hand guns over the past few years , I sold my SWs, Kimbers and Springfields, but I kept each and every Colt ! I have had a few problems with The Colts but in time one would find that there can be a problem with any gun. Most of the problems were a simple fix , and because I have a conscious, I will not sell a gun with a problem to someone else before it is fixed. There will always be people who BASH Colt and spread rumors. It usually makes for good forums! As far as the used gun salesmans.I am starting to not like going to my local gun stores.As I respect most of there opinions it seems they try to sell me everything but a Colt. When I ask for a Colt, I get the overpriced ,overrated speech. To each his own,and go with what you know.

IN COLT I TRUST!

[Zip06]

Anytime you hear someone make a generalization like, "All.... are..." you know you have located the village idiot.

[Hersh]

Most dealers want to sell what they have. Therefore Kimbers are great because I'm a Kimber dealer. Or Smiths'. Or Springfield. Consider the source. Try it yourself. Just my two cents.

Gfw,

My last few gunshop trips echo your thoughts exactly.

The first shop, where I found my Commander, has "Master Kimber" signs everywhere, but he was pushing me towards a Para. The second shop has more Springfield signs than Kelloggs has cornflakes, but didn't have a single Springer in the place, had nothing good to say about them and then tried to talk me into a Kimber !

'Talk about "shifting alliances !"

Hersh

[larry starling]

I tend to agree! Almost every where I go there are kimbers! I have even noticed that the smallest gun store / pawn shops seem to offer kimbers! My friend and I try to make it a habit to visit gun shops during the week when we are at work! The thing that stands out is there are colts available, but the rip off store push kimbers because there easier to get and I would almost bet they make a better profit off them! I own a few so i'm not full of kimber hate, but in the future all my gun buys will be colts! :eek:

[John]

Colt's bankruptcy and subsequent exit from the business world

Is this something recent? I mean Colt going bankrupt, because this is the fourth time I hear that in the last few days but I can't verify it from anywhere.

If you have some information, please let us know.

[larry starling]

John colt isn't bankrupt, It's the usual dribble from the gun shop commando's and uninformed! I can't count how many time's i've been in store's and have been told colt is out of buisness or bankrupt! The other lie is colt isn't selling to civilians any more, More lies, :cool: between my friend and I we have bought well over 10 new colts in the last few years....also most of the major distributors are showing colts in stock!

[blackhawkkid223]

i own a govt issue colt a-1, a mk4 series 70 colt, a tac ultra kimber, a team match kimber, a safari arms enforcer, a colt govt upper with us springfield[original] lower built by robert coogan for ipsc, a llama built in 1936 with 2 slides and barrels to do multible calibers like the astra 400, and a llama mini 1911 in 380. all funtion like they are supposed to and all have their problems here and there just like any mass produced item. i wouldn't get rid of any of them. they are all great pistols even down to the older llamas i own. the new llamas can be great pistols with a little tuning. guess i'm just a 1911 style pistol nut
blackhawkkid223

[XavierBreath]

Is this something recent? I mean Colt going bankrupt, because this is the fourth time...............
Sorry John, I forget that I am on a more international forum now. The statement is a sarcastic take on one of our greatest writer's statements. Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) once quipped "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."

Those of us in the States who love Colts are often told either Colt is out of business or Colt only sells to the military by gun store workers right before they try to steer us to a Kimber or a Springfield. It's a tactic that many of us Colt afficianados see at every gunstore, and it often produces comments like mine among us. The experience is so universal that we often forget to use the :rolleyes: smilie. With the sudden influx of Stateside Colt afficianados to your forum, expect it to occur a few more times.

Of course since Colt is "out of business" if you come in to sell a Colt, you can no longer get parts for it and it is therefore worthless. You will be offered maybe 10% of what the gun is worth just to see if you are a sucker.

If they have a Colt to sell (used, of course,) Colt's "bankruptcy" has now driven prices on Colts to the stratosphere, as no more are going to be made and they are the Van Gogh of the gun world.

In fact I have seen the prices make these volatile swings within minutes, between buying and selling. :rolleyes:

Among Colt guys in the States it has gotten to be so blatant and comical that we use the rumor sarcastically as a substitute for "this man lies", or "This man takes advantage of customers." Rest assured that Colt is doing well, and producing the finest 1911 on the planet. If they go out of business, it will be news bigger than Gunstore Commando rumor.

[Gary W. White]

My impression is that Colt's continue to compete in the firearms arena with excellent quality handguns "generally". They do not advertise and apparently that is some of the reasons we hear all this balderdash about bankruptcy and such. Obviously they have a hugh military following and are doing quite well on that side. We have to understand that the military is Colt's roots. Firearms were developed for the military by Sam Colt and we as civilians have been lucky enough to be able to own some of these fine firearms (especially the 1911). Colt's offers a Lifetime Service Agreement on their firearms unlike a lot of companies. I own a Special Combat Government model and some other 1911's. My $.02 cents IMHO!

Good Shooting!
Gary

[grnzbra]

...which was supposed to be their effort to produce an IPSC gun. That gun would take any ammo I put into it and jam at least twice for each magazine load. I think I paid an extra $100 or so above a straight Govt Model and then I spent $124 at a custom smith to get fixed. But since then, the only time it has choked is when there was something wrong with one of my reloads. Feed all factory stuff fine.

[horse 91-A1]

Several years ago a dealer had several Kimbers and one Colt. Handled them side-by-side and this particular Colt had more features than the Kimber and for all practical purposes were in the same price range. You should have seen the dealer's face when i opted for the Colt. I'm very happy with the Colt; I mismatch magazines and bullets and everything shoots well except for Hornady 200 JHP's; I just can't find the right seating depth. 200 Speer HP's shoot w/o incident as does the ball. This Colt is put together fine w/o problems. I've purposely kept it dirty for the last several months with no prolbems and I do heat it up on the range.

Bob :)

[Sabre]

I didn't think to mention earlier: I have a Colt NRM Government Model that I bought about a month and a half or so ago. No issues at all. I only have about 250 rounds through it so far but there appear to be no problems with function. I like it. It has replaced my Kimber Pro Carry II as my carry pistol.

[LFN]

Colt's offers a Lifetime Service Agreement on their firearms unlike a lot of companies.
Gary

Unfortunatly the service agreement is only good if you like the gun the way it comes from the factory. the warranty is void if you alter the gun. I found this out the hard way monday when a call to colt revealed they were not going to fix my cracked frame :( , I have not recieved the official letter yet but the lady I talked to read from their notes "Gun altered outside of factory" Yep I had a different set of sights installed, :confused: what that has to do with a defect in the frame that caused it to crack is beyond me but it does give them the excuse to brush it under the carpet.
I am not trying to bash the colt product as I was very happy with my gun until I discovered the crack, but I think the service dept is hiding behind a loophole to avoid the costly replacement of the frame no matter how justified the claim is. I'm bummed, my finest firearm has just been rendered permanently defective. It took me 7 yrs to come up with the money to buy this Colt and replacing it is out of the question, did I mention I was bummed.

[thomasanelson]

That is very unfortunate news. If you cannot alter anything on your gun, the warranty is not worth much. Imagine a car manufacturer not honoring the engine warranty because you changed the stereo system. If I were you I would take the issue to a higher level at Colt. Call and write letters to the President, clearly explaining the situation, and maybe you will get results. I wonder how the other 1911 manufacturers deal with similar situations?

[LFN]

Update,
I got my gold cup back today, the letter that came with it says nothing about why my gun was not fixed. It says the crack is not a safty problem and the gun is safe to shoot as is. However if the crack gets larger or other problems develope don't hesitate to return it immediately for evaluation.

rereading my warranty card the language does say colt will repair any unservicable part, so maybe what they are saying is that as long as the gun functions and is safe they don't have to repair it. Well the crack has been getting bigger and its not going to get better on its own, guess I'll try again when the dust cover is near departing the frame.

No mention was made about the gun being altered, makes you wonder why that was one of the main things available to the lady I talked to on the phone. one good thing I didn't have to pay the return shipping. Maybe I'll be getting a bill.

[John]

LFN, give us some more details on this, preferably on a different thread, in the Colt section. Pictures of the crack?

You might put some pressure on them, by using the fact that the problem is reported here.

Rgds

[Colt4evr]

Having just found this form, and registered, I have to chime in my .02 about "Colt's being junk". Having just returned from Gunsite using a Colt Gunsite Pistol, and a Colt Commander series 80, I can firmly state that it was the Kimbers and not the Colt's that broke down. touching off 1700 rounds in 5 days shows what's works and what is lacking.

[shield20]

Colt4 -

Great report! It is good to hear the Colts are doing well.

I wonder how many of those Kimbers were new and not 'broken in" yet, and how many were just broken.
(I traded my Pro carry II for a XSE).

[Zip06]

Colt4ever - You make a good point. Several years ago I took a course offered by Mas Ayoob and we were shooting quite a bit of ammo but not as much as you did at Gunsite. Anyway Glocks, H&K's, and 1911's all had examples of malfunction but to be fair other examples ran just fine.

Earlier this month I took another class and we were shooting carbines mostly AR's of one sort or another and a single Ruger Mini-30. Several people (more than one) took their brand new AR's out of the box for the first time, loaded them up with reloads and began the class. Malfunctions galore. The Ruger was less inspiring. Lots of accessories on these weapons which added little.

My point is this, sometimes its the firearm, sometimes its the operator and sometimes the firearm runs great inspite of it all.

Well maintained quality firearms do much better than poorly maintained ones do. Proficient operators do better than inexperienced/poorly trained/careless ones do.

Glad your Colts ran fine.

[Bathcat]

I've got to say that my Colt Gunsite is one of the most satisfying purchases I've ever made. A really good performing, very reliable gun. I would say that the vast majority of guns that sell for a reasonable amount ($500 to $700 I guess is reasonable today) aren't going to be satisfactory without some pain and suffering, whether that is buying a trigger job, or just breaking it in (fighting through an early period of malfunctions) or personally stoning off some of the sharp edges, etc. I think that some of the plastic pistols may have an edge in that "introductory" price range. If I'm staring at my glock 36 and noticing how it stacks up against a custom commander right out of the box (rounded surfaces, reliable, good magazines, mushy but usable trigger, almost completely rustproof, polygon rifling that doesn't lead), well the Glock is a lot more product for the money than its competition....may also be true of Ruger and others I'm unfamiliar with. I think people like Colts for two reasons. One is that with a minimal amount of money, you can get pretty much a perfect trigger and sights (half the battle, right?), and all the reliability you would ever need. Reason Number Two is character, romance, charisma, etc. If you go to the Bowhunting sites, you could interchange "Colt" for "Black Widow" bows in every thread and read the same conversations as here. That little pony logo, all that history, that fine deep blue heavy piece of steel. It is always going to touch a nerve that Polymer doesn't. No one is immune to charm. Colt has it.

[Skyviking]

"Several people (more than one) took their brand new AR's out of the box for the first time, loaded them up with reloads and began the class. Malfunctions galore."

Gee... Bargain reloads and it's the GUN's fault??? Bad ammo can spoil the Best of Times. I had a lot of out of spec IMI .45acp just about do it for me at Gunsite once. Thank Heaven J&G was open and had some S&B.

My Colt Gunsite Pistols are great - as ALL of my Colt 1911 pistols & six-guns. I have 3 CGPs where a TRS and a Concept VII used to rest. The Kobra's gone, too.

Colt is staying afloat making M-4s for the military and Gov't. orders. More power to 'em.

[mattsh]

Looks like I'll throw in my report on Colt's. I have two of them, one Delta Elite and one Commercial '37 .45. I have shot many rounds through them and neither has ever failed on their own accord. I have had some FTF and FTE but those were my fault due to reload ammo. With factory ammo I have NEVER had any malfunctions with either gun. Both guns shoot like a dream and are very accurate. My brother bought a brand new SA Loaded .45 and he has had no end of trouble with it FTF and FTE, it is very finicky about mags as well. My Colt .45 will use any mag and will shoot any ammo. Irritates my brother that he has a new gun that is less reliable than my 68 yr old pony. hee,hee,hee...

[myanof]

OK "Sabre" so you think Colt's are getting a bad wrap, so what does MIM mean???

Colt ruined their reputation about the time they started putting plastic triggers on their series 80s. I for one bought a Stainless Commander and could never get it shooting reliably. After sending it off to several gunsmiths over the years, I got rid of it and started buying Kimbers, with excellent luck. I have read that others had the same experience with Colts around the same period of the early 90s. Hopefully they are a better company today, but I have my doubts due to their oblivious management. I say this because any gun manufacturer that totally missed the tremendous boom of the CCW popularity must be oblivious. The strange thing is Colt had some of the best CCW guns on the shelf that they wouldn't produce, like the Mustang, Pony, and Pocket 9. Colt is not getting a bad rap, they are going to have to win the hearts of American shooters again. Did I mantion they also lost their government contract with the AR to FN? Horrible move.

[dsk]

Funny how everybody hates the plastic triggers and MS housings Colt was using, yet nobody spoke up about the plastic housings on Kimbers.

[Joni Lynn]

I have experienced a merchant putting down one brand in order to push a more preferred one. I asked a dealer that had been known to stock Les Baer about the guns and they informed me that a Kimber was less expensive, functioned better and was a totally better firearm in every way. I figure they make more money on the Kimber. When I purchased my very first 1911, I made the choice to buy as American made as I could and got a Colt. The others are also a very nice 1911 and maybe someday I'll yet own one. My first Colt 1911 was horrible, but I still went out and purchased more Colts. I just don't buy sight unseen anymore. Any maker can produce a lemon. I would recommend a Colt to anyone.

[stephen coraggio]

I have a M1991-A1 bought it used it shoots good what type of ammo are you shooting in it. They feed 230 grain hardball quite well, and I use factory ammo such as Federal or Winchester. If you are shooting anything less than 230 gr. that might be a problem. what ned to be done in that instance is take to a competent gunsmith that can make the chamber accept other ammo than 230 gr. I had this done to my M1991-A1 works fine with 185.gr I'm no expert on guns yes Colt had problems but they have been worked out. The only problem I had with my Colt was the rubber grips, the estucheons for the grips screws came off as I was removing the grips to clean the gun. they have been replaced. What makes your colt shoot bad? sights off, to much fingeer in the trigger ie jerking the trigger right or left improper sight alignment? they are not saying why the colt shoots bad/ Steve Coraggio scoraggio1@optonline.net

[mvm]

. . . makes you wonder why that was one of the main things available to the lady I talked to on the phone.
I doubt the phone operators are experts on the firearms and parts. They are hired to answer the phone and refer customers further. There are ALWAYS exceptions to the rules, but you will never find out about the exceptions if you settle with the first person you talk to. Just my .02. :D

[andreabert]

hi all..
i ll try to say my opinion in my very bad english.. sorry im italian and i didnt study much english at school :)

i dont have so much experience with gun. i take my firts 1911(a 1943 remington rand) one year ago and 5 month ago i take a colt 1991a1 black matte.
well i can say that in 5 monht i shoot something like 2500 ammo, all reloaded with 6gr of winchester 231, 230gr FMJ, and i never had any problem.
well ok sincerely it clog 2 time .. but i can say that for me 1991 is a very good gun.
ok it cant comparate with other "race gun" like gold cup or other , but as like a "mlitary style gun" is for me a great gun

andy

[myanof]

hi all..
i ll try to say my opinion in my very bad english.. sorry im italian and i didnt study much english at school :)

i dont have so much experience with gun. i take my firts 1911(a 1943 remington rand) one year ago and 5 month ago i take a colt 1991a1 black matte.
well i can say that in 5 monht i shoot something like 2500 ammo, all reloaded with 6gr of winchester 231, 230gr FMJ, and i never had any problem.
well ok sincerely it clog 2 time .. but i can say that for me 1991 is a very good gun.
ok it cant comparate with other "race gun" like gold cup or other , but as like a "mlitary style gun" is for me a great gun

andy

Thanks for the input Andy. Actually your english is better than most of us on this forum. By the way, would you like to sell your 1943 Remington Rand? :D

[andreabert]

[/QUOTE]By the way, would you like to sell your 1943 Remington Rand? :D[/QUOTE]

mmm :rolleyes: ... naaa. :p
but if u make a good bid...all is possible in this life...

but price in us is a little cheape than here in europe...
and now i had see at EXA (the gun show in italy) a very very good 1911 colt at 99% and have to find money...but the ask a very high price....

[chuckshoun]

. Don't know about SA, but since they are made in Brazil I am glad I didn't buy one.

Don't sell the Springfields from Brazil short. They make a mighty fine pistol. I've got a "GI" , frame marked "IMBEL BRAZIL" that darn near outshoots my Kimber. The only issue I had besides getting the sights changed was a plunger tube come loose. I suspect that is an assembly problem, probably at Geneseo. (It was cheaper to have my local smith fix it than send it back to the factory)

[Gary W. White]

I just purchased a a Colt's Special Combat Government new. I paid $1359 for it and with shipping and transfer fees came to almost $1400.

Here are the problems out of the box:

The half cock doesn't work. It will let off when the grip saftety and trigger is squeezed.

The mag release will drop a magazine that is loaded unless I use both hands to push the button. Additionally, when I disassembled the pistol the magazine's release stop screw will not stay completely engaged not allowing the release to drop in without using a screwdriver.

The trigger is a piece of slop. It was never set up for overtravel and rattles around. It has an unbelievable long take up and mega creep.

The slide to frame fit is really loose as is the front bushing. They put a target with this gun at 15 yards with about 1" group. I guess that they used a Ranson Rest to get this group?!

Oh Yeah! the mag well appeared cheap and was simply a bolt on MSH. The springs were cheap and obviously not Wolff, IMSI or Nowlin's.

Anyways, I just spent $240+ and ordered a EGW match bushing, Ed Brown Mag mag release, Ed Brown 30 lpi MSH, Nowlin pro trigger and match sear and a Nowlin spring set.

I am going to give this gun a good trigger job, tighten the frame\slide and fit the bushing to the factory barrel. I am going to have to bevel the interior of the mag well a Colt's certainly didn't do this and hand checker the front strap.

Additionally, Colt's put on the sharpest edge set of Bomar's I've ever seen. I am going to meld them and later on exchange these for Bomar's bar tritium and a Novak tritium dot front.

So why did I buy a Colt instead of one of Ed Brown's, Les Baer's or Bill Wilson's fine firearms? It's because it's a genuine Colt and not a knock off and I can make it work, shoot and look great!

Happy Shooting!
Gary

[BKennedy]

I know I'm a little late to the party, but here' my .02 anyways. I have gotten to the point that if I ask a dealer about a Colt and he goes into his "Colt sucks-Kimber's rule" routine I walk straight out the door without saying another word to them and I do not go back, ever. I've owned all manufacturers of 1911's and Colt's are the only ones I trust. Had a Springfield jamamatic and a Kimber that dumped a mag downrange with one tug on the trigger. So here's my .02:

Springfields and Kimbers can KMA!

[SMMAssociates]

Gary:

If memory serves ('bout time it did! :) ), the Series 80 guns are supposed to drop the hammer if you attempt to fire from the half-cock position.

I'm not sure why....

I think that the half-cock notch is there strictly to stop the hammer from falling due to a failure of the full-cock notch....

Regards,

[1911slabsides]

The way I see it, There's no wrong way to own a 1911, I've had Springfields they were great, My Son has a Kimber Pro Carry and it runs like a top. I've had a RIA that worked just like it was supposed to. My first 1911 was a mix of parts from only the good Lord knows, it worked every time. And I've had more Colt's than any of the other brands and I've yet to run across a dog. I made a couple of dogs by tinkering in places best left to the professionals. Its difficult for me to pick the best brand, I like Colt the best, if it's the BEST I don't know for certain. I certainly wouldn't bash any brand. If a company makes a good 1911 I like that company.

[Gary W. White]

Hi Stu,

Sorry to get back to you so late. When in half cock there should no way for the trigger push the disconnector back to disengage the sear regardless if an 80 or 70 series. This could still allow the firing pin to strike the primer and is dangerous.

I now have the Colt set where it works properly and will not drop the hammer under half-cocked conditions at any time.

Good Shooting!
Gary

[SMMAssociates]

Gary:

I must have read that wrong....

The half-cock notch on the hammer is different on the Series 80's. Guess I need to grab Kunnhausen's book again and see what I thought I saw :D .

IAC, glad it's working.

Regards,

[Gary W. White]

Stu,
Posted a new thread to "argue" this with other smiths. I read this in Kunnhausen's book also but there is no difference in the hammers I have observed being made for Series 70 and 80 Colt's and clones. I may be wrong and if I am, I learn something everyday. The series 80 parts do nothing more than provide a means to block the firing pin from going forward unless the plunger is depressed by the disconnector. Now what happens if the half-cock doesn's work and the gun hammer can be dropped by the trigger with the safteties disengaged. The plunger is also disengaged (i.e.) series 80 safety has nothing to do with this therefore logic would indicate you need a good standard half cock as a last ditch effort to prevent doubling and or something stupid like cocking the trigger on a loaded round.

My $.02 worth anyways Stu.

Thanks!
Gary

[wichaka]

Gary W. White wrote;
The series 80 parts do nothing more than provide a means to block the firing pin from going forward unless the plunger is depressed by the disconnector.

That is incorrect. There are 2 levers that actuate off the trigger (not the disconnector) that depresses the plunger which releases the firing pin.

Chech your other post for the rest of the answers.

[OD*]

but there is no difference in the hammers I have observed being made for Series 70 and 80 Colt's and clones.
This is incorrect also, the Series 70 hammers have a half-cock notch (originals do, the repros do not), the Series 80 have a ledge.

[Hunter]

I have several Colts new and old (1918 to 1995) and all of them fine pistols.In reality no better pistol made than a Colt 1911. To me it sounds like the operator valve is bad.Colt quality is unsurpassed. I have spent many a hour on the range with my Colts and never once have I had trouble with any of them.I think you were mislead.

[predator611]

My father carried a colt as a back up in Korea. he said the army didn't have per se gunsmiths but people who were better at repairing/fixing than others. He said "out of the box" his jammed on the chambering first and last round. They put a "stronger" spring on the magazine and did some grinding and/or rubbing with jewelers rouge to check for clearance. Once done his fired fine. The next one he was issued fired fine more than likely tooling issues or tolerances weren't checked after they were assembled.

[J.B.]

Interesting about the 80 series half-cock. Every one I have handled has allowed the hammer to drop from the ledge when triggered w/grip safety depressed. The 80 series has no half-cock "hook" as did the earlier guns. The drop is very short, not enough to strike the primer with any force. I didn't care for this set-up myself, but it hasn't been a problem for me at all. The hammer might move an eighth inch and slowly at that.
Josh

[Ric4509]

Ok guys! Colt, Kimber, SA, etc are all mechanical tools. IMO whatever 1911 you have be it the cheapest to the most expensive if it breaks it's broken. A friend of mine 2 yrs ago got himself a Les Baer 5" that will not feed a 'ball' ammo every so often. Now what is that all about. He had to send it back to Les Baer. Colt 1911s are not crap or junk. They shoot very well. If you're talking 70 series, many moons ago I had to send my 1911 70S to a gunsmith so that it'll work reliably. Today's Colt 1911s are different, IMO, though I need to replace the grip safety, and the fixed sights. That's all I change. They shoot very well.

[hpcc19]

This is the longest thread I've ever seen. Colt Colt Colt C-O-L-T, the mothership. What does the C in ACP stand for??? If you love them, you are no fool. Glad they make the 70 again.

What I really want is an email address for the service department. I want to tell them how impressed I am they replaced my 10 year old slide stop for free no questions asked ...but I am a cheap b**tard and don't want to spend another $.37. to mail them a letter :D

[Hunter]

Try www.Coltsmfg.com and the number is 1-800-962-Colt. I love them to. Quality makes it a Colt.

[Bruce Foreman]

You got my message all wrong. I love my Colt and I bought it after I had heard several of these comments. My reference to the SA is only that the loaded gives you lots of bells and whistles that one might choose to add to a standard 1911. I would buy more Colt's, but my question was whether or not there is any "truth" to the negative comments.

I have 2 Colt Lightweight Commanders. One (somewhat "beat up") came with some "bells 'n whistles".

I took them off and replaced them with original design parts, basically I restored the gun to original configuration. Occasional malfunctions disappeared.

The newer one, sports only a beavertail safety and skeletonized elongated Commander style hammer. And has a stainless Combat Commander slide on the black anodized aluminum frame. Apparently one dealer pestered the Colt rep for a two tone Lightweight Commander repeatedly until he had the custom shop put one together (two tone lightweight Commanders were not a catalog item). I got it from the guy who bought the shop's inventory from the dealers estate.

Fired very little.

Both of these Colts are quite accurate and reliable. Besides night sights of some kind, most Colts don't need a bunch of "doodads". Invariably 1911 and Glock malfunctions seen at Thunder Ranch are...You guessed it...Guns that had been "tinkered" with and "smithed".

Bruce Foreman

[1911Tuner]

After the Series 70 fiasco in mid-run, I got disgusted with Colt's offerings, and took a long sabbatical. When the 1991A1 pistols were introduced, I had a look and decided to take a chance. I bought one, and then wound up with four...two of which went to other homes. No problems...I just had friends who wanted'em worse than I did, and I had hit a financial wall at the time.

I wound up using the guns as range beaters. Before shooting either one, I took'em down and did my standard checks and tweaks to address any reliability issues that might arise. Nothin' complicated...just the standard stuff that I do when tuning one up...and most of it not really necessary.
Tensioned the extractors...Touched up the breechface to make sure there were no machine marks, etc.

That was nearly 15 years ago. The guns have probably fired...by best estimate...over a quarter-million rounds collectively, 98% of which has been reloaded with my nasty home-cast bullets. They are both on their third barrels, and both have had complete rebuilds, including swaging the rails
and refitting. Some internals were replaced as a matter of course...some are still original. One of the guns has never malfunctioned...Ever. The other had a little issue with returning to battery on occasion...Seems like I remember three... but that was straightened out quickly. A couple of failures to lock on empty, but that was a mag problem...and the gun hasn't malfunctioned in
well over 12 years. One broken slidestop on the first one right after the rebuild at around the 75,000 round mark. Other than standard maintenance
and spring replacement...that's it. I know that my two aren't representative of the whole. Mass production sometimes results in a lemon, just like anything else...but it's a pretty good indicator that Colt can and does produce good pistols.

I recently aquired a NRM 5-inch gun, and bought one of my early Billboard Rollmark pistols back, and I'm working hard to shoot both to destruction.
Total round count for both is around 15,000. No problems to date. Replaced the MIM extractor in the NRM right off the bat.

I attribute part of this nothing short of awe-inspiring reliability to the fact that I have avoided 8-round magazines like they had cooties. You may draw your own conclusions.

Here's hopin' that you got a good one! :cool:

[DoubleEagle45]

I have owned my two Colt Double Eagles since I was in high school (pre-96). I moved to Kennesaw from the northern mountains of Georgia, so I don't get to shoot very often now (too populated, and I'm too cheap to go to a range), but the Eagles never broke down on me ever. I have had them apart too many times to count cleaning them. And while I hate even taking the grips off the 1st one I got, since the springs won't stay in to put the grips back on (not a prob with the other - a DE Mk II), I love them more than any other gun I own (even the Glock 21).

Before buying the Glock (my newest addition), I thought I'd get an Officer's model Colt... I had no idea how expensive they are! Even nearly worn out and beat up ones cost more than a new Glock! If Colt is crap, why would they be selling for so much? (and I do mean selling, not just asking price! Check Gunbroker.com) The shop owner I got to order my Glock said "are you sure you don't want a Colt? I've never lost money on a Colt." I told him I was too poor to own a new (or nice used) Colt and ordered the Glock. :(

[DoubleEagle45]

The Colt Officer's Ultimate is so pretty that I want to kiss it. :p

http://nas4.atlanta.gbhinc.com/GB/035760000/35760006/pix3407618656.jpg

[jslobum]

Nice looking gun. Here in Montana you see very few Colt's and a used one once in a blue moon. Kimber and Springer pretty much have the state covered, although Para is showing up more.