Colt Advertisements in magazines?

[Metal]

I read several magazines like Tatical Weapons, Guns and Ammo and Handguns. The majority of the advertisements in those magazines for 1911's are by Wilson Combat, Springfield and Kimber. A few Taurus, Ed Brown and Smith & Wesson have shown up, but very few Colt.
Anyone have ideas on why Colt does not try to actively promote their products more like the other companies do?

[Hawkmoon]

Only Colt can really answer that. My guess is that they sell every pistol they make without advertising, and if they were to advertise and increase demand significantly, it would create production problems.

You have to realize that Colts are not so much "manufactured" as they are "crafted." Go through many gun factories and you'll find rows of CNC machines, each of which turns out a dozen or more identical frames or slides in one run. At Colt, each slide or frame is machined by individual workers on individual machines. Training large numbers of new employees to do that work is a problem.

Colt's work force is aging, and this is something they will have to address. I don't know what their long-term solution is going to be. But for the immediate future, I think the answer to your question is that advertising might create more problems than it solves at this time.

Personally, for similar money I'd prefer to buy a Colt, knowing the money is to pay the people who make it, rather than (for example) a Kimber, knowing that a big chunk of the price goes to buy full-page ads in every gun magazine in the known universe.

[1911Tuner]

Because, although they do sell their magazines separately, Colt is in the business of selling guns...not as a magazine vendor. Like Wilson Combat, Colt doesn't make their own magazines in-house...and hasn't for decades.

[TriumphGT6]

You have to wonder how much longer this can go on. According to the company's "company history" web page (a long and interesting read BTW), Colt Mfg. is privately owned by the investors who took it out of bankruptcy in 1994. That same page stops at 1999. There's no history since?

The site mentions modern mfg. methods repeatedly, but I got the impression this only applies to the military contracts (they've had several contracts for the M4). If the GM is all skilled hand-work, the custom shop will either have to shut down or replace the old men eventually. Do they have an apprenticeship program?

P.S. Wrong sort of magazine, Tuner! :D

[Metal]

I realize advertisements costs a lot but Colt should really look into promoting their products more.
Just imagine a person new to handguns likes the look of the 1911, they buy a Handguns magazine and see the various Kimber and Springfield ads what brand do you suppose they are going to ask the local shop for?

[Hawkmoon]

I realize advertisements costs a lot but Colt should really look into promoting their products more.
I don't think you're following what I wrote. Suppose Colt decided tomorrow that they will run full-page color ads in ALL the major gun magazines for the next twelve months. The further suppose that those ads accomplish their intended purpose and Colt gets orders for three times as many 1911s as they currently sell in a year.

How do they fill the orders? They can't just buy (or rent) two or three more CNC machines to crank out three times as many frames as they do now, because their frames aren't produced on CNC machines. Colts receivers and slides are machined by artifacts formerly referred to as "people." Real, live, warm-blooded human beings. If they transition to using all (or mostly) computer-automated machinery, will the pistols still be Colts? Yeah, they'll still say Colt on the frame and on the box, but will they really BE Colts? Those who buy Colts because of the fact that they are still made by human hands would say no.

I think what Colt is wrestling with is how to sustain and gradually increase production while remaining true to what "Colt" means. Glossy full-page ads in the gun magazines isn't the answer.

[Metal]

I do not want to encourage Colt to go with more CNC machined parts I much prefer a real person being responsible for the assembly and manufacture of the gun.

I was curious as to why they did not advertise as much.

As TriumphGT6 mentioned earlier I wonder if they have an apprentice program. This would help them continue passing on their great quality methods and would provide themselves with a way to sustain their business in the future.

Sure wish we could get a Colt Rep to join here. : - D

[DENDEN]

Don't know about the apprenticeship program but I have it on good authority that Samuel Colt and John Browning still roam the factory on occasion and they are responsible for that little extra that comes with every Colt.

[MCMIX]

The ads I can live without, but no glossy catalog to drool over just kills me!

[John]

Hawkmoon is correct.

One of the issues we both identified when we visited Colt's factory one year ago, was that of the aging workforce. These people are Colt's strong point, each and every one of them is an artist in building one or a few gun part or in assembling a complete pistol from those parts. But at the same time, these ladies and gentlemen are getting old. If I am not mistaken, the youngest one was a few years younger than me.

This creates some problems for Colt since they can not produce any more pistols than these people can make. It's not as if the owner decides to bump up production and all he has to do is buy some more CNC machinery. Also, even if the owners were willing to invest in CNC machines to make Colt production more contemporary, it is very hard to do so, because this workforce has no idea what a CNC machine is and retraining them won't be easy.

So if advertising brings them more sales, Colt could not (possibly) produce the guns, as Hawkmoon said.

[Rich-D]

Colt has what marketing management craves the most. An excellent following that spreads goodwill through word of mouth. The proof is that Colt sells all of the guns that they produce. Colt maintains a resale value, that is unrivaled in the industry and has more model's with collector value then any other gun maker.

I think that I may have just talked myself into another Colt. :)


Rich

[John]

If you haven't, let me help you. They also have the pony on them (with the exception of the Delta Elite, as we have learned recently). :p

[DuckRyder]

I do not think that they need to advertise, aside from getting the word out about new models possibly.

I would very much like to see them update the website; this seems it would be relatively inexpensively and easily accomplished.

They do have a catalog (a rather nice one) and you can download it from the "Media Section" of the website.

I would also very much like to see a company representative participate here occasionally.

As far as the way the pistols are built, aside from figuring out a way to continue to do it exactly the way they do it now I do not want them to change a thing…

[auto45]

I agree they don't need to advertise since, apparently, they sell all they make. They don't produce many though...but if they are making money...then it works for now.

Where I disagree, as a Colt shooter, is CNC machines will do a better, faster and cheaper job on machining certain parts. And, the "hand fitting time" should be spent on things "machines" don't do as well. Meaning barrel fitting, trigger parts, extractor fit, polishing, etc, etc. That's where a good experienced person can really separate Colt from the others IMHO.

[eaglesnest]

Hello everyone....I've been "lurking" for a few months at this site, and decided it was time to "get involved".....The Colt bug bit me about six months ago, and it truly is an amazing affliction!!! Regarding this advertising in gun magazines thread, I too have been disappointed in not seeing Colt ads anywhere.....I miss the glossy catalog, too....But, the most frustrating thing for me, is the fact that I live in a small town, and can't find many Colt models to try in my hand.....There are a number of gunshops within a hundred miles of me, but very few Colts at these stores.....The stores are not interested in ordering in a specific model for me to "try", and I do understand that....I learned the hard way that you should not order a gun off the internet, unless you have had the chance to see it in person, and try the fit (feel) in your hand, before you buy.....Sorry to get off topic, but I wanted to make the point that there is a definite "lack of presence" with Colt, and it really is a shame.....

[Rich-D]

In order to solve your dilemma, you can hang out at gun ranges. At the outdoor ranges folks tend to be a bit more social. However I have been able to hold, check out and even fire models of guns at both the indoor and outdoor ranges. I was a bit leary of the New Colt Agent. However after reading Hunter's glowing review, I went to the range several times until I ran across an Agent owner. After he let me fire his gun, enticing him with firing my EMP, I fell in love with the Agent and bought one.

Rich

[eaglesnest]

Thanks for the good advice, Rich! I caretake a 1,000 acre ranch, and can shoot right out my backdoor, so I don't visit the ranges in the area....I've been told that there are a couple of outdoor ranges within fifty miles of me, so I guess that I should pay them a visit, and see if I can connect with some of the shooters there....Thanks again.....Skip

[Rich-D]

Thanks for the good advice, Rich! I caretake a 1,000 acre ranch, and can shoot right out my backdoor, so I don't visit the ranges in the area....I've been told that there are a couple of outdoor ranges within fifty miles of me, so I guess that I should pay them a visit, and see if I can connect with some of the shooters there....Thanks again.....Skip

Hmmm! A "1,000 acre ranch", "shoot right out of the backdoor" Find a bunk for me and you can shoot all of my guns. :)


Rich

[eaglesnest]

Yeah! It's a rough life out here! :-) The only downside is that .45 ammo is expensive!!! I guess I'd better look into reloading....

[HoBoBum]

eaglesnest, there are great prices in large orders that will ship to the door ant a HUGE savings over retail, like 10 or 20 box orders will save you $10 per box of 50 !!!!

[eaglesnest]

Thanks for the tip, hobobum.....I'll look into that right away....Skip

[1911New_User]

Since the 1911 bug has hit me i have been going to the range a little more lately.I wish i had a place so i could step out the door and shoot to my hearts content but the range is about 8 mi so it isn't that bad.I suppose it could be a lot worse.

[eaglesnest]

You're right! It could be a lot worse! How would you like to be living in Philadelphia, like Rich?? ;-)

[1911New_User]

Philadelphia ?,what part of Texas is that ?. :D