Questions - Colt WW reproduction 1911

[throwingdown]

The local shop has a WW reproduction colt (blued not black), I would love to own an original, but since I am more of a shooter than a collector, I was wondering how well these colts are made. The last colt I purchased was a 1991 A1 if I recall.
Also, as far as shooters, do they function well, or are they so so?
Also, how close are they to the originals?

[rondawg]

Are you talking about the 01911 model WWI repro, in Carbonia Blue? If so, I have one, and it's the nicest pistol in my herd. Very well made, and the best shooter of all. I can blow the centers out of targets all day long with it, and it has the smallest sights to boot. An excellent shooter, no reason not to shoot it.

I can't testify to how "accurate" they are as far as close to the originals, but I believe they're quite close. My WWI repro is closer to the real thing than my Colt WWII repro is. It's absolutely beautiful, IMO.

If you can get it for a good price, and it's in good shape, I'd say jump on it! I don't know what the average price is for them, I paid $900 for mine, slightly used. Probably $1000 to $1200 at least, I would bet.

[daveohno]

I'll let someone that knows the details better than I do answer the question about how close is it to original. As best as I can tell by what I have read, it is a nice compromise between what was done back in the day and what they can do now.

As far as is it a good pistol? Mine is a great pistol.

I have 2 problems with mine.

1) The sights are small for target shooting. I guess for a comat handgun when your rifle is your primary weapon, that's Ok. I can hit what I aim at, the sights are just small for my 50+ eyeballs. I can shoot the center out of a target with it, it just takes a moment to line up the sights because I don't see as well as I used to. It is remarkably accurate.

2) I bought a several Gunsite Pistols to be my primary range and match pistols, so my WW1 repro doesn't get out enough to suit me. It is a great pistol and I should get it out more than I do.

It is a reliable, well made pistol. It's very neat. If you like "old school", and I do, this is the one for you.

[elijdub]

I'll add that my WWI Repro was one of the best made/well-fit 1911's i've ever handled.

As far as deviations from the original, hopefully OD* will be along, but in the meantime i can safely say that the finish, the rollmarks and the rampant Colt placement are all incorrect. Irrelevant in my opinion though... They are phenominal guns.

[clughog]

Plus the Carbonia Blue WWI Reproductions are getting harder and harder to locate...only 5,000 produced. I think it's the kind of pistol you can shoot and not hurt its "down the road" value all that much (and I would shoot it!).

[throwingdown]

I have owned several Colts in the past, and always had a special place for the "original" war combat pistol.
I would love to purchase a original, but if I spend that much money on one, it would probably end up a safe queen.
It is the Carbonia Blue. It is new, unfired. It was on layaway for another customer, but after so many months if no payment is made, it goes back up for sale, and out of layaway. I was just lucky enough that one of the sales guys knows I had asked about one and pulled it out of the layaway bin for me.
I have read that elsewhere that the metal processes to make the handguns is much better now than in the past (a minor plus).
My main concern was if anyone had any typical 1911 issues like stovepiping, FTF, FTE and that sort of stuff.
Looks like I'll be owning a Colt shortly.

[rondawg]

Looks like I'll be owning a Colt shortly.

Cool beans! You know how to post photos, right? :D

[rondawg]

The only thing about mine I don't like is the stocks. They look and feel like either the checkering is rough, or they got covered with sawdust while the finish was wet....they're pretty rough compared to various aftermarket grips I've bought. Seems to help with gripping it, but they's ugly.

Anybody else have these?

[throwingdown]

I did notice on the grips that the perimeter of the grip has small amounts of wood that did not come off (kind of like when you tear a notebook paper with the perforations, its not completely smooth). Also, the color of the grips is kind of odd - maybe it is just my memory.
As for pics, yeah I can post - resize, find a host, tag links....its been a while.

[clughog]

Colt Customer Service will certainly take care of any glitches you encounter (highly unlikely that you will, though). And, as for the grips, they cover cosmetic issues also. If you're not pleased with the grips, call Customer Service and talk with them--they'll most likely ask you to send them back and replace them. Looking forward to the pictures!

[rondawg]

I don't have any photos right now of just the stocks, but these two kinda show what I'm talking about.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b150/rinselman/guns/DSCN1138.jpg

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b150/rinselman/guns/DSCN1140.jpg

[throwingdown]

Its safely home. I will post some pics soon. Took it apart and checked everything out. Still have the slide release imprint on my finger from trying to get it out......
My buddy at the shop said its been in their inventory for well over a year!
Funny, he said, it was on his list to buy, but is glad its going to a good home.

Rondawg, your grips actually look cleaner than mine. Don't know if my digicam will get that close. Worst case, I may have to get a nice set of double diamond grips for it.

I would have already gone to the range, but I can't this weekend due to work.