Is It Me, or Does Colt Not Even Bother Having a Website for Civilian Guns Anymore?

Just LE, Military, and "Security" contractors.

Check it out:

http://www.colt.com/

I know the company recently split into Colt Defense LLC and another entity that sells the commercial product line -- but now there's not even a link to any site for the civilian entity. I couldn't find any such site using Google, either. If you want to know what a current production Colt 1911 or SAA looks like or sells for, it seems that now all official information has been taken off the Internet. An astonishing retrogression.

Maybe they're just "developing" a new civilian website and it'll be up soon.

Maybe.

http://coltsmfg.com/cmci/home.asp

/B

They split into two separate companies not too long ago.

They split into two separate companies not too long ago.

That's one of the many things Colt does instead of manufacturing firearms.

People still actually want to buy Colt products??????

Man, that's weird.

hillbilly

People still actually want to buy Colt products??????


Why???

The 1991A1 I just bought - out of the box - is perhaps the nicest gun I've ever owned. Quality and workmanship are impeccable.

It's weird, Countertop because of the two following truths.

1) Colt has pretty much quit trying to attract civilian customers.

2) There are plenty of other quality 1911s made by plenty of other manufacturers (Springfield, Kimber, S&W, Sig, etc. etc) who actually want civilians to buy their guns.

hillbilly

That's one of the many things Colt does instead of manufacturing firearms.

:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

1) Colt has pretty much quit trying to attract civilian customers.

From what I understand Colt is now a mostly state owned company now so they don't have to worry about silly things like profit or manufacturing firearms that people want to buy in any type of quantity. Not that they were ever exactly king of that.

From what I understand Colt is now a mostly state owned company now so they don't have to worry about silly things like profit or manufacturing firearms that people want to buy in any type of quantity. Not that they were ever exactly king of that.

Pretty much a state-owned company? So what source supports this? Colt, both parts I think, is privately owned. Are you saying that the state (do you mean Connecticut or Federal government?) now has majority ownership?

Actually, Colt was something of a king when it came to making guns in quantity for the civilian market. It is just that it is a heyday in the past. Over the course of the last few decades and a bunch of bad business decisions, they have had to scale down their product offerings, hasn't done much in developing actually new products (versus variations of products already offered), but they do still produce 1911s, revolvers, and AR15s in large quantities that are for the civilian market and that do sell (so they are guns people actually want).

Colt has just introduced a NEW mini 1911, surely that cant be for the Military.

of course it probably cost as much as two Thompson Auto-Ordnance 1911's.....

Thanks for the link. I had tried Googling "Colt's Manufacturing Company," the successor civilian entity, but no company site popped up in the first couple dozen entries, so I assumed there was none. (Google "Ruger" or "SIG Sauer" and you get the company's website as the #1 result.)

Which I suppose just means that relatively few people are looking for or linking to the Colt civilian site.

I was looking for a 1911 price list. However much I may deplore the way Colt does business, I'd heard good things about the quality of their current production 1911s.

Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a price list on the CMCI web site. (There used to be one.) If there still is one and I missed it, fine; but I've lost interest at this point.

Seems to me Colt quality lagged a while back..a new Combat Elite 1911 I bought some years ago rattled when shook side to side and the sight dots fell off...yep, fell off!....but, took gun to shop and tightened slide up...fit a match bushing, this and that and it has made a fine pistol....and I noticed the quality of the steel...as I was trying to work the slide and frame to a tighter fit it seemed much harder than when I did similar work on a springfield and took that as a sign of it's still underlying quality, even if its machinery and workmen were a bit dull. I hope Colt survives and gets it old quality back. From what I gather foreign ( and more recently, domestic) competition, trade union issues, and not too good management almost killed it, but it may be on the come-back trail now with new management and a new committment to getting its reputation back.

Colt was bailed out by the State employees pension fund a few years back. What percentage they may still own of either of the colt entities would probably take some real work to determine.

1) Colt has pretty much quit trying to attract civilian customers.........I'm always amazed at how much insider information can found on the internet.....How in God's name do you get this information? What an utterly ridiculous comment.

Colt split the handgun website off from the L/E & Military Colt Defense, LLC website fairly recently. I was looking through it while preparing to order a couple of pistols one day, and it was moved the next ...

When I spoke to someone at the factory recently, they said they were selling their 1911's as fast as they could make them.

Since Colt now uses computers to make the newer pistols, the consistent quality is fairly impressive. I know that the 1991 pistols used in their armorers course certainly exhibit excellent manufacturing when it comes to fit & finish, and the quality of the parts is certainly improved, too.

Colt apparently feels little need to advertise as much as the other, newer companies do, though.

I know of one L/E agency which acquired approx upwards of a couple dozen new Colt 1911's in recent months, and they've all functioned fine. Of course, extended shooting does tend to cause some wear & tear on various springs, but that's often what happens when a LOT of training is involved ... ;)

I think that Colt and S&W 1911 pistols will be seeing some additional popularity in the L/E community, in those areas of the country where 1911's are still popular, and within some specialized units.

I also think that the non-L/E (public) 1911-type owner/shooter would benefit from careful consideration of the fine offerings available from Colt, as well as the expanding S&W SW1911 line.

Competition has given us some great choices in the 1911-type pistol market nowadays, including from a couple of America's largest, venerable handgun makers.

Of course, I wish that Colt had bothered to get their lightweight stainless Commander XSE accepted on the CA DOJ Approval List ... but that just gave me a reason to decide to order a SW1911PD 5", with the scandium aluminum full size frame.;) I really liked the Commander-sized SW1911PD I handled and fired recently, but I've always wanted a full-size aluminum framed 1911, so I'm ordering the full-size scandium pistol with a carbon steel slide.

A Colt stainless Govrnment XSE and a SW1911PD ought to make for a decent pair of new production 1911's.

with Thompson/Auto-Ordnance and Springfield making good quality 1911 style guns, it will be a hard pressed working man to buy a Colt at TWICE the price if its to be used as a "working gun".

though for those with money to spare, the Colt is nice, but so far hasnt prooved itself superior in reliabilty to the others ive mentioned. lets leave Kimber alone.

All 1911s start as blocks of steel. Some go on to become fine wines...and well, others go on to become vinegar. I consider my Colt reissues (WWI and Series 70) to be THE most accurate, most reliable 1911s I have ever owned. In truth, I believe that 1911 preference is little more than the effects of years of advertisements and psychology applied to brand name..."blind brand loyalty". Some Kimbers, some Colts and some of all others are fine pieces. Others of these same manufacturers are but vinegar. What makes the difference? Attention to detail at quality control.

Doc2005

From what I understand Colt is now a mostly state owned company now so they don't have to worry about silly things like profit or manufacturing firearms that people want to buy in any type of quantity. Not that they were ever exactly king of that.

The state only owns the Colt name.

There are plenty of other quality 1911s made by plenty of other manufacturers (Springfield, Kimber, S&W, Sig, etc. etc) who actually want civilians to buy their guns.

I will admit up front, I have no experience with the S&W 1911, so I won't comment on them. But I do have experience with Springers and Kimbers. I'll take my Colt, thank youv ery much. Besides being more accurate, it is the only one that has been 100% reliable out of the box.

Colt's was a world class manufacturer up through the 80s. It's been a long time and a lot of near death experiences, but it looks like they might be beginning to get back into the world beater groove.

Colt's was a world class manufacturer up through the 80s. It's been a long time and a lot of near death experiences, but it looks like they might be beginning to get back into the world beater groove I agree with this statement Colt appears to be on rock solid ground again and there making guns.... :evil:

There was a reference above to Colts being "twice the price." Actually, when I see new Colt 1911s on the shelves -- and they are the ONLY new Colts you ever see in a gun store -- I am usually struck by how decently priced they are. They are competitive with Kimbers and the nicer Springfield models. I would think seriously about buying a Colt 1911.

The whole vibe with the 1911s is sharply different from what one hears about Colt's current- and recent-production revolvers -- overpriced Pythons with lousy rough actions; vastly overpriced SAAs that require immediate gunsmithing attention.

One wishes Colt would take its wheelguns as seriously as its pistols. At least this could be done with the SAA, it seems to me. The steady demand from Cowboy Action shooters makes it a good business bet. If U.S. Firearms can sell a slick, beautiful, good-shooting, out of the box SAA for around $1000, Colt should be able to do the same.

I wish Colt would bring the D series revolvers back!!

I was just on the verge of getting the last Colt snub ever made (the name escapes me at the moment) when the company died and they dropped the DA revolver line!!

Now all that's left are the SAAs!!!

That's just wrong!!

It's not really an unfair statement to say Colt isn't trying to sell the civilian market...at least not very hard anyway.

They do little(any) advertising, raise prices higher than competitors, still can't produce a proper beavertail on their XSE models, little "stock" on the gunshop shelves. They relocate their civilian website, without linking to their existing website, and their customer service, my experience, is lacking... :rolleyes:

If they are selling eveything they are producing, then Colt needs to hire more people. Production numbers are published and they sell less guns(pistols)each year. They sold less than 14,000 in 2003. Less than half of what they sold in 2000, I believe.

On the flip side, I think they produce a very good 1911 and that's what I shoot 99% of the time. :)

But, IMHO, they "ain't" trying very hard to sell guns(pistols to anyone)...they are just "existing". It's their business though and if higher prices and less production "work" for them...so be it. I rather have them stay in business.

There's an interesting market study idea...how successful would an updated Det. Special be if reintroduced to the market? Given the prevailance of CCW, I would think a modern Det. Special would do well.

What would a "modern" Detective's Special be? The one below was evidently made in the early 90s and works as well as any "modern" handguns I have ever fired. What I'd like to be able to do is buy a brand new one, or an Agent, or a Magnum Carry or King Cobra. I guess I'll just buy a new 1991A1 Commander to try and get Colt healthy enough to make revolvers again.

Colt's might just be sitting on a veritable gold mine. There is a definite market out there for revolvers that are easy to carry and made in the old school way without zit locks, two piece barrels, multiple color finishes on the same piece, and other "modern touches."

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=26781

They sold less than 14,000 [pistols] in 2003. Less than half of what they sold in 2000, I believe.

Man, that's dire.

But yeah, if they re-introduced the Detective Special, new, well-made, rated for +P, with a nice old-school action feel, I'd probably carry one. I'd go $600 for that extra round and no lock, though a lower price would be better business.

I see several comments on how high Colt prices are. I agree, 1911 prices are high. However, you guys dont think Kimbers are equally outraegous? Have not all 1911 manufacturers and Sig have enacted massive price increases? I guess you guys have not noticed that CZWessons incredible price hikes? If we are criticizing Colt for pricing .....in all fairness, lets include all of the top shelf 1911 makers.

but now there's not even a link to any site for the civilian entity

I know, it's absurd. It's how to imagine the extent of brainless stupidity it must take Colt execs to not have a link to the civi site at COLT DOT COM, this day and age.

I believe Colt increased their prices much higher than the other 1911 companies, except for DW. But DW, IMO, is a different situation. They produce very few guns and sold at "high volume" prices...probably not a long term plan which is why, I assume, they were purchased and the prices raised, models slimmed down, etc.

As far as Colt goes, again IMHO, it's more important how much money you make and not the amount of guns you produce. But, they are at a premium price now, so the guns better be very good and their service better be outstanding.