Frustrating Search for full-size or Commander Colt XSE in SS

[sleepyone]

I have been trying to find a Colt XSE full-size or Commander .45 ACP for some time in SS and thought I would finally find one at the Fort Worth Gun Show today. I was wrong. I only saw three. One full-size with alloy frame and two Commanders in alloy frame. Every vendor said Colt won't be fulfilling any orders for 12-18 months. We also went to three gun shops and were told the same thing. We found one Commander in SS at Cheaper Than Dirt for $999, but the safety was so stiff you had to use two fingers to operate it. They changed grips, but that was not the problem. I told them I would give them $875 since they were going to have to send it back to Colt anyway, but they would only come down $25. I was willing to give them $900 but not $975. It could be an easy fix, but you never know. The gun should have never left the factory like that, and CTD should not have been trying to sell it like that. That is the frustrating thing about Colt. They make an excellent 1911, but the QC is spotty at best. Everything else on it was great; the trigger pull, the slide to frame fit, etc...

Would you have bought it with a non-functioning safety? It could have only needed a dremel tool taken to it or maybe replace the detent pin and spring. I was so frustrated with the whole day already I really did not want to pay $975 for a gun that would need work before I could safely use it. I also was going to change the nylon MSH with a SS and the FLGR to a GI Bushing.

Which brings me to another question. The last LGS I visited had a DW RZ-45 Heritage in SS that was amazing! They wanted $1,300 for it, which is almost full list price. This LGS is famous for high prices, but they have excellent customer service and gunsmiths and they guarantee every gun for life even if the manufacturer does not. All it would have needed was the ambi-safety added. The trigger was smooth, the slide to frame fit was perfect. It had a tritium front sight, but the rear sight had no dots or tritium, which makes me wonder how you be able to aim it at night with no way to see the rear sight in low or no light situations.

Most XSEs are around $1,000. By the time I swap out the MSH and FLGR, I am not too far off the price of the DW Razorback. Is the DW all forged slide and frame without MIM parts?

 

[sleepyone]

I wanted to publicly thank one of our members, gc70, for putting me in contact with a LGS in North Carolina who had several variations of the XSE IN stock for awesome prices. I bought the SS 5" version I had been searching for several months for only $913. With no sales tax and the S/H/I and FFL fee I will be at $978 which is great considering all my LGSs would have STARTED at $1,050 plus tax had they even been able to get one.

I can't wait. My FFL should have it by Friday. Of course, I am having dental surgery that morning, so I highly doubt I will be able to pick it up until Saturday.