Allowed to gripe here?

[Brian D.]

No worries, it's on topic. Just wish that little blue Guide to Colt Dates of Production book--or whatever it's called--by R.L. Wilson would get updated. It only goes up to 1978...pretty sure that Colt's made at least a few firearms since then. The other little gun show guidebooks, (Winchester and Browning), as I call 'em, are outta date too.

 

[dfariswheel]

Wilson updated the info in his book "Colt: An American Legend".
This has info up to 1985.

 

[Brian D.]

Thanks, dfaris. Does that "American Legend" book you mention come in a handy pocket, or at least gunshow bag, size? Eh, come to think of it, 1985 is longer ago than yesterday, too...

 

[Old Fuff]

I understand that you can get information from Colt's Customer Service Department about some individual guns, but apparently they aren't releasing more extensive data to book writers.

 

[Jim K]

"American Legend" is not only not a pocket guide, it is larger than normal for a book; it is 8 1/2 by 11 in what you would call "landscape".

Jim

 

[4v50 Gary]

Talk about griping? I wish W. H. B. Smith's Small Arms of the World was updated. It's about time but I'm not sure the family is interested.

 

[dfariswheel]

Wilson sells a pocket sized Colt serial number booklet on his web site.
I'd assume he's updated it to the later 1985 numbers.

I'd shoot him an email to be sure.

The reason there are no later numbers than '85, is Wilson wrote "Colt: An American Legend" with the full cooperation of Colt, who gave him complete access to the company records.
Colt considers the book to be the "Official" company firearms history.

However, they haven't opened the records to anybody since '85, so only they have the data since then.

 

[gamachinist]

I doubt any of the manufacturers will be releasing much production info in any real detail for some time to come because of the current trend by greedy cities and their lawyers to poke into their business.

Since the info supplied to ATF doesn't break down into much detail beyond x number of handguns,x number of rifles,etc..the cities sueing are trying to dig into data that isn't really important to anyone other than the stockholders and tort lawyers.

Sigh.........another sign of the times we live in.
Quick,what do you call twenty lawyers on the ocean floor?


A good start.........

Robert.

 

[Dr.Rob]

You have URL a for Wilson??

 

[Steven Mace]

R.L. Wilson's website:

http://www.wilsonbooks.com/

Steve Mace

 

[Sunray]

Any Blue Book value is at least two years out of date. It takes that long to get a book written and published. Then add in regional demand and availablity differences. IE. There's no Garand in Canada worth $800.
Colt, I believe, will, for a fee, tell you what they can about the history of your Colt firearm. Usually the date of manufacture and where it was shipped. There's a link on their site. http://www.colt.com/CMCI/historical.asp