Any Colt Defender owners?

[longhair75]

I have been looking at this for my next pistol. Does anyone own one? How has it performed?

 

[bluethunder1962]

I just sold mine. I loved it but out of work and needed the money. I did have problems with the shells hitting me in the head but my gunsmith fixed most of that problem. After watching a show on tv the other night some of the problem might have been me. I had problems with hollowpoints in mine also. If I had money again I would buy another one.

 

[KenW.]

Ihad one for several years. Swapped it two years ago for two pistols I knew I'd get more use of.

The Defender is a good pistol. It digested everything I put in it. I found the accuracy lacking at the 25 yard line when compared to my 5-inch models, but that's to be expected. Never had a failure at all.

 

[2wheels]

Got a Colt New Agent, very similar to the Defender with the biggest difference being the sights (or lack thereof!).

As far as shorty 1911s go, it's one of the better ones and I suspect the same goes for the Defender. I did have a problem with my extractor, but that was an easy fix. No problem eating hollowpoints or any other type of ammo.

 

[critter]

I, too, have a New Agent. Never have had a failure of any kind. More accurate than could be expected. Quite easy to hide and carry. Love mine.

 

[ambidextrous1]

I've had a Defender for four years, with a few minor early problems which were easily corrected.

It's my promary carry firearm, and the best performing 1911-style pistol I own.

The only changes I've made are the replacement of those Hogue grips with wood grips, and replacement of the plastic MSH with a stainless S&A arched MSH.

I think the Colt Defender is the best performing short-barreled 1911-style firearm.

 

[jimbo555]

What Critter said,I have the new agent since '07. Never a bobble,hides easily.

 

[viper7342]

While I don't own the Defender, I do own a Colt 1991A1 Compact Model (Parkerized version of the Officers ACP). I bought it new in January of 1997 and it has been totally reliable with every type of ammunition I've ever fired through it including hollow points. About the only difference between it and the Defender is that the latter only has a 3 inch barrel and is stainless IIRC while the one I have has a 3.5 inch barrel and may have different sights I can't remember on that but, if you can find one at a reasonable price I would highly recommend you check it out.

 

[Jimineer]

I've had a Defender for a while now and never had any issues except for an occasional ejected casing to the forehead. I suppose I could get that remedied but it hasn't been a priority. I have only shot the PDX1 hollow points and have never had any problems with them. I clean mine only about every 3 or 4 range trips (maybe 100 rounds per trip).
Shoots great. Recoil is okay. Carries very well in a Galco King Tuk. I don't think you will go wrong with this Colt. Prices have increased about $100 since I bought mine so I'm glad I bought when I did. Many will say that rubber grips are crappy and ugly. I find the grips to be very good and I don't care about the looks so much. That isn't why I bought it.
Good luck and hope you find the right gun for you

 

[ghitch75]

i like mine too.....i have night sights and C/T laser.....will eat anything....

 

[Fanky]

I've had mine for a little over a month now. It's ate everything I've thrown at it, SWC's, LRN's, FMJ, and hollow points without complaint. It's accurate enough for my standards, but it can be a bit of a handful with warmer loads. I've gotten pegged a few times in the forehead with an ejected casing, but it really doesn't bother me. Everyone that's had a turn with it at the range has loved it, then tried to buy it from me...

 

[Chevelle SS]

A guy I knew had one. He liked it pretty well.

 

[Cowboybootnut]

A buddy of mine talked me into buying his extra Defender a few years ago. I reluctantly bought it. I fell in love with it. It is a great gun, accurate, reliable, manageable recoil. I switched the grips and got some decent wood grips.

My buddy wants to buy it back.

No way Jose.

 

[longhair75]

Thanks, my friends.

I am probably a few months from buying, but this feedback helps my decision making.

 

[Buster34233]

I picked up one of each (I found deals on used in both cases): Defender and New Agent so that I could compare. I have very small hands (womans size 7glove) and the New Agent feels better in my hand. It seems less bulky in little ways that add up: no beavertail safety, trench sights, thin grips standard and the grooved fore strap helps cement the gun in my hand. Both are accurate and since all I shoot in 45's is 230 grain FMJ, both were flawless in terms of reliability. Muzzle flip was more pronounced than with standard 5", of course. I kept the New Agent and traded away the Defender, even tho I would otherwise have preferred a stainless weapon.
FYI, I subsequently picked up a stainless Kahr MK40 Elite that is smaller than the NA in every way, but I find the 40 cal recoil a bit snappy and prefer the 45. The Kahr is on the trading block if anyone is interested.
Buster34233