I think many of the Colt fans have either short memories, or perhaps they aren't old enough to remember when Colt went to the collet barrel bushing as a cost savings measure to eliminate the expense of having to fit solid barrel bushings.
I recall back several years ago when the collet bushing broke on a friend's 1979 vintage nickel plated Colt Series 70 1911 while he was shooting with it at the range. This was a much carried but it was not a much fired gun when he bought it 10 or so years ago, and he only had several hundred additional rounds through it since then. Obviously, Colt does not use the collet bushing anymore, no reputable gunsmith would trust keeping a collet bushing on any original Colt 1911, much less a carry gun. My friend trusted it right up until the moment it failed. I would not own or carry an older 1911 Colt that still had a collet bushing, do any of you still own one? This gun has since had a solid NM barrel bushing fitted and it runs 100% at the range but he no longer carries it. Colt Mfg. obviously quit using these for a reason, anyone feel otherwise?
When you say Colt makes the best production 1911's I assume you mean new production, and anyone would have to admit that Colt's build quality has improved a lot over the years. Older Colt 1911's that see regular use have almost always been modified at significant cost with a lot of aftermarket parts to keep them reliable and accurate.
The newer 1911 manufacturers like Dan Wesson have learned a lot from Colt's mistakes, such as what is described above. And OBTW, Dan Wesson did have some minor growing pains when they entered the 1911 market about 13 years ago with the Patriot Expert, the one and only time I ever saw a cracked mag release on a 1911 was on an early DW Patriot Expert!
Colt fans, particularly the old-schoolers, I'd like to hear your opinion, Thanks!
I recall back several years ago when the collet bushing broke on a friend's 1979 vintage nickel plated Colt Series 70 1911 while he was shooting with it at the range. This was a much carried but it was not a much fired gun when he bought it 10 or so years ago, and he only had several hundred additional rounds through it since then. Obviously, Colt does not use the collet bushing anymore, no reputable gunsmith would trust keeping a collet bushing on any original Colt 1911, much less a carry gun. My friend trusted it right up until the moment it failed. I would not own or carry an older 1911 Colt that still had a collet bushing, do any of you still own one? This gun has since had a solid NM barrel bushing fitted and it runs 100% at the range but he no longer carries it. Colt Mfg. obviously quit using these for a reason, anyone feel otherwise?
When you say Colt makes the best production 1911's I assume you mean new production, and anyone would have to admit that Colt's build quality has improved a lot over the years. Older Colt 1911's that see regular use have almost always been modified at significant cost with a lot of aftermarket parts to keep them reliable and accurate.
The newer 1911 manufacturers like Dan Wesson have learned a lot from Colt's mistakes, such as what is described above. And OBTW, Dan Wesson did have some minor growing pains when they entered the 1911 market about 13 years ago with the Patriot Expert, the one and only time I ever saw a cracked mag release on a 1911 was on an early DW Patriot Expert!
Colt fans, particularly the old-schoolers, I'd like to hear your opinion, Thanks!
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