Colt 1911's

[Slater]

I've heard on a couple different occasions to "never buy a Colt sight unseen". Is their QC really that spotty?

 

[gotboostvr]

My Colt's slide is a little rattel-y and the thumb safety is a little mushy, but it's trigger is phenomial and accuracy is great. Mines a lightweight commander, and outshoots my full size steel guns.

 

[Old Dog]

Here we go again. Colt, like many manufacturers, has gone through cycles of relatively questionable quality control. Some companies operate for years on aging machinery. Other companies produce large quantities of product but do more random quality assurance checks. I've found the current quality of Colt 1911s (and I've bought a few over the past five years) to be as good as any other company's.

But I do not now buy any firearms "sight unseen," having been able to find what I want locally and examine the pieces before committing. But if you've got a good relationship with an on-line source (such as Top Gun Supply, shameless plug here) and never been burned before, it might work for you. Certainly, a new Colt would one pistol (along with a select few other brands such as H&K, SIG, Beretta, Dan Wesson, CZ) that I would consider ordering without having seen first ...

 

[Hangingrock]

The last Colt acquired in 2008 was an older XSE series. Replaced the OEM sights with Novak (had to mill the slide), OEM recoil guide one piece rod assembly with GI equivalent two piece, OEM plastic main spring housing with Wilson flat MSH, replaced the OEM grip safety with a Ed Brown and replaced the OEM Magazines with CMC-PM. Feeds FMJ Ball no problem and 200Gr SWC so-so.

 

[tipoc]

I've heard on a couple different occasions to "never buy a Colt sight unseen". Is their QC really that spotty?

Never buy any gun "sight unseen" without the right of refusal and the right to examine it.

 

[Armybrat]

Guess I've been lucky - have bought 8 or 9 new guns sight unseen over the past three years from 4 different dealers (PSA, Bud's, GrabAGun, Tombstone Tactical) without a quality problem (except for the front sight on a Remington R1 that is set too high, but is going to be replaced anyway).

This Colt Series 70 .45 I bought a year & a half ago online has excellent fit & finish - not a flaw to be found:

 

[tarosean]

I bought a colt online 3 months ago.
No complaints

 

[imashooter]

I bought mine from Bud's in Sep 2014. To be honest, It's near the bottom of my number of 1911's regarding the "impressed" factor. I picked a terrible time to buy it (had to have me a Colt). Cost a spit over a 1,000.00 which was a good price at the moment. Within a year or so the same pistol was bringing 830.00 - 850.00 new and I believe a little lower.

 

[tipoc]

Guess I've been lucky - have bought 8 or 9 new guns sight unseen over the past three years from 4 different dealers...

View attachment 447755

Appears you saw them eventually. At which time you got to judge their condition. Had they been nothing but a brick in a box, or a gun with no barrel, you were able to act accordingly. Had you been stuck with whatever was in the box, you wouldn't brag on it now.

This is why fellas being nervous about buying "sight unseen" make little sense.

 

[bannockburn]

I bought several Colt 1911s six or seven years ago on the recommendation of a gunsmith I knew who felt, at the time, that Colt was producing some of the best built pistols they had ever made in quite a long time. I completely agreed with him as the ones I bought were all very well built, assembled, and finished.

 

[1911 guy]

Tipoc nailed it. Colt is making very good pistols right now at competitive prices. But I would not buy any type of firearm from any manufacturer without looking at it first. This can be as simple as arranging right of refusal for an internet sale. Look at it while at the dealer counter. 99.999% chance it will be good to go. If not, it goes back to the distributor. For the same reason, you should examine the particular gun you're buying from a shop, not just the display sample.

 

[Sauer Grapes]

Funny, a couple years ago, a friend bought a Colt 1911 XSE. The trigger on that gun was terrific. Really nice gun, put together well, nice and tight. {for a Colt} 3 months later I bought the same thing. This gun had the worst trigger I've ever felt on a 1911. All in all a nice gun though. Just not as well put together as his.

 

[Armybrat]

Appears you saw them eventually. At which time you got to judge their condition. Had they been nothing but a brick in a box, or a gun with no barrel, you were able to act accordingly. Had you been stuck with whatever was in the box, you wouldn't brag on it now.

This is why fellas being nervous about buying "sight unseen" make little sense.

Well of course I examine them at the FFL before accepting them for the transfer. Out of all those purchases, the only flaw I missed was the one mentioned, but that one was pretty minor and won't be there as soon as I replace it with a tritium front sight.

 

[tark]

If Colt would just learn to polish out the raised metal from the stampings, their guns would look a lot better....... But they are making good guns now. A few years past the joke was Colt stood for "correct our loose tolerances" Those days are past.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Series 80 and 90s are great. I do mean great. Every one I've owned, and I own three now, work perfectly.

Right now I own 1911 Colts in .45, 10mm, and .40 S&W.

Its the series 70s that had problems years ago due to quality control.

Deaf

 

[cfullgraf]

The finish on my 1981 vintage Colt Mk IV, Series 70 is much better than the several Colt 1911s that I have purchased in the last 10 years but all have been reliable. Well, the collet bushing broke on the 1981 vintage model.

Interesting, discounting age and wear, I bought a Colt 1911 built in 1955 a few years after the 1981 vintage gun and the finish on the 1981 gun is nicer.

I guess I missed the period of poor quality on the Colts as all mine have been reliable and good shooters. Besides, I know my way around a 1911 so I'm able to correct problems that I may encounter.

While the rich, polished blueing looks great, these guns are shooters in my book and I do not intend to display them on the wall.

I like to fondle a gun before purchasing it. New guns, I like a refusal policy in the purchase agreement. Used guns, I won't put down cash until I see the gun. This pretty much rules out distant purchases.

 

[tipoc]

If I buy a new TV from Wal-Mart or Best Buy I don't get to watch it for 4 or 5 hours at the store before I take it home. I don't know it's gonna work or not. In the case of that TV or a new computer we don't even get a chance to look at it really, till we unpack it at home and set it up. If the screen is cracked, well we know what to do. That's why we keep the receipt.

At least with any gun we pick up at the FFL/Gunatorium we have the opportunity to look it over visually, make sure it's the right thing, and do a safety check. Take it from there. We can't shoot it of course, that comes later. But we're already one up on the new stereo or computer.

"Sight Unseen" can be a question if buying a used gun online. There a right of return is important.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

I've had no problems with them...older ones or newer ones

 

[The Bushmaster]

I bought a Colt 1911 new in 1991. one of my favorites. Over the years I have added several Wilson parts such as barrel and bushing and Wilson magazines. Thumb safety, mag well and Novack sights. I have yet found anything it won't load and shoot. I hand load all of it's ammunition. Wad-cutters, ball, hollow points, lead. You name it.

Accuracy? At 25 yards it will put all rounds into a 3" dot (as long as I do my part)...

 

[bannockburn]

C&L

Love both sets of grips on your Colts!

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Thanks! The Commander has a chip of the bottom left grip panel. I still like those anyway.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Just saw today a Colt 1911 'rail' gun, stainless, ambidextrous safety, Novak sights. Used and defiantly not abused.

They want $799 for it and I bet they could have been talked down. Now rail guns (rails on the frame for lights) don't excite me but still it was a very good piece.

Deaf

 

[Armybrat]

Say Deaf - I looked at Bud's and GrabAGun for their new Colt 1911 rail guns - the cheapest one I saw was $1,006, and others went up to $1,900.. If the one you saw was all original & in good shape, that would be quite a steal.
Rail guns don't excite me too much either, but I'd be tempted with that one - if it ain't boogered up.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Well Armybrat, it wasn't boogered up at all. In fact it was in real nice condition. I just have 4 1911s are really don't need another!

Deaf

 

[Rock185]

Hello Slater, I like Colts, and have owned more of these than any other 1911 manufacturer's 1911s over a good many years. The regular production guns are just that, regular production guns. They are not lovingly hand fitted by a long-time Colt gunsmith, etc. They are just assembled from bins of parts and checked for correct fit and function. So, individual guns do vary. Most are fine, every once in awhile, someone happens to get a Bummer. Sometimes that "someone" is me. That doesn't keep me from buying Colts. My last, a $2K Special Combat Government model had to go back once (front sight fell off) and should have gone back again but I took care of the issue. Still, this would not keep me from buying a Colt I had not personally handled, inspected, etc.

Colt True Believers don't want to hear it, but the regular production 1911 types I've had the least issues with, and never had to send back with a warranty issue, are the Kimbers. The darn things just seem to work,and nothing has fallen off or broken, in spite of what I read on the internet.