NRM O1991 - My First Colt
I brought home my first Colt today, a NRM O1991. My family pitched in for Christmas, and under my tree I found a "gift certificate" entitling its bearer to a new firearm, subject to "credit approval." It seems my wife is distantly related to Sam Colt, and she thought it only proper that I actually have one. Sure hon, what ever. I'm off to the gun shop! I'll be back...
Armed with not a small amount of knowledge found here and elsewhere on the net, and having given learned a bit over the years, I found myself gazing into a display box full of Colts. A while later having rejected the urgings of the younger sales staff to look "superior" offerings from SA and Kimber, I chose an older fellow to bring out several Colts for closer scrutiny. A stainless model I had honestly hoped to purchase fell to the way side due to poor finishing touches. An otherwise beautiful Commander had a horrible dummy scratch in the side; a gash, really. Mine looked pretty good at first. I hefted it, turned it , checked it, peered, stared, closed my eyes, cycled the action, disassembled, and put it back together. You now what? It still looked good. Really good. I bought it. My first Colt. Quite satisfying, actually.
The fit is excellent. The barrel locks up tightly without much if any play in the bushing. The slide to frame fit exhibits slight horizontal movement and no vertical movement. The action is smooth. The trigger rattles around. The trigger pull is good, exhibiting little take up, a clean break, and no creap. The slide safety lock snicks positively on and off. There is a small amount of play in the off position. I can manupulate the safety a millimeter or so up and down. The plunger doesn't seem to engage it sufficiently to hold it firmly in place. The grip safety fits nicley, though there is a small machine mark or grind line visible on close inspection. Really small. Several folks I've pointed it out to already get puzzled looks, wondering what I'm trying to show them. Maybe I'm too picky...
The finish is beautiful. The brushed polished flats and matted rounds are arguably flawlessly executed. The finishes on the NRM and S70 lines are arguably the best things going at under a thousand dollars these days. Actually, given some of the finishes I compared them to, over a thousand dollars, as well.
No front cocking serrations! Ahhh. I'm glad I got that off my chest. I used to insist on them. No more. Apparently I awoke a few weeks ago with a preference against what I had previously insisted upon. Who knows?
The sights are the familiar basic three dot type. They are well centered. I find them to be perfectly functional despite having heard otherwise for years. Oh well, I've been living and learning a lot about 1911s lately, it seems.
Internally there were not very many markings. The feed ramp is highly polished, and looks as if it will slide anything over it into Colt's new "dimple" barrel throat. An interesting set up, and a reportedly reliable one, too. I'll have to see for myself, of course.
The grips are an attractive rosewood and fit well. Not as grainy as I'd prefer, but that's what the after market industry is for, after all.
All in all, a fine pistol. I am glad to have it. For those interested in such things, I closed the deal at $530 plus tax. Well worth it.
Thanks to my family.
I brought home my first Colt today, a NRM O1991. My family pitched in for Christmas, and under my tree I found a "gift certificate" entitling its bearer to a new firearm, subject to "credit approval." It seems my wife is distantly related to Sam Colt, and she thought it only proper that I actually have one. Sure hon, what ever. I'm off to the gun shop! I'll be back...
Armed with not a small amount of knowledge found here and elsewhere on the net, and having given learned a bit over the years, I found myself gazing into a display box full of Colts. A while later having rejected the urgings of the younger sales staff to look "superior" offerings from SA and Kimber, I chose an older fellow to bring out several Colts for closer scrutiny. A stainless model I had honestly hoped to purchase fell to the way side due to poor finishing touches. An otherwise beautiful Commander had a horrible dummy scratch in the side; a gash, really. Mine looked pretty good at first. I hefted it, turned it , checked it, peered, stared, closed my eyes, cycled the action, disassembled, and put it back together. You now what? It still looked good. Really good. I bought it. My first Colt. Quite satisfying, actually.
The fit is excellent. The barrel locks up tightly without much if any play in the bushing. The slide to frame fit exhibits slight horizontal movement and no vertical movement. The action is smooth. The trigger rattles around. The trigger pull is good, exhibiting little take up, a clean break, and no creap. The slide safety lock snicks positively on and off. There is a small amount of play in the off position. I can manupulate the safety a millimeter or so up and down. The plunger doesn't seem to engage it sufficiently to hold it firmly in place. The grip safety fits nicley, though there is a small machine mark or grind line visible on close inspection. Really small. Several folks I've pointed it out to already get puzzled looks, wondering what I'm trying to show them. Maybe I'm too picky...
The finish is beautiful. The brushed polished flats and matted rounds are arguably flawlessly executed. The finishes on the NRM and S70 lines are arguably the best things going at under a thousand dollars these days. Actually, given some of the finishes I compared them to, over a thousand dollars, as well.
No front cocking serrations! Ahhh. I'm glad I got that off my chest. I used to insist on them. No more. Apparently I awoke a few weeks ago with a preference against what I had previously insisted upon. Who knows?
The sights are the familiar basic three dot type. They are well centered. I find them to be perfectly functional despite having heard otherwise for years. Oh well, I've been living and learning a lot about 1911s lately, it seems.
Internally there were not very many markings. The feed ramp is highly polished, and looks as if it will slide anything over it into Colt's new "dimple" barrel throat. An interesting set up, and a reportedly reliable one, too. I'll have to see for myself, of course.
The grips are an attractive rosewood and fit well. Not as grainy as I'd prefer, but that's what the after market industry is for, after all.
All in all, a fine pistol. I am glad to have it. For those interested in such things, I closed the deal at $530 plus tax. Well worth it.
Thanks to my family.
.
