Colt Working to Bring New DA Revolver(s) to Market
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larryh1108
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That's your opinion and I am sure there are many thousands here who disagree with your statement. If you've been here over 6 years with over 2,000 posts and don't know who Denis is, you either don't read much here or just doubt everything in your life.
As for Colt's market, I'd be willing to bet that a Colt revolver would appeal to the people who buy the name, as long as it is a quality piece. I don't think it would be smart to try to revive a retired line. They would be smart to offer it in stainless as well as their premium deep blue polished finish which, IMO, is second to none. The Colt name plus their premium blueing in a desirable size should create a large market without much fanfare. Of course, it has to perform as good as it looks or it will not last long.
Peter M. Eick
Member
Good summary Larry of what they would have to do. You have really captured my thoughts of what they will do. I just hope they consider doing something more retro looking. I take it as a given that it will not be an old style V action and more a MKIII design, but good bluing, good quality and decent styling would be a winner.
buck460XVR
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As I mentioned on another forum thread on this same subject, the revolver market is very limited when it comes to interest in DA revolvers and that interest is already being acknowledge by several good manufacturers. There's a reason Colt quit making DA revolvers. Much of the demand for the older Colt DA revolvers is driven by the fact they aren't available anymore and are being bought by folks buying them as a collector investment and not as a shooter. In order to compete in this limited market, it's hard to imagine Colt could produce an affordable shooter revolver that did not include CNC and MIM parts. This is not a bad thing, only something that Colt purists will not like.(similar to the series 80 1911s). While I think Colt can and will produce a DA revolver, I think it will be similar to the re-introduced Dan Wessons. While there were hoards of folk claiming they would buy a new DW when it hit the market, when the revolver finally did hit the market, and folks considered what they were getting for the monies asked, the demand waned. Collectors will rush to get the new Colts when they are first re-introduced. Colt fanboys will buy they regardless of price and quality. Whether they will go over well and continue to be produced continuously again will depend on quality, reliability, accuracy and customer service relative to price. These are the factors most folks looking for a shooter revolver today are looking for. It's good for DA revolver lovers that Colt is coming back into the market. The competition is always a good thing. Since the biggest demand for DA revolvers is in small SD type weapons, I assume this will be one of the initial offerings.
Can I just chime in here that I would LOVE if Colt did a re-introduction of the large-frame New Service, like S&W did a few years back with the SChofield? Keep the numbers low and labor costs high so it rivals the originals, and they'd sell them all.
Since they will be starting over with new people, new machines, etc. I hope Colt re-thinks the whole DA revolver concept and comes up with something completely new and modern. The traditionalists may not like it, but the younger people who are discovering revolvers will. Enough living in the past. Ruger started it with the LCR. Colt can take it to a new level.
Vodoun da Vinci
Member
Wow...I didn't think of that. What if Colt decided to go "Rogue" and *not* do what was expected of them and try and remake old Colt designs. What if they did something like Ruger did with the LCR?
I'm almost more excited by that concept than a new DS in stainless. Colt remakes themselves and comes out with a whole new line of cool stuff never seen before, new and fresh and all 21st Century.
How cool would that be?
VooDoo
I'm almost more excited by that concept than a new DS in stainless. Colt remakes themselves and comes out with a whole new line of cool stuff never seen before, new and fresh and all 21st Century.
How cool would that be?
VooDoo
Several years ago Colt dumped their entire Archive Collection (Prototypes, selected production models, proposed new models, - everything that would be needed to restart production) at a major auction. By that time obsolute tooling was long-gone. This act was seen by industry watchers as solid proof of their intention of never going back to what once was. Obviously some of the posts on this thread show that not all folks got the message.
I am not sure what they may come up with (if anything) but it will unquestionably be something that is entirely new.
I am not sure what they may come up with (if anything) but it will unquestionably be something that is entirely new.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Whether or not it will be any good remains to be seen but either way, it will definitely be interesting to see what develops. If anything.
Deaf Smith
Member
With CNC machinery they can duplicate any of the old stuff real quick.
Deaf
It's not that easy. CNC machines have to be programmed to produce a certain part. Also a lot of the smaller parts that were in the last production were purchased from sub-contractors - who may or may not be in a position to duplicate them today, and because of past problems may demand payment "up front".
Among other things, Colt dumped the selected production samples of those revolvers that would have otherwise been used to facilitate reintroduction.
Last but not least, I doubt that they'd want to "duplicate any of the old stuff," because the resulting product wouldn't be competitive in today's market. So far as that goes, they weren't competitive back when they were being made before.
It would appear that they propose to re-enter a market where their market share today is zero. That to say the least is a challenge.
JohnBT
Member
"With CNC machinery they can duplicate any of the old stuff real quick."
Weren't a number of those old parts made oversized so they could be fitted by hand to work with the other oversized parts? Some parts performed more than one function too, complicating the fitting required.
Cranking out parts on a machine is fine, Fabbri does it for $200k shotguns, but the parts still have to be fitted and finished. He bought their first computerized machine in 1974 fwiw.
Weren't a number of those old parts made oversized so they could be fitted by hand to work with the other oversized parts? Some parts performed more than one function too, complicating the fitting required.
Cranking out parts on a machine is fine, Fabbri does it for $200k shotguns, but the parts still have to be fitted and finished. He bought their first computerized machine in 1974 fwiw.
Yes and no...
Colt's revolvers that were introduced around 1905 -1908 were the ones where several parts were made oversized at some points so there was material to allow hand fitting. At the time this resulted in guns that were far better fitted then is the case now. However over time skilled labor became so expensive that Colt could no longer compete in the marketplace.
So starting in 1969-70 they started to discontinue those, and replace them with new models that were designed to eliminate most of the handwork. Parts were simply installed for the most part, and then the gun went out the door. Even so, the new guns were not truly competitive, and acceptance was not what they hoped it would be.
Stephanie B
Member
I guess we'll see what Colt does when they do it.
Right now the carry revolver quality level seems to run: Armscor < Taurus < Charter < Smith. Colt might try to drop in at the top end; for there seems to be a reasonable enough demand for ~$1,000 1911s and other self-stuffers to justify a decent carry revolver at that price point.
Or not. WTFDIK, really?
Right now the carry revolver quality level seems to run: Armscor < Taurus < Charter < Smith. Colt might try to drop in at the top end; for there seems to be a reasonable enough demand for ~$1,000 1911s and other self-stuffers to justify a decent carry revolver at that price point.
Or not. WTFDIK, really?
Stephanie B
Member
If they do make a snubbie, I hope that the grip frame at least has the same dimensions as the Detective Special.
Then maybe Crimson Trace will make grips for it.
Then maybe Crimson Trace will make grips for it.
There are those Rugers too...
I'm not sure which side of Smith they would fall on.
Stephanie B
Member
I forgot about Ruger. I shot a LCR at one range trip and I wasn't impressed. But then again, I like steel-framed guns and the LCR was tending towards "hurting on one end, killing on the other". I'd probably feel the same way towards an Airweight.
Got to shoot a Security Six once. It was built like a Russian tank, but it was no Model 19/27.
Maybe Ruger would be between Smith & Charter, but a heck of a lot closer to a Smith?
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JohnBT
Member
"Yes and no... "
You're right, I thought this was the Python thread.
You're right, I thought this was the Python thread.
Even if this is an internet rumor, I hope it becomes true. It would be a good thing if Colt produced a new, and decent, double action revolver. It can't use the Python lockworks, too expensive and requires too much handfiling, but there are lots of other options.
Panzerschwein
member
This is all just speculation.
I've seen more than one thread on the internet claiming Colt was going to reintroduce DA revolvers to the market. Usually the OP is "well informed" or whatever.
I won't believe ONE SINGLE WORD of it until that pretty little prancing pony himself speaks! In the mean time, I'll invest my money in revolvers emblazoned with a big ugly looking dragon-bird Phoenix type thing.
I've seen more than one thread on the internet claiming Colt was going to reintroduce DA revolvers to the market. Usually the OP is "well informed" or whatever.
I won't believe ONE SINGLE WORD of it until that pretty little prancing pony himself speaks! In the mean time, I'll invest my money in revolvers emblazoned with a big ugly looking dragon-bird Phoenix type thing.
evan price
Member
The first time this rumor piped up on thr, and again now, I kind of half thought it would be nice to get some of the stuff I wanted like a magnum carry or a stainless dicks special. However on further reflection, they would have to price new guns so high that I might as well buy the old ones. I prefer cosmetically challenged shooter grade over safe queens anyway. So, no, a new Colt has little interest to me.
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