Colt still uses the old type flat springs which, in theory, are more prone to break or weaken than coil springs, so in that respect I would say that IMHO a Colt (and Colt clones) are a tiny bit less reliable that a Ruger with its more modern design.
Yet, as Gordon says, there is something about the old style guns that the new type guns can't match.
IMHO again, the closest SAAs to the old Colts are not the new Colts but the USFA guns, which just plain FEEL more like the old-timers.
As to blocking out part of the serial number, there two reasons given, both of which I think are plain silly. The first is the idea that the government has the manpower to monitor these sites 24/7 and pick up serial numbers to build a secret gun registration data base, so THEY will know who has guns when the time comes to seize them and take over the world, or something like that. The other idea is that some crook will see a serial number, and report the gun to the police as having been stolen from him. The police, being totally clueless, will seize the gun and give it to the crook, without requiring any further proof or evidence of his claim. IMHO (again), both these ideas belong to the tinfoil hat brigade. There are very real threats to gun ownership, but those two ideas are not among them. If one wants the date of manufacture or whether a gun is an antique, the whole serial number is often necessary.
Jim
