New / Contemporary Colt Build Quality

[roo_ster]

Howdy:

Son is looking for a GM-sized 1911 in the $1000+/- range, budget-wise. The Competition and Gold Cup models look to fit the bill as far as features & suchlike. He will shoot IDPA, USPSA SS and tote in the field.

https://www.colt.com/detail-page/competition-ser70-45acp-ss-81
https://www.colt.com/detail-page/colt-o5870a1-gold-cup-ntlmtc-45-5-bl

As I was growing up, Colt was synonymous for awful quality. I have heard some good things the last few years but I wonder if they are back in the quality 1911 game and not just selling prancing pony nostalgia. I do admit the pony is pretty.

Thanks for your time.

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For my own part, I bought a GM-sized SW 1911 back when they first came out and then a SW 1911SC LtwtCdr size. I would not hesitate to suggest a SW 1911. Sure, the external extractor is non-JMB-compliant. But it works, no fuss no muss. Back in the day, I thought that a 1911 built by S&W would be a fine gun and I was right.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/sw1911-e-series

 

[bullseye308]

I don’t have any experience with colt personally but I do with Springfield and have a couple Range Officers in 9mm and absolutely love them. They ha s the quality, accuracy, and support I was looking for in a 1911 and the price is right too. I have the 5” which is incredibly accurate and the 4” Champion that will be when I get the rear sight changed for what I prefer.

I’ve heard their 45’s are just as good, but no experience as I prefer 9mm.

 

[Old Dog]

I got the latest incarnation of the (blued) LW Commander, and it's a keeper. Love this pistol. Recently shot (a hundred rounds through) one of the Competition models, didn't care for the blue fiber-optic front sight or the blue grips, but fit and finish was otherwise top-notch and the pistol was very accurate and ran 100%. Haven't shot one of the new GCs, but have handled a few in my LGS, and the specimens I examined appear to be quite nice.

In my experience, Colt's current quality is pretty good and I haven't experienced any issues with any of mine. Since Colt is marketing these pistols you've mentioned specifically for competition, IMO they're worth a look.

Disclaimer: I'm a loyal Colt guy. My Series 70 repro models are fabulous, and the stainless LW Commander XSE is excellent as well. So I'd go with a Colt (assume you're looking at the $900-1200 range) -- since you've stated the pistol is for competition --, unless I wanted to spend a few hundred more for a Dan Wesson (arguably the top of the production 1911s), which for me makes more sense in the $1300-1500 price range than a S&W or SIG 1911 ...

No disrespect intended to previous poster, but when someone asks specifically about a particular brand, especially a pistol for competition, well, you know ... at least you didn't relate how you have no experience with Colts but you do love your Glocks ...

 

[Valkman]

I only have one Colt 1911 that I got cheap on a group buy and it was easily the worst one I have ever bought. Horrendous trigger pull, over 10 lbs. I put a new ignition kit in it rather than send it back and then finally it shot decently. QC at Colt was not good the day it was made!

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I bought a new National Match a few years ago. It ran fantastic right out of the box. I have only put about 3k rounds throught it. I have not taken it apart or cleaned it at all. I am going to see how long it will go without being cleaned.

 

[highlander 5]

I've several 1911 and have to admit the Rugers I have are my favorites . The one factor for this is the integral plunger tube for the spring and detente fo the slide stop and thumb safety . Had a Colt 1911 ages ago that the tube flew off in less than 100 rds. Took a month or more to get it repaired by Colt.

 

[Mike .45]

The current Colt offerings are the best in at least 30 years. IMHO they are tops in the $900 - $1200 range. I have 4 Colts of fairly recent vintage and all ran 100% right out of the box. I also have or have had 1911's from Springfield, Kimber, S&W, Ruger and Sig.

 

[bannockburn]

roo_ster

A few years back I was looking for a new 1911 with a few more bells and whistles on it than the basic Springfield Armory M1911A1 that I had at the time. Went to a gun shop that I knew specialized in 1911s (the owner also runs a custom shop at the store), to look around. My price point was something south of $1K. Found a Remington R1 and a Ruger SR1911 that seemed okay but the owner wanted me to take a look at the latest Colts he had gotten in. He went over all three guns feature for feature and showed me how good the build quality was on the current Colts. The owner even said that he thought these were some of the best Colts coming out of the factory in the last 20 to 30 years.

I eventually went with a Colt Lightweight Government as I liked the way it felt and balanced in my hand. A week or two later I came back and picked up a standard Colt Government, mainly for use as a range gun. Then a couple of months after that I picked up a Colt Lightweight Commander in .38 Super at a local gun show. All in all I have been very happy and more than satisfied with my three new Colts.

 

[bullseye308]

No disrespect intended to previous poster, but when someone asks specifically about a particular brand, especially a pistol for competition, well, you know ... at least you didn't relate how you have no experience with Colts but you do love your Glocks

Sorry, I understood him to be asking about a “a GM-sized 1911 in the $1000+/- range, budget-wise” not necessarily a Colt but a GM sized gun. He only specified a 1911 as I read it, had he not I might have recommended a Glock as I do love them.

 

[Old Dog]

The current Colt offerings are the best in at least 30 years. IMHO they are tops in the $900 - $1200 range. I have 4 Colts of fairly recent vintage and all ran 100% right out of the box. I also have or have had 1911's from Springfield, Kimber, S&W, Ruger and Sig.

This is actually what I was trying to say in response to the OP. Thanks, Mike.

 

[captain awesome]

the only Colt 1911 one I owned was not impressive, a gold cup trophy model in stainless steel. it had several issues (it was new) had poor slide to frame fit, loose barrel to bushing fit, accuracy was terrible, the trigger was gritty, heavy and disgusting for a 1911, severe goudges inside the barrel and it had scratches on the side of the slide...I sent it back to Colt the day after I first fired it, six months later it came back with no warning or explaination of what had been done, everything seemed resolved except for
the scratches on the slide. I took it to the range, acuraccy improved but was still not impressive, (i could shoot my other 1911s much better with significantly tighter groups, same ammo same range day actually doing side by side comparisons) so I sold it. got what I paid out of it and never looked back.

 

[gotboostvr]

I've got two recently made Colt's. A blued all steel 5" XSE, and a blued lightweight 4.25" Wiley Clapp commander.

Both are fantastic. I'd like to bobtail the commander and get new sights for both, but other than that they're out of the box outstanding.

 

[roo_ster]

Thanks to those who have spent the time to respond with vote and/or reply.

Thus far, votes and posted responses run about 3:1 in favor of Colt as a quality buy in the $1000-range. Not sure exactly what they might mean, other than a Colt in that niche is not a crazy bet.

The blue fiber optic is not my cup of tea, either. I think it can be switched out for other colors.

As for the non-Colt responses, not in the market for a Springfield Armory. I own one, it runs, but I am not going to buy another. No Kimbers, either, thanks. I like the Dan Wesson, but they are too much for the budget. Likewise spendy custom/semi-custom makes. The Ruger sounds intriguing. I always liked Ruger and S&W build quality, but for decades neither built anything I wanted in centerfire pistol. Then SW goes and builds a 1911. Now Ruger does the same.

 

[JDR]

I voted “Good, but not tops out of the box non-custom 1911” I’d have to say that Dan Wesson fits that bill better than Colt

 

[WVsig]

Stretch the budget and get a Dan Wesson Silverback while you still can. They have been discontinued but they can be had for $1300. For the money you are getting a NO MIM 1911 that is about as good as a production 1911 gets. IMHO

 

[LoneGoose]

I got a good deal on a Colt New Agent with CTC grips. After about 200 rounds, it jammed bad. It took a lot of effort to get it disassembled. and what I found was heartbreaking. The very back of the firing pin had peened and mushroomed enough that it got stuck inside of the firing pin stop. I don't know how it got that far forward, but it certainly wasn't going to come back through that hole. I called Colt. The guy said that he was aware of that firing pin problem. I sent them the gun and it came back with a completely different firing pin design. It shoots well now. It's a shame that the gun left the factory with the soft part in it.

 

[Col. Harrumph]

I have a plain Jane Series 70, one of the current production ones that comes with a Series 80 hammer and slide but without the firing pin blocker parts. The only issue that gun had was that the hammer leaned a bit to one side. It didn't affect the pistol's function, which has been 100%, but I changed it anyway for a pre-A1 hammer with a big fat spur. Now it's way better looking and has a proper half-cock.

Accuracy: good enough for government work. Fit and finish, the same.

Trigger: world class.

Number of failures in I-don't-know-how-many-rounds: 0.

Would I buy one again? Hell yes.

 

[Old Dog]

As for the non-Colt responses, not in the market for a Springfield Armory. I own one, it runs, but I am not going to buy another. No Kimbers, either, thanks. I like the Dan Wesson, but they are too much for the budget. Likewise spendy custom/semi-custom makes. The Ruger sounds intriguing. I always liked Ruger and S&W build quality, but for decades neither built anything I wanted in centerfire pistol. Then SW goes and builds a 1911. Now Ruger does the same.

In light of this response from the OP, I'd just say, try a Colt ... if not, I'd try a Ruger (I've never even shot one of their 1911s, so no experience there); at least they're made in America and have the internal extractor (I'm sorry, but a 1911 with an external extractor is something I don't consider a 1911 -- and I have a SIG "1911") ...

I did notice that at least a couple of the more negative responses from those who've owned Colts sort of indicated their experience with the brand was not, in fact, that recent ... to you I'd say, give Colt another chance. In my opinion, the company's more recent 1911 offerings are worthy. (And yes, Dan Wesson makes a terrific 1911, but even used, the prices are way more than most new Colts go for, especially in my region.)

 

[Winkman822]

I voted good but not tops out of the box. For tops out of the box, Dan Wesson is hard to beat, but they are at a higher price point. Same for some of the Springfields that I think out do the Colts in terms of out of the box performance and features compared to price. That said, my most recent experience with a Colt 1911 was a Combat Elite that I bought a while back. Everything mates up nicely, but for the price there are a few things that don't blow me away. One is the serrated nylon mainspring housing. Not a huge deal, but when you're paying about $1,000.00 for a gun, put a steel MSH on it. The front sight wasn't blended to the same contour as the top of the slide, there was a little bit of slop in the fit of the beaver tail, and there were more than a few sharp edges that shouldn't be there, particularly on a gun that one could safely assume would be used for concealed carry.