Question about colt revolvers
- Thread starter TECH79
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Lone_Gunman
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It was about 1 to 2 years ago.
The reason they quit making them is because Colt couldn't figure out how to sell them and make a profit. I think a group of semi-retarded apes could run Colt about as well as the people currently in charge.
The reason they quit making them is because Colt couldn't figure out how to sell them and make a profit. I think a group of semi-retarded apes could run Colt about as well as the people currently in charge.
dfariswheel
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Colt went through the big bankruptcy and in order to keep in business they had to "lose" some of the less profitable guns.
In 2000 they discontinued the King Cobra, the DS-II/Magnum Carry, the .22 auto, and several other models.
They kept the Anaconda and the Python up until late 2004.
The Python was discontinued because it was simply pricing itself out of the market.
It was a totally hand assembled, hand fitted and tuned gun and required A LOT of external polishing for that mirror-like finish.
All this hand labor cost big bucks since the people capable of doing that level of work don't work for minimum wage, and the gun was getting so expensive sales were falling.
Then too, all Colt's best people were so busy building the Python, the other, more profitable lines were suffering.
The Anaconda went because the market for huge double action revolvers costing more than the competition was also falling.
Colt is supposedly working on new revolver designs, of which we should hear something soon, but the Python as it was is gone forever.
In 2000 they discontinued the King Cobra, the DS-II/Magnum Carry, the .22 auto, and several other models.
They kept the Anaconda and the Python up until late 2004.
The Python was discontinued because it was simply pricing itself out of the market.
It was a totally hand assembled, hand fitted and tuned gun and required A LOT of external polishing for that mirror-like finish.
All this hand labor cost big bucks since the people capable of doing that level of work don't work for minimum wage, and the gun was getting so expensive sales were falling.
Then too, all Colt's best people were so busy building the Python, the other, more profitable lines were suffering.
The Anaconda went because the market for huge double action revolvers costing more than the competition was also falling.
Colt is supposedly working on new revolver designs, of which we should hear something soon, but the Python as it was is gone forever.
If Colt could market some products like the Python as a premium product, which a proper one is, they could sell it at that price. After all, what do Les Baers go for? A Freedom Arms or Wilson isn't cheap either. Production would be understandably slow, but even at the height, how many were dedicated to just Pythons?
People do pay more for products perceived as premium - look how much more people will pay for the same (or equivalent in every way) product from Williams Sonoma. The first low end Lexus was a souped up Camry.
There is also some pent up demand for the Colt rollmark. But marketing means having to connect and interact with the buying public.
People do pay more for products perceived as premium - look how much more people will pay for the same (or equivalent in every way) product from Williams Sonoma. The first low end Lexus was a souped up Camry.
There is also some pent up demand for the Colt rollmark. But marketing means having to connect and interact with the buying public.
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
That's true; there was another factor at work, however, which needs to be addressed. Plenty of us were ready, willing, and able to pay super-premium prices for top of the line Colt revolvers; unfortunately, the fit and finish of post-2000 Pythons were often inferior to the fit and finish of Rugers, and the triggers were often much worse than those Ruger delivered.
Colt thought it could get away with charging super-premium prices for blatantly inferior products. America never has been very receptive to arrogance.
Lone_Gunman
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Standing Wolf and Croyance have hit the nail on the head.
People will line up to buy $2000 custom 1911s. The price on the Python was not the reason it did not sell well in its last days. Quality and marketing were the reason. I also think they would have sold better if they had continued to use Colts Royal Blue finish, rather than utilitarian stainless.
People will line up to buy $2000 custom 1911s. The price on the Python was not the reason it did not sell well in its last days. Quality and marketing were the reason. I also think they would have sold better if they had continued to use Colts Royal Blue finish, rather than utilitarian stainless.
Lone_Gunman
Member
The last batch of pythons were only available in stainless as I recall, and were called "Python Elite".
A Python would indeed be a small production product. However, it is meant to be a flagship of the product line.
Any reasonable attempt to bring back Colt would focus on carry guns and monster large frames. That is where the market is.
As things stand now, outside of government contracts Colt isn't big even for gun manufacturers.
Colt has some advantages that botique manufacturers. They can make the basic parts in volume, which custom shops can't. Final fitting can still be done by hand. The remainder are the modern day Troopers.
Large companies need to sell large volumes of products to be profitable, but small divisions can make profits off of small volumes.
A true Royal Blue would take the old time polishers that might not be around anymore.
Any reasonable attempt to bring back Colt would focus on carry guns and monster large frames. That is where the market is.
As things stand now, outside of government contracts Colt isn't big even for gun manufacturers.
Colt has some advantages that botique manufacturers. They can make the basic parts in volume, which custom shops can't. Final fitting can still be done by hand. The remainder are the modern day Troopers.
Large companies need to sell large volumes of products to be profitable, but small divisions can make profits off of small volumes.
A true Royal Blue would take the old time polishers that might not be around anymore.
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
Indeed, some of the last Pythons made were "royal blue;" unfortunately, the finish was mediocre at best, not at all up to the famous Colt royal blue of old.
Lone_Gunman
Member
Are you sure, Standing Wolf? I looked for one high and low in blue, could not find one, and ended up buying stainless. I am talking about right before they phased them out a couple of years ago.
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