I say about 1940

 

That’s the start of the war…. Can you share thoughts on why 40? I’d assume factories started really ramping up production at that point meaning more guns, less quality control…. I have no clue if that’s true, just me thinking logically

 

Can’t argue the depression years although I own 17 pre war one colts and the blueing the fitting is sublime!!

 

The new series 70s are pretty good. CNC machine work and steel is better and in my experience the guns group extremely well. Only thing I'd like to see would be for Colt to do a final polish before bluing. The lettering and markings don't look as good as the older guns.
Bob

 

I like the new series 70s too . If colt polished them out to be as pretty as the original series 70s the price point might double and I believe they would lose market share I wish they would offer it as a option and show all us colt fans how it’s done and that would give a few of us the chance to Unlimber our pocketbook!!

 

Depression-Era meant more careful workers wanting to keep their well-paying jobs and with the benefits of experienced older machinists to mentor them - coupled with the advent of new steels - making the weapons more durable than before.

 

Depression-Era meant more careful workers wanting to keep their well-paying jobs and with the benefits of experienced older machinists to mentor them...

Exactly. We see Depression-era films and photographs of gunmaking factories, staffed with workers who weren't afraid to get their hands dirty, craftsmen who worked to ensure the parts went together right and functioned correctly.

My own personal thoughts are that these practitioners of the gunmakers' art took a certain amount of pride in their work, even though they may have been just ordinary guys on an assembly line. They took pride in making something that lived up to its advertising. There may have been one guy at Colt whose sole job was to checker hammer spurs. Probably a sort of mundane job. But I'll bet he was an expert at it.

The best years from Colt for 1911s? Beats me. I don't think it's possible to come up with a definitive answer. I'd consider the Post-WWI years on through right before WWII as the 1911's Golden Years. It's interesting that they were looked on as just ordinary guns back then, guns that sold for $25 or less, but we see them today as things to be treasured and protected from harm. The same goes for wartime 1911A1s.

Here's a thought. Suppose Colt took a brand new, but still ordinary, 1911 pistol from...oh, let's say 1926. And using that gun as an example, made one exactly like it, using the exact same manufacturing and finishing techniques...how much would that pistol realistically cost today?

 

The steel used and heat treating of post-war guns is superior to the pre-war guns.

Workmanship varies, but "probably" the peak era was the 1930's.
However, as I've said, guns are not bottles of wine....there are no good or bad years, there are only good or bad individual guns. Each has to be judged on it's individual merits.

Buy a gun or not based on the year made and you may well get a dog. Pass one up based on the year and you may pass a gem.
One of the finest Colt Pythons I ever saw for workmanship of fit and finish was a later 1990's version, which people said was a crap era for quality.
One of the best was a strike era Python that was just about perfect in all respects. Everyone "knows" all those strike Colt's were junk.

 

1913-1915 the army kept begging colt to tone down its blueing and polishing they thought it would help them get more 45- s quicker. The world has never seen that quality since !!! Better steel yes better aesthetics no way ...

 

I do not own any earlier models. I really want a 1913-1915 manufactured 1911. However, finding an unmolested one that does not cost an insane amount has prevented me from obtaining one. There is a lot of talk about Colt finish in this post and many others. I personally like the modern Gold Cup National Match. I think it has a great finish, all the right pieces to the puzzle as well. It is one of my favorites. The only thing I don't care for are the sights, but that is an easy fix.

If anyone is bored, here is a video I did of one a week or so ago when I got it in. This is not a sales post, just thought I would share so others can get a look at the finish. I actually secretly hope it does not sale.

 

The book "A Century of Achievement 1836 - 1936" gives a good insight into the manufacture of Colt handguns prior to WWII. It is a 100th year anniversary showing what Colt was manufacturing at the time, as well as a walk through all the process as a Colt was being manufactured.

Following WWII Colt immediately began transitioning away from the pre-war manufacturing practices.

 

The book "A Century of Achievement 1836 - 1936" gives a good insight into the manufacture of Colt handguns prior to WWII. It is a 100th year anniversary showing what Colt was manufacturing at the time, as well as a walk through all the process as a Colt was being manufactured.

Following WWII Colt immediately began transitioning away from the pre-war manufacturing practices.

You just reminded me. I have been trying to find an original print of that book that is in like new shape for awhile now. I need to resurrect my search

 

I like that video sir !! That is one swell gold cup !!

 

Thank you Sir....I try to do them on all the guns I get in. I am not a poet or wordsmith, more like a hick from a small town in Florida, but I think it helps people see what you can't necessarily see in pics.

 

I am FAR from an expert but have been studying and collecting slowly. My purely anecdotal thoughts are, the prettiest, most elegant guns are, as mentioned multiple times already, are the interwar era guns. Right now my honey hole shop has both a MIB 1978 Ace, and a 1931 (1st year) Ace. The 78 is very nice and exactly what I lusted after as a kid back in the 70s/80s and is phenomenal, BUT, then I hold the 31 and it is PURE...poetry. SO smooth an action, gorgeous bluing despite showing honest wear, meticulous hammer checkering, and did I mention the action was SMOOOTH?

That said, not being a metallurgist, my gut tells me if you want a gun close to that earlier quality, but you wouldn't be reluctant to carry due to value or reliability, I'd go C-Series. Again, just my uneducated thoughts.

 

For Colt, I'd say from about 1990 to 2010. Almost all 1911's made since Kimber set the bar high are better shooters than earlier guns, but not finished nearly as pleasing aesthetically. Better accuracy, feeding, ejection; what more does a shooter want?

 

Probably a controversial topic, but what were the best years from Colt, specifically the 1911?!

What do you say?

 

I can't say I agree with the OP's question. It's much like the "What kind of guns should I collect" question that new members often ask.

Manufacturing practices have changed over the years - while there is something very nice about how guns used to be made (hand-finished, hand-fitted parts, finishes, polishing, etc.), that's not to say guns made now are worse - there is better metallurgy now, along with CNC machining, etc.).

Also something to be considered is the changing tastes of consumers. While the 1911's of the 1930s and 1940s were elegantly simple, people today expect a lot more - national match barrels, custom checkering, fancy sights, magazines that hold more than 7 rounds, etc. Guns from both timeframes have their pros and cons. But to say one is better than the other is misleading and incorrect.

As I've said before... if you see a gun and you like it (and you can afford it), then buy it. Do not get in the habit of apologizing because you like something different than others.

 

1950's for me, that was The Golden Age of everything, including Colt 1911's.
1951 Colt Govt Model

 

Agree. '50's era Government Models weren't to shabby.

 

But, the plastic grips, not so much...

 

I'd say just Before WW2... That would be across the Board.. Not just 1911's