Colt Manufacturing LLC is not the old Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company. "Colt" is now a completely new, re-organized LLc with new owners. Totally separate legal entity from everything which went before. I am surprised that they will accept guns that far back, frankly.

 

Perfect example of how little understanding there is of their own product. Same exact design since 1873. Only possible difference is year of manufacture and age of steel. Certainly anything after 1940 is modern steel and indistinguishable from 1960 or 1990 or 2000.

 

For the record I wasn't asking for warranty service I was wanting to pay for service.

 

Go to Lever Action Bill ,he is on this site. Pete

Spring Creek Armory

I will bring your old Single Action back to lIfe - better than ever. Inventor of the Single Action Cylinder Pin Ejector.

springcreekarmory.com

 

I guess the notion that this company wants to be seen as the premier service provider for their product is of no value to their business plan.

 

That’s the first I heard of that policy. It used to be 3rd gen. (1976) and later. Other than a pressed in cylinder bushing vs removable cylinder bushing, the parts are the same. That’s too bad. Dang, out of my 11 3rd.gen. Colt SAA and New Frontiers, I only have 2 new enough that they will work on? And 2 of those older 3rds. have been to Colt for repair and barrel change. Come to think about it, it took more than 25 years for issues to appear in those early 3rds.

 

That’s the first I heard of that policy. It used to be 3rd gen. (1976) and later. Other than a pressed in cylinder bushing vs removable cylinder bushing, the parts are the same. That’s too bad.

Yes that is what I read previously. They would only work on older third gen single actions and some 1911s. I called today and was rebuffed.

 

Not suprized. The SAA is basically dead to CZ. We can only wait and see if it is resurrected. For now, the SAA is dead as a CZ Colt product. Don't expect anything.

 

Huh???

Single Action Army Family - Colt's Manufacturing LLC

www.colt.com

 

If one thinks about this, Colt really doesn’t want to work on these guns once they leave the factory for whatever reason. My first colt SAA was a brand new when I bought it in 1981. It was my only then and I shot it regularly. It took about 35 years for the bolt timing to be off and then the recoil plate to work loose, so off it went to Colt. I’m guessing most don’t shoot their SAAs like I did with my first so other than returns for flaws or a part that breaks or wears prematurely, they don’t want to deal with long term wear and tear. I’m guessing repairs means pulling the few SAA builders from the production line? Wish it wasn’t this way.

 

It's Colt Z now! Even when it was the Colt before that, I don't believe they had a lifetime warranty, expressed or implied.

Can't take a 25yr old Ford, GM or Mopar back to a dealership for work anymore.

 

Oh, they had a Lifetime Warranty on everything but the finish - they didn't want to honor it (and hated the fact that you'd filled out the Warranty Card instead of keeping it as a part of the collectible paperwork) and would drag their feet until you could catch them do hold those feet to the fire.

 

I'm sure I'll take some heat for this but we're expecting a company to service a product sold 47 years ago for a list price of what, I'm guessing a little hear, $400 maybe $500? That doesn't sound reasonable to me.

 

Yes. How many Ford dealerships are working on 1978 vehicles?

 

Seems Colt’s has been turning down the older SAAs for a while now. They’ll only touch the newer ones. Best bet is to find a good SAA specialist, there are a few well known smiths out there who do great timing and action work on the pre 2000 guns.

 

Turnbull

 

Colt isn't a servicing company any more than Ford is. They build things. If something goes wrong during warranty, Ford has their Dealership work on it. If something goes wrong after the warranty, you have to find a service station or repair shop.

Same with Colt, they are the manufacturer, not a "gun shop" or "gunsmiths". Colt always kept a small department for warrantee repairs or replacements. During the last century, they'd also work on older guns, but that is a very old-school business model that hardly any companies follow anymore. Colt would be swamped with people today if they were still working on "any Colt we've ever made." Every person with an old Trooper or Officers Model would read forums about how the gun's timing should be, end shake, and immediately have them worked on "by Colt." Colt made millions of guns in the 20th century. The long arm of the Internet is terminated by many people's wringing hands, worrying about old guns they have. Instead of just buying a new one, or finding a service station...

1978 Ad:

 

Colt isn't a servicing company any more than Ford is. They build things. If something goes wrong during warranty, Ford has their Dealership work on it. If something goes wrong after the warranty, you have to find a service station or repair shop.

Same with Colt, they are the manufacturer, not a "gun shop" or "gunsmiths". Colt always kept a small department for warrantee repairs or replacements. During the last century, they'd also work on older guns, but that is a very old-school business model that hardly any companies follow anymore. Colt would be swamped with people today if they were still working on "any Colt we've ever made." Every person with an old Trooper or Officers Model would read forums about how the gun's timing should be, end shake, and immediately have them worked on "by Colt." Colt made millions of guns in the 20th century. The long arm of the Internet is terminated by many people's wringing hands, worrying about old guns they have. Instead of just buying a new one, or finding a service station...

1978 Ad:

I probably should have been more precise. I was referring to dealing with the "Colt Custom Shop". I certainly agree, not the "Colt" of old. But being old, (as a person) one can still be a wee bit nostalgic. A little better than having caught the "woke" disease.🤭. . . 💥🔫

 

This may be old news to folks here....

Recommendations welcome...

Yes, you are reporting what everyone should already know. It is old news.
Since most are debating whether it's right or wrong, and not recommending things, I'll do that: Find a service company. I like Classic Single Actions in Tucson.
People wanting a gunsmith to work on old guns better realize most are closing shop too. They're going away like TV repair shops. People aren't expected to have work done on decades old items anymore, you're supposed to go buy a new one. In some industries, you're supposed to just accept the support businesses are almost gone. When Frank Glenn closed the other week, I'm surprised I didn't hear a great groaning in the Force...he was the one everyone always used to work on Colts. There used to be a Leica camera repairman or two 10 years ago. I bet if I looked them up, they're now gone too. Rolex won't work on older watches anymore...and so on.

 

What is ‘The Colt of Old’? 1960’s Colt? 1860’s Colt? Some other time?

The year 2000 is still 25 years ago. That isn’t new. Are there any companies out there servicing products that old? Will Apple repair a 25 year old computer? Will GE repair a 25 year old refrigerator? The fact that Colt is even considering working on something that old is a credit to them.

Why is Colt held to some mythical standard above every other company in America?

Maybe some people just like to complain.

 

I have a number of Smith and Wessons that went back to the factory for work. A few Colts. Some of these are refinished. But, neither company will do that work now. From my observation, it stopped in the 1960s. Times have changed and the personnel they have are not the same skilled ones from the past.

 

On Colts website I read this. Still on there as of today. In my opinion that states they would work on my Gen 3 SAA. Thats why I contacted them.

 

Exactly correct. That was why I had called them also. 👍👍

 

I would expect Colt to work on a 3rd Gen SAA because they are still in production.

 

Not trying to win an argument, just posting things to consider.

Colt assuredly has no parts for the 3rd Gens with the pressed in cylinder bushing. So if someone sends a gun to them with a cylinder endshake problem, what can they do?

Likewise the hammers in the early 3rds aren’t the same shape as the current guns. The New Frontier hammers are completely different.

If you need a rear sight replaced on a New Frontier how could the fix that? They probably don’t have sights.

 

40-50 years ago, Colt had authorized repair locations who also carried Colt parts. I remember buying a hand assembly from one in San Antonio in the mid 80’s to fix my peacemaker 22. Oh and that Colt New Frontier 45 I sent to Colt for a barrel changed cost $8 shipping through UPS in the 80’s. Now I don’t think UPS will accept a firearm from a commoner unless it’s a pre paid return package.
Ok, enough of what used to be. So now it’s researching the web, word of mouth and reputations of known SAA specialists to get work or repair done. And round trip shipping is astronomical and that’s after going through hoops to be in compliance with regulations and shipping company rules. I guess everything changes over time.

 

I agree. And the writing was on the wall when Colt mysteriously sold off all their old spare parts for all their old guns. That was what, 15 years ago?

 

Think of all the gun manufacturers out there who had a forever/lifetime repair policy. Now think of how many of them are still in business. SCCY was one, claiming they would fix any gun they ever made for free regardless of how old or who owned it. They just went belly-up a few months ago. Others include Jennings and Ram-Line. Hi-Point is about the only I can think of that's still going, but then again they sell $180 guns that cost them maybe $8 each to make...

 

There is, in my neck of the woods, a gun shop where they make a gun from a piece of iron and a bit of wood. It takes a year to make that gun. They are gunsmiths in the truest sense. Then there is Colt, where a fellow turns on a few machines and the machines make the gun. Don’t ask him to fix your gun.

 

Well from personal experience, I had a S&W M28 highway patrolman that was extremely old and I purchased it about 7/8 years ago. It needed some finished work as it was lightly pitted, very lightly. I contacted S&W and although the matte finish (Melonite) was no longer available, they were willing to refinish in current blue matte/high polish and check it out and tune it up as needed. As the end user and not the original owner it cost under 450.00 all the way around and was taken care of.

A P&R smith is far from any product they make currently, I paid for service and they delivered.

I would expect colt to do the same? Not if it’s old or inferior metal? But if you had a heirloom 3rd gen that belonged to a family member or piece that you purchased when you were younger and wanted to pass to your kid or grandchild, you may want to have Colt inspect the fit or fit and install the hand or bolt? As long as you pay, what is the big deal to keep it all factory and maintained from the factory?

 

Yeah it suks.. Colt a'int what it used to be and to old buzzard remembering what it was its a sad story.. Its reality way of the world. Old guns and cars and few who know how to fix them. Had a circa early 2000 Mercury I loved that broke the dealer would not take- spent a considerable amount of money trying too get different repair shops to fix it could not finally gave up on it. boo hoo boo hoo I hollered- loved that car. lol

But the SAA ( beating a dead horse again) is a puzzle Colt has a gold mine every one wants one price going through the clouds but Colt don't care they had a chance not to long ago to train up some good men and bring up production and make bank nope no bueno..

The every increasing gun regulation is going it harder to be a gun smith so things probably won't get brighter for old gun work..

 

Yeah it suks.. Colt a'int what it used to be and to old buzzard remembering what it was its a sad story.. Its reality way of the world. Old guns and cars and few who know how to fix them. Had a circa early 2000 Mercury I loved that broke the dealer would not take- spent a considerable amount of money getting trying too get different repair shops to fix it could not finally gave up on it. boo hoo boo hoo I hollered- loved that car. lol

But the SAA ( beating a dead horse again) is a puzzle Colt has a gold mine every one wants one price going through the clouds but Colt don't care they had a chance not to long ago to train up some good men and bring up production and make bank nope no bueno..

The every increasing gun regulation is going it harder to be a gun smith so things probably won't get brighter for old gun work..

I have said it before: I’m not sure Colt wants to sell lots of the SAA considering it doesn’t have a transfer bar. I could be wrong.

But think about it: How many current single action shooters who were raised on Ruger New Models and Italian guns with hammer blocks understand how to safely load and carry a Colt SAA?

But again, I could be wrong. Maybe since the SAA is the prestige gun it will necessarily be limited. Or the cost of production is too high. Dunno.

 

Well I could be wrong too- the long in the tooth clan are getting few in number and there are not so many people around now who saw Hoppy and Roy on TV or saw "Shane" in the movie house. But the price of the SAA for now is high and they sell soon as they can be found unless- the bucks are way off the charts. And yeah that fanged hammer gives the lawyers the willies for sure.

And then again USFA went out of Biz. making quality SAR's.. so maybe I am just being nostalgic, and wishful.

 

I think we should consider ourselves lucky that brand-new Colt SAAs even exist. Try buying a new Schofield from Smith & Wesson, or a new Merwin-Hulbert. Yeah they're made in very small batches and can often be a b*tch to find, but they are out there and you can find one if you're patient.