[rcwambold]

Made my Saturday trip to the gunshop and looked at some new and some newer-but-used Colt .45's and .38 Supers. Now, fellas, I'm gonna' need some talk here ... I haven't quite got to the stage in my collection where I want to add a big bore auto and I'm shopping. I'm sold on Pythons and Detective Specials and I WAS sold on Gov't .45's ... but now, ... well ... There sat a new Commander .45. It was pretty good looking and had beautiful rosewood grips. The, "1991AI," I'm told is the current, "Gov't," model. It looked like it was blued with a charcoal crayon. The action was OK but nothing special. There was a .38 super, too and it looked even, well, "cheesier," than the others. There were several Kimbers and Springfields there, too and they ALL looked better than ANY of the COLT's. THIS IS NOT HOW THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE, is it? The dealer is as big a Colt fan as I am but all he could do was complain how Kimber's are over priced. He had nothing bad to say about Springfield's at all. What the *&^&!? Who's in charge here?! Have the Helot's taken over while we were sunning ourselves in past glories? I've heard about Browning shotguns made by short men with slanty eyes and NOT in Belgium and I guess I can live with that - but, now COLTS, TOO!? I don't know whether to be sad or outraged. I won't bring this up at our Sunday evening gun talk ... it would be too painful.

 

[bfoster]

No problem at all. Simply go shopping for stuff made in the 1930's when factory fit up was arguably at its best. If you're more interested in finish, you really need to have a look at what was made in the decade prior to WW I.

The simple truth is that very few individuals could afford to purchase firearms made with this amount of attention to detail in today's market.

 

[stans]

The 1991 series is Colt's lowest cost 1911, as such, they have a poor finish and are somewhat rough. The current production Colt Series 70 1911 is supposed to be much nicer, with a satin blue finish.

 

[rcwambold]

Alas, Mr.'s Foster and Stans ... I'm sure you're BOTH right. But I will hunt up a dealer that'll stock some items other than the low end of everything, too ... Thanks for bringing that to my attention - it hand't dawned on me, since I usually am looking at used guns, anyway. But he really does only stock low end new and some used and not much of ANYTHING come to think of it! Taurus revolvers ... Saints preserve us!

 

[Steve H. Bunch]

I believe Colt Quality "Fell off the Porch" sometime in the late fifties. My favorite shoot and carry Colts are all manufactured in the twenties and thirties. I think by the late thirties Colt had reached their Zenith in finish and fit..........Steve B.

 

[JudgeColt]

I cannot disagree with Mr. Bunch, but no gun makers have quality to match the Pre-War stuff. A nice Pre-War National Match is worth $4000 to $6000+ too!

However, my experience with new, high end Colt stuff (current Gold Cup, etc.)is that the workmanship is as good as any other quality maker, and better than many.

 

[rcwambold]

Oh, your Honor ... I WANT TO believe! But I wouldn't pay $4,000 for Zeus' thunderbolts!QUOTE]Originally posted by JudgeColt:
I cannot disagree with Mr. Bunch, but no gun makers have quality to match the Pre-War stuff. A nice Pre-War National Match is worth $4000 to $6000+ too!

However, my experience with new, high end Colt stuff (current Gold Cup, etc.)is that the workmanship is as good as any other quality maker, and better than many.

[/QUOTE]