Looking at 1911's

[Creedmoor]

Colt has turned out their share of junk as well over the years.

That said, I agree, there seems to be a readiness for folks to break out their wallet for a Colt. I don't understand it. I owned a late 80's/early 90's snake gun that I bought new (that I wish I still had only to sell it at today's $$$). That thing was either made on a Monday morning or Friday afternoon and I parted ways with it rather quickly.

Hey I get it. My,,, well now my Thing 2's 1970's Python went back thirty?? years ago because I shot it out of time. It took a few years of 2-3 nights a week of PPC shooting to do it. One of my yaa yaa's growing up worked for Colt in LE and Military Sales. Rick was very good to all of us, in his years with Colt and then as Director of Marketing for FN USA.
He took my Python back to Hartford for repair, When I gave it to him it was a blue, plain jane stock 8" pistol. And when I got it back he had run it through the Custom shop, and it had there paper trigger job and a set of Elision Sights on it. It cost me I believe $375.00 to buy and a bottle of VO for the repairs at Colt.
I would still be an old Colt fan no matter what.

 

[Max Volume]

I'm also a fan of Springfield.

 

[armalitesheepdog]

Was Ruger or Springfield even building 1911's during the first release of the Delta 10mm Elites/
Colt has been building 1911's a long long time.
I own a second gen Delta and it has had no issues, and I will say that every pic ive ever seen of a cracked 1911 frame, its been after a gunsmith peened and or tightened up the slide rails.
I will also add that buying a clean vintage Colt is also an investment that has been making money for decades now. Ruger and Springfield, not so much.

How many Colt 1911's are around this globe compared to Ruger and Springfield 1911's?

edit,
Ruger started building then in 2011
1985, Springfield released their 1911, the 1911-A1. Early guns were exact copies of standard issue 1911s from earlier years.

Theres that Mil-Spec again...

Well I have a Ruger 1911 in 10mm and it has stood up to my reloads that are full power to say the least. So if it can stand up to those I dont think any .45s will be able to hurt it much. I have Springfields as well.. Garrison and a Ronin. I think when you buy a Colt your paying several hundred dollars for a name but I have those as well and I love them too. Here is my Gold Cup complete with the old style barrel bushing. If you want the best bang for the buck get a Standard Manufacturing. No there not cheap but they are dandy pistols and beloved Churchmouse would tell you the same.

 

[Creedmoor]

Well I have a Ruger 1911 in 10mm and it has stood up to my reloads that are full power to say the least. So if it can stand up to those I dont think any .45s will be able to hurt it much. I have Springfields as well.. Garrison and a Ronin. I think when you buy a Colt your paying several hundred dollars for a name but I have those as well and I love them too. Here is my Gold Cup complete with the old style barrel bushing. If you want the best bang for the buck get a Standard Manufacturing. No there not cheap but they are dandy pistols and beloved Churchmouse would tell you the same.

So now we are going to compare the differences between 1st Gen Deltas built in 1987 to a Ruger redesigned 1911 in 2011, 24 plus years later. Who do you think all these companies learned from?
I understand what you are saying, but still I would recommend a vintage 70 Series Gold Cup, over anything offered today.

 

[WebSnyper]

So now we are going to compare the differences between 1st Gen Deltas built in 1987 to a Ruger redesigned 1911 in 2011, 24 plus years later. Who do you think all these companies learned from?
I understand what you are saying, but still I would recommend a vintage 70 Series Gold Cup, over anything offered today.

The Ruger is also available for much less than either a new Colt and definitely less than a vintage 70 series Gold Cup. If you are going to give something of a pass due to differences in technology, due to the times, etc, probably need to include the price difference in that equation as well.

For apples to apples on price comparison, I'm thinking one can get a whole lot more gun than a vintage 70 series Gold Cup for the same money if someone was so inclined. When I say more gun, I'm talking updates/features, metallurgy, fit/finish etc. The Colt name provides value on the market, there is no denying that, but there are other considerations. It comes down to preference and how someone wants to spend their money.

 

[Creedmoor]

For apples to apples on price comparison, I'm thinking one can get a whole lot more gun than a vintage 70 series Gold Cup for the same money if someone was so inclined. When I say more gun, I'm talking updates/features, metallurgy, fit/finish etc. The Colt name provides value on the market, there is no denying that, but there are other considerations. It comes down to preference and how someone wants to spend their money.

And I agree, caveat emptor.
What I have posted is nothing more than my opinions no different than other members opinions in this thread.
I also own other manufactures 1911's, but, none of them in my opinion hold a candle to a 70 Series GC.

 

[armalitesheepdog]

So now we are going to compare the differences between 1st Gen Deltas built in 1987 to a Ruger redesigned 1911 in 2011, 24 plus years later. Who do you think all these companies learned from?
I understand what you are saying, but still I would recommend a vintage 70 Series Gold Cup, over anything offered today.

I guess all I would say is not everyone has vintage Gold Cup money but still want a 1911. And God bless em for that. Ruger Springfield hell even Tisas make a 1911 I would bet my life on. Will it turn heads no..But thats not always what its about.

 

[wcd]

I'm pretty sure ChurchMouse would have said Springfield.

Not sure perhaps if it was used. If I recall correctly they failed to deliver and he was a bit miffed.

 

[DadSmith]

LOL...
We had more than one conversation in his little garage over 1911's.
I would hand him a old 70 Series G C and he would finger it, drop the hammer a few times, curse Colt and me, and hand it back. Then he would curse 1st gen Pythons...

You are right, He would have chose Springfield because, they fit in Tims gun budget.

I miss our arguments, I mean conversations.

Colt Mfg O1070CCS 1911 Competition 70 Series 45 ACP 5' 8+1 SS G10

<p>SERIES 70 COMPETITION</p>

grovegunshop.com

I'm sure Tim could have afforded COLT. They aren't that much more if any than a Springfield of similar build.

 

[Creedmoor]

Colt Mfg O1070CCS 1911 Competition 70 Series 45 ACP 5' 8+1 SS G10

<p>SERIES 70 COMPETITION</p>

grovegunshop.com

I'm sure Tim could have afforded COLT. They aren't that much more if any than a Springfield of similar build.

I dont believe I stated he couldnt afford it. They didnt fit his gun budget, he would rather buy a lower cost springer and then dump hundreds in parts into them not counting his own or outside gunsmith/machine work.

 

[DadSmith]

I dont believe I stated he couldnt afford it. They didnt fit his gun budget, he would rather buy a lower cost springer and then dump hundreds in parts into them not counting his own or outside gunsmith/machine work.

Misunderstanding I took budget as not affordable.

 

[WebSnyper]

I dont believe I stated he couldnt afford it. They didnt fit his gun budget, he would rather buy a lower cost springer and then dump hundreds in parts into them not counting his own or outside gunsmith/machine work.

That seemed like the aspect he liked best. I'm guessing he would have done the same if it was a colt, springfield, Dan Wesson, etc

 

[Bill2905]

I would choose the stainless Garrison if it was my money to spend. I have a SA Ronin which I like a lot. The Garrison wasn't on the market yet when I picked up the Ronin a few years ago. If I could do it over again, I would choose the Garrison for the simple reason that it can be had in all stainless.

 

[Creedmoor]

That seemed like the aspect he liked best. I'm guessing he would have done the same if it was a colt, springfield, Dan Wesson, etc

LOL, could be. But flat out he wasn't a Colt man.
He was more of a Harley Davidson, Harbor Freight Man.

 

[Donovan48]

I have two Colt series 70 1911 in .45 acp. The full size I bought in 1975 and the Combat Commander I bought in 1980. I used the full size in competition and it was completely reliable. No problems or complaints. But the Commander was never reliable. Nothing helped. Different magazines; polishing; ramping; etc. I finally picked up an aftermarket aluminum frame at a ridiculously low price and switched over all the parts, and the pistol worked perfectly after that. I still have both guns, but I don't shoot them much, because I now prefer the 9 mm. I have a Ruger 1911 9mm target model (full size, bull barrel) and a Springfield armory 1911 9mm (Commander size with aluminum frame). Both are totally reliable and accurate. I grew up on 1911s, and for decades I thought the sun rose and set on the Colts. The commercial models were almost always superior in fit and finish, but occasionally they would produce problem pistols just like everybody else. The big difference, for me, has always been that Ruger always bent over backwards to make it right. Colt and Smith, not so much. I have no personal experience with SA customer service. You will probably be happy with either the Ruger or the SA. I wouldn't worry about the frame. Cast, forged, or polymer frames almost never break (except for P35 Browning Hi powers).

 

[Robert Richardson]

I dont believe I stated he couldnt afford it. They didnt fit his gun budget, he would rather buy a lower cost springer and then dump hundreds in parts into them not counting his own or outside gunsmith/machine work.

I've done the same. Colt did put it's fair share of junk out on the market years ago. If the higher ups at Colt would have continued with the quality, a lot of companies making 1911s wouldn't be making them now. That said, Colt is starting to get that quality back with updates to the workforce and the tooling to build them right again. New Colt 1911s that I've handled lately ar so much better made that what was coming out the Colt factory in the 70s and 80s. Only time will tell if the can reach the top of the heap again. I hope so, I do love a nice Colt 1911.

 

[Winamac]

SA...mic drop

 

[Robert Richardson]

As far as cracked frames went, the Colt frames did crack. The crack was in the area above the cutout for the slide stop. Lots of them did it. Colt decided that it really wasn't a issue and decided to just cut that area out of frame rails. Issue solved.

 

[Creedmoor]

As far as cracked frames went, the Colt frames did crack. The crack was in the area above the cutout for the slide stop. Lots of them did it. Colt decided that it really wasn't a issue and decided to just cut that area out of frame rails. Issue solved.

Yep, is that not how we learn and grow?
The manufacturing ive been around when one has more than 2% failure, its time to make some changes.

 

[bgcatty]

Forged frame all the way. My !