Why Colt?
I'm a Colt aficionado, but I do not always recommend Colts to 1911 buyers.
People buy 1911s for a lot of reasons. When a person is new to 1911s, they have a lot of questions and very little understanding of what they, themselves really want in a pistol.
The 1911 is a pistol that demands that you shoot it and find out for yourself what features are important to you. For some folks, the "Kimber" type package of beavertails, swoopy sights, holy triggers and slick finishes is extremely important. These people will likely not be happy with a Colt, at least not yet. There are a lot of brands and variations for them to chose from, but I usually recommend a Springfield Mil-Spec and some range time. Most decline and go buy a Kimber. That's OK, many shoot that Kimber and are happy never knowing anything else. A few will someday move to a Colt, but most never feel the need. Kimber is a good gun, as are Springfields and the SW1911.
Then you run into a person who says "I want a Colt 45. Which one should I get?" or "Are they still made?"
This person will not be satisfied with anything but a Colt. Even if they try to get in cheap with a Springfield Mil-Spec, they will buy a Colt within six months. Nothing else will satisfy them. These are the people I steer towards a Colt. You can almost sense it when you first talk to them, they care more about substance than fashion. Some people call it brand blindness, but to many of us it is more than that. It is something you feel, something that emanates from that pistol when you pick it up, something that travels through your bones, something a Colt gives you that no other 1911 does. Either you feel it, or you don't. These are the people who will buy a Colt and build it into what they want. I am one of them. I cannot explain why another brand does not do the same thing. All I know is that it does.
People buy 1911s for a lot of reasons. When a person is new to 1911s, they have a lot of questions and very little understanding of what they, themselves really want in a pistol.
The 1911 is a pistol that demands that you shoot it and find out for yourself what features are important to you. For some folks, the "Kimber" type package of beavertails, swoopy sights, holy triggers and slick finishes is extremely important. These people will likely not be happy with a Colt, at least not yet. There are a lot of brands and variations for them to chose from, but I usually recommend a Springfield Mil-Spec and some range time. Most decline and go buy a Kimber. That's OK, many shoot that Kimber and are happy never knowing anything else. A few will someday move to a Colt, but most never feel the need. Kimber is a good gun, as are Springfields and the SW1911. Then you run into a person who says "I want a Colt 45. Which one should I get?" or "Are they still made?"
This person will not be satisfied with anything but a Colt. Even if they try to get in cheap with a Springfield Mil-Spec, they will buy a Colt within six months. Nothing else will satisfy them. These are the people I steer towards a Colt. You can almost sense it when you first talk to them, they care more about substance than fashion. Some people call it brand blindness, but to many of us it is more than that. It is something you feel, something that emanates from that pistol when you pick it up, something that travels through your bones, something a Colt gives you that no other 1911 does. Either you feel it, or you don't. These are the people who will buy a Colt and build it into what they want. I am one of them. I cannot explain why another brand does not do the same thing. All I know is that it does.
posted by Xavier at 7:09 AM
5 Comments:
The first 1911 I bought was a Colt 1991A1 in matte stainless. It wouldn't feed UMC hardball, no matter the magazine. The feed ramp was heavily scratched. The slide was pretty loose on the rails, too - it should have fed anything had the ramp been right from the factory.
I picked up an old Remington 1911 that worked flawlessly, and have two Kimbers that run great as well. I understand Colt has improved since I got that 1991 about seven or eight years ago, but I'm burned on Colts. I do, however, have a Colt AR that runs good - so I'm not afraid of buying one. I'd buy an older Colt in a heartbeat - just none of the new 1911 variants.
My gunsmith told me back in '94 when I discovered 1911's to just get the basic all steel colt or springfield and bring it to him.
I ended up with a 1991A1 matte blue for $459 and I love it, but I wish I would have considered an XSE or something, but I think he was just trying to make sure I got an all forged gun that wouldn't need much other than throating and a trigger job.
Since then I found another 1991 just like it and have a fancy Dan Wesson on 10-day wait as well (my first stainless 1911). On my Colt, the matte finish has been redone to something nicer, but it's nice to have on the range because few people have even a '91a1 anymore even though they aren't anything special.
My first 1911 was an AMT Hardballer my Dad gave me.
Then in 1997 I got a Colt M1991A1 Commander.
I love it and I gave the AMT back to my Dad.
The Colt is the only 1911 I have, and it runs flawlessly, even with the $5 Army surplus magazines I got...
I went to the Texas Ranger museum in Waco, Texas today. You shoulda seen the barbeque pistols. 95% Colt 1911's with a smattering of Smith 19's and 28's. Two Pythons.
Oh, those were some beautiful pistols. You could tell that most of them had been carried. Carried a long time.
I had an opportunity a year or so ago to purchase 2 used Colt 1911s for around $700 for the pair. I had even field stripped them and both appeared to be almost new. One was black the other brushed stainless. I often kick myself for not getting them when I had the chance.
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