[Doug Bowser]

I have mentioned other firearms of new manufacture but I never thought I would see problems with a Colt 1911 Governmnet Model.

My friend bought a new in the box 1911 Colt Series 80. When he inspected it, the hammer would not fall from full cock when the trigger was pulled. The problem was the sear spring. The center spring was not long enough to engage the disconnector. I replaced the sear spring with a new USGI version and the pistol functioned normally. Here are some other items I noticed on the 1911 that were radically different from the pistols made in the 1960's and 1970's:

1. Mainspring housing is made of PLASTIC
2. Trigger is made of plastic
3. Hammer is cast and the moulding marks are not all polished out
4. Interior finish of the frame and slide are rough
5. Finish on the outside of the barrel is rough
6. Half cock on the hammer is not notched, it is square
7. Hammer strut is not forged and machined but a square piece of metal that looks like a stamping
8. Barrel link pin falls out when the barrel is out of the slide

I am going to the NRA Convention in Pheonix, AZ and I am going to tell the firearm manufacturer's representatives what I think of the drop in quality in American manufactured firearms.

Doug Bowser
President
Mississippi State Firearm Owners Association

 

[msredneck]

Say it aint so....Geeeez I Had no idea.

I have not seen a Colt 1911 at a retailer in quite a while...have not been to a gun show in a while either...I got ripped off once at one in Jxn and have not been back....a NEW Kimber 1911 that was not NEW when I got it home to inspect it properly...

Go Get em Doug.....

buyer beware is the msg I guess

 

[ftsibley]

it seem to be my observation that they really dont build stuff with the attention to detail like they did from the 70's on back, whether its guns, autos, alarm clocks... its too much an emphasis on producing one more widget than making sure each one is produced properly. Thats what we get for paying attention to the bean counters instead of the engineers.

 

[Hammer]

I figure that it will get to the point that new guns sit on dealer shelves while older, well made guns sell like crazy. If I wanted a gun with plastic parts inside, I can get a water gun or cap gun.

 

[GunOneDown]

thats sad to hear. I thought all Colts were top of the line. guess if one want a 1911 they should get a custom one of some sort that has been "handbuilt".

 

[Doug Bowser]

thats sad to hear. I thought all Colts were top of the line. guess if one want a 1911 they should get a custom one of some sort that has been "handbuilt".

I think we should get out of the mindset of buying new firearms. Buying a new car is a different thing. A car will wear out long before most owners leave this Earth. I have my Father's Model 70 Winchester in .270 W.C.F. . He bought it in November 1937. It is the best rifle I have ever owned, bar none. It is very smooth in operation, the wood to metal fit looks as if the wood grew around the metal, the checkering is hand applied and it will shoot 5 shots into 5/8" at 100 off the bags. It does not seem to matter what weight bullet I shoot, it performs.

We need to look for VG-EXC used firearms, made in a time when the bean counters did not rule.

Doug Bowser

 

[GunOneDown]

so right. some smaller companies still do quality work, but you will need to inspect the work before buying for sure. you will be more thorough than the average consumer as I, but we would be in the lower 10% or buyers if i had to guess.

 

[slabsides45]

If I wanted a gun with plastic parts inside, I can get a water gun or cap gun.

Or a Glock.... :thumbup:

 

[massair]

Colt's Reputation

I had heard from quite a few guys while attending the big gun shows in Phoenix in the 90s that Colt had reverted to pretty poor manufacturing and quality control techniques.

One guy said Colt had not built a good gun in 20 years!

If I recall right, Colt filed a bankruptcy sometime after they lost the gov't. contract to produce M-16s. It was just about the time Clinton was downtalking AR-15s, and Colt chimed in with a P.R. statement aimed at looking good politically by saying they would quit production of AR-15s!

Of course, they did not. Guess even gun manufacturers lie to impress political "leaders".

 

[Doug Bowser]

No Glock for me

Or a Glock.... :thumbup:[/quote]

I would not have a Glock either. My 9mm is a SIG/Sauer 225. The single stach mag suits me fine. It is the most accurate service 9x19 I have ever fired.

Doug

 

[sarkas]

OK. Given Colt's quality issues and given my lack of expertise in evaluating the condition and value of used 1911's; what other viable "new gun" choices might one have in today's 1911 market.

Para Ord, Kimber, Charles Daly, CZ-USA/Dan Wesson: any of these comparable to the "Old" Colts?

 

[Doug Bowser]

OK. Given Colt's quality issues and given my lack of expertise in evaluating the condition and value of used 1911's; what other viable "new gun" choices might one have in today's 1911 market.

Para Ord, Kimber, Charles Daly, CZ-USA/Dan Wesson: any of these comparable to the "Old" Colts?

Perhaps Springfield Armory. I am using some of their parts to assemble a National Match 1911 pistol and so far the parts are better than any other manufacturer's offerings.

Doug Bowser