Colt and CZ

[wcd]

Anyone have any experience with their 1911s since CZ took over?

 

[88E30M50]

Has CZ been in charge long enough to effect a change yet? I imagine that the first year or two will be spent trying to figure out what Colt does, and to form a plan to make it work better.

 

[Expat]

I haven't seen a Colt 1911 in the LGS in a couple of years. The occasional revolver is it.

 

[armalitesheepdog]

I'm hoping the king Cobra .22 will have that CZ qualify. Its expensive enough but I plan on looking into one when there available. I never was a CZ guy till I got a 457 bolt rifle. That thing is stunningly accurate. And that King Cobra revolver is beautiful. But as far as the 1911s I rarely see one in the shops I frequent

 

[edwea]

I'll add that I hope cz can bring the street price down on some of these models. While cz certainly has expensive offerings, they are widely known to hit way above their class in terms of quality vs cost.

 

[Expat]

I'll add that I hope cz can bring the street price down on some of these models. While cz certainly has expensive offerings, they are widely known to hit way above their class in terms of quality vs cost.

I wouldn’t hold my breath. Dan Wessons used to be decently priced then they jacked prices up to Ed Brown and Les Baer prices on some of their models.

 

[drillsgt]

I haven't seen a Colt 1911 in the LGS in a couple of years. The occasional revolver is it.

I've started to see quite a few Colt 1911's around my usual haunts, they've probably been concentrating so much on the revolvers.

 

[drillsgt]

I wouldn’t hold my breath. Dan Wessons used to be decently priced then they jacked prices up to Ed Brown and Les Baer prices on some of their models.

True, they had a nice niche locked in there for awhile but their prices have went up so much the last year or two i'd just save a little more and wait for a used Baer or something.

 

[mcapo]

True, they had a nice niche locked in there for awhile but their prices have went up so much the last year or two i'd just save a little more and wait for a used Baer or something.

I'm kinda with you here. DW was a really a great buy for the quality before the price increases.

Now, don't quote me on exact prices, but I wandered through a LGS recently and they had a DW near the Les Baer's and I had the same thought...for just a little more I would buy the LB.

 

[drillsgt]

I'm kinda with you here. DW was a really a great buy for the quality before the price increases.

Now, don't quote me on exact prices, but I wandered through a LGS recently and they had a DW near the Les Baer's and I had the same thought...for just a little more I would buy the LB.

Yeah, they are great guns that filled the void between Colt/Springfield/Kimber and the semi-customs like Baer. When you could get a Valor for 11-1200.00 it was a great deal.

 

[mcapo]

Yeah, they are great guns that filled the void between Colt/Springfield/Kimber and the semi-customs like Baer. When you could get a Valor for 11-1200.00 it was a great deal.

I sure miss 2018....

 

[BigRed3588]

I can’t remember the last new Colt 1911 I saw in a shop, but I remember there being a lot of talk regarding QC issues a few years back. It seemed like the general consensus was that other manufacturers had better offerings at cheaper prices. If sales were down, switching their focus to revolvers makes sense. Especially considering S&W lost some of their market with the introduction of the internal lock. If it weren’t for the lock, my last revolver probably would’ve been a 686 instead of a King Cobra.

 

[snapping turtle]

We all get complacent. Colt became the world champion of complacency.

 

[drillsgt]

We all get complacent. Colt became the world champion of complacency.

This was true for a long time but Colt finally responded years ago now. Their models now have beavertails, good safeties, novak style sights, beveled magwells and nicer slide/frame/barrel fit etc., and some come standard with checkering, those new combat elites look great. I looked at a 1911C model yesterday which is their standard govt 'mil-spec' offering, it was blued and listed for 849.00 which isn't much higher than pre-covid. It was put together great, the fit was tight all the way around, straight lines, concentric spring tunnel etc. Yes, it took them forever to see the light but they're coming along. I'm not sure if they even make any with the old 'series 80' firing pin safety nonsense anymore. My new Python is great as well, just need to sneak a 4 and 3 inch into the house now!

 

[Expat]

This was true for a long time but Colt finally responded years ago now. Their models now have beavertails, good safeties, novak style sights, beveled magwells and nicer slide/frame/barrel fit etc., and some come standard with checkering, those new combat elites look great. I looked at a 1911C model yesterday which is their standard govt 'mil-spec' offering, it was blued and listed for 849.00 which isn't much higher than pre-covid. It was put together great, the fit was tight all the way around, straight lines, concentric spring tunnel etc. Yes, it took them forever to see the light but they're coming along. I'm not sure if they even make any with the old 'series 80' firing pin safety nonsense anymore. My new Python is great as well, just need to sneak a 4 and 3 inch into the house now!

That is what I have read written by guys like Vickers, Hackathorn and others, that they recent Colts have been good to go. We shouldn't have to pay the premium that those combat elites bring to get good quality control though.

 

[drillsgt]

That is what I have read written by guys like Vickers, Hackathorn and others, that they recent Colts have been good to go. We shouldn't have to pay the premium that those combat elites bring to get good quality control though.

I'm no sure what you're saying, I just described looking at a Colt base model that had good QC, you don't have to pay for the premium models but the combat elites have an MSRP of 1399.00, hardly a premium in the 1911 world. In comparison the SPFD TRP which is a good gun in it's own right has an MSRP now that has shot up to almost 1700.00.

 

[Dean C.]

I'm no sure what you're saying, I just described looking at a Colt base model that had good QC, you don't have to pay for the premium models but the combat elites have an MSRP of 1399.00, hardly a premium in the 1911 world. In comparison the SPFD TRP which is a good gun in it's own right has an MSRP now that has shot up to almost 1700.00.

Honestly with the Dan Wesson Price increases , it has left a price point to be filled. Maybe this was CZ's intention from the start. Make Colt what Dan Wesson used to be and then make Dan Wesson an even nicer gun to match the prices (I believe they have myself).

$1000~ gets you a pretty generic Colt with no front strap work


$1500~ Combat Elite Territory


$2000~ Dan Wesson Valor line


This makes sense to me, CZ would have the lions share of the market covered with that price range.