Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Colt Guns since CZ purchase?

How good are Colt's guns, 1911s, Python, Anaconda, etc. since CZ bought it? Same, better? Worse even?

My impression is that they are better. Much better. Think along the lines of Ruger taking over Marlin.

Here is a copy of an email I sent to Colt. This pretty much sums up my thoughts. These are top quality firearms.

To whom it may concern,
I am a very satisfied owner of a new model Anaconda 8" a Python 6" and a King Cobra .22 4."

Quality, fit and finish are superb on all. They shoot more accurately than I can and I have put nearly a thousand rounds through each.
If your revolvers are the equivalent of Black Forest Cherry Cake, your sights are dog turds on top. Poor quality, poor sight picture. I have shot bullseye competition and hunted big game for years with a Gun Shop Custom 6" Python, Gun Shop custom Anaconda and a Series 70 Gold Cup, all with Elliason sights. None better. Wilson Combat will supply an Elliason copy that fits your new models. I purchased one for each new model and I would have paid the difference to Colt if those sights or an equivalent were offered.

On the Python and Anaconda the trigger pull creep and weight are OK but not the quality of my Gun Shop revolvers. I sent the new ones to Heffron Engineering and got the feel I would have liked out of the box. The King Cobra trigger is borderline horrible. Long, rough creep single action and awaiting an appointment at Heffron. The double action pull is acceptable, very similar to my Diamondback .22.

My real concern with the King Cobra is the ability of the cylinder to lock up and not turn due to the cartridges moving slightly to the rear because the latch either is about .002-.005 short or is not allowed to be pushed that distance forward. As the cylinder rotates the cartridge rim can, under some circumstances, hang up on the recoil shield as it rotates into battery.

The upper sideplate screw on the Python loosened enough during one shooting session to allow the sideplate to interfere with timing. A drop of blue Locktite on the screw seems to have cured that malady.

Wait. So you are super satisfied with your new Colts and they are A1 top notch quality except:
The sights suck to the point of needing to be replaced
The triggers suck to the point of needing a gunsmith
The cylinder locks up when you use it, resulting a needing new part to fix
Screws back out when you use them unless you remove them and loctite them down.

I can see why you are so satisfied.

I bought a new Python 4". Very happy. The action is smooth and the trigger is nice. Compares Very well to the original. My only gripe is I hated the new grips. I just don't like laminated grips. I put some Deer Hollow reproduction grips on and now it's like it should have been new. I wish S&W would make something this nice.

I don't think things have changed all that much, you either get a good one, or you get one that's "not so good". Things move realllllllllllllll sllllllllllllllllllowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww at that place.

S&W builds some nice revolvers...

I'm just not a fan of the new stuff. When they switched to the eternal firing pin, the triggers just don't feel right anymore.

I'd love a set of those repro grips (but with the silver medallion) for my Colt Model 357. I've had a request for them to inform me when one comes available for months now, and haven't heard back. Well, actually, the set I'm waiting for is this one (but with the silver medallion option), which are pretty much identical to the target grips that originally came with the Model 357:

Saw a Pro Series 627 with all 8 cylinder throats and forcing cone that looked like they had been threaded. Totally unfinished. Evidently no one at S&W is checking out what’s going out the door.

JB, I guess maybe so. That 686 is about as well put together as anything I have seen lately from any company. I looked at the M60 3" Pro Series slab side barrel at a local shop a week ago and other than the typical J frame stiff double-action trigger it looked very nice. The fit, finish, lock up and timing were all on point. I hate the hole in the side but that can be dealt with.

They had two in the shop, both had the same problem. If one missed that step more are out there. I suppose there is a manufacturing step that finish reams multiple cylinders and barrels at the same time.

I had heard via a S&W rep that some employees doing the inspection had been fired. The last M60 Pro looked good, but the last regular M60 3” full lug with adj sights was awful. They sent it back without even putting it on the shelf, and it still looks rough after going back, all kinds of milling marks in the cylinder window. Trigger guard looks unpolished.

Rugers are no better, rough forcing cones etc. Oddly, the Super Wrangler I looked at was pretty nice, considering it’s a $250 gun.

Seems that all of them are letting the us do the quality control.

It is a shame, especially at the prices for new firearms that the companies cannot produce a decent product. Buyer beware I guess.

Colt builds a nice gun. The Python my son has is rock solid tight. No misfires, no loosening of screws, nothing with about 2,000 rounds through it. It’s an early 2021 too. Very smooth.

The rear sight hasn’t moved to my knowledge. We use the Moore’s Ideal Products 9000 Thorpe hex drive (050”), it won’t round off and strip the Allen screw. A necessary tool for Hinderer knives too.