So I went out today and shot a USPSA match…I was trying to remember the last USPSA match I shot, and I think it was the Single Stack Nationals when I used up all Patrick Sweeney's match .45 ACP, which would have to be at least 10 years ago. Hmmmmmmmm…
Well, it was fun! I eeked out 11th out of 22 Limited shooters, which is great after BOMBING the one stage I figured I'd smoke. For reasons known only to the God of Glocks, the trigger on on G34 absolutely, positively, flatly refused to reset about halfway through the run-and-gun stage, Everything was going swimmingly until the trigger stopped triggering. It's a GlockTrigger's Edge. I kept changing magazines and smacking the G34's butt until, amazingly, on the last bank of targets the trigger decided, what the hell, let's work.
I detail stripped it after the stage, and it was dirty…still…
I cleaned it up a little, lubed it slightly and it ran like a top for 2 more stages. I'll strip it down and make sure there's nothing hanky going on, then run a couple of hundred rounds through it.
TOMORROW…we count it down for Colt as the rampaging pony is goes for Chapter 11!
What maketh a company? The machines, the factory drive belts, the forges of Sam Colt are long gone. The good folks of 1850, 1890, 1930 and 1960 (who built the Pieta of guns, the Python) are long gone. The managers of the former ages are long gone. The blue prints are public. So then, what maketh a company? I'd say that pony stamp and the customers.
ReplyDeleteSad, but true. Wish I had a nice Python, though!
ReplyDeletemb
I think Colt's been living on it's legacy and government contracts for the better part of the last 60 years. When was the last time Colt introduced an actual 'new' and successful product? There too many manufactures selling what were once Colt's signature products (1911, AR-15, SAA) that are as good or better and for a better price.
ReplyDeleteIt's time to let Colt go under and be done with it. Maybe they could survive on as a boutique manufacture. I can't see them really ever returning as a major manufacture unless them find this generation's John Browning.
Brian
If you really wanted a nice Python you'd have one. It's a better world that has Pythons in it.
ReplyDeleteThe Diamondback is very nice revolver in .22 - wish I had one - but nothing special in .38 S&W Special. I regret passed up chances to buy a Python at a reasonable price but I long ago decided I'd rather have a Performance Center or worked over S&W and it's still true. Given a Python I'd swap it off.
There are some very attractive prices at CDNN and other places on Colt branded firearms though. I wonder if prices will hit new lows or if demand will begin to exceed supplies - both will eventually happen but I wonder what the time lag might be.
Colt has been a ghost of their former selves for a long time. It's such a shame. If someone who really gave a crap bought them and reintroduced some of the DA pistols (like the Detective Special, Police Positive and Python) and some custom runs (like a Fitz Special maybe), I can't help think it could still be viable concern. As someone else said, the current owners have been too content to get by and Federal contracts. Same thing that happened that killed them before IIRC.
ReplyDeleteA "nice Python"? I'll break ranks here. The Python is a much fabled gun. It is a weakling in a "strong-man suit". Strong, they are not. They're nice to look at, but truth be known, they die quickly. Next to a "27", I'll take the S&W. If I want to get down to only one gun, then it would be my 5 1/2" Redhawk in .44'. My N-frame is the most accurate, but if I run out of ammo', I can club the bear to death with the Redhawk. If I want a wall-hanger, the Colt would be OK, but since there are many people who want one, I'll sell it to buy another Ruger.
ReplyDeleteNow, for Colts? As I recently wrote, after long deliberation, I bought a Sig' 1911 "Commander-length", "Officer's-framed gun. After coveting my three (3) REAL Colts and buying a fourth (4th) "CCO" that had a mis-machined slide, I went with the Sig'. So far, I'm not disappointed. Colt has been out of parts for a long time and I couldn't even buy what was indicated as "in stock", on-line.
Last, much blame for the long slide of Colt belongs to the union guys that milked that company long ago. I think that they were UAW(!). They had a strangle-hold on wages and work rules that made it impossible to operate. Remember the looooonnnnng strikes there? Then fast-forward to a "chief" running the place who didn't think that civilian ownership of their guns was legit? In the end, they're all to blame.
Goodbye Colt; Hello Sig'
Life Member
what's the story on Colt Competition Rifles (CCR)? It seemed like they were making good product (and maybe even some money) - are they caught up in the Chapter 11, too, or were they sufficiently spun-off to have a chance of surviving?
ReplyDeletebgary:
ReplyDeleteThe two Colt "divisions" (civilian/handguns, military/rifles), were recently recombined into one company. Within the past year, IIRC.
Colt has a looonnng history of poor management. One could say that they have institutionalized a culture of mismanagement. Any gun company that looses money during a world war(WW2!!!) HAS to be poorly managed.
To what Will said, I'll add:
ReplyDeleteAny company that loses to other companies that are now making the very products that they (Colt) invented or brought to market in the fist place, deserves to go "belly-up! (aka: "SAAs","1911s" and "ARs")
Life Member
Bruce, CCRs have been blown out at CDNN at some pretty excellent prices over the last few weeks.Their still showing competition Custom Shop HBARs for $800.
ReplyDeleteClark & Anon, you're right…if I really wanted a Python, I'd have one. I did see a spectacular private collection of Pythons in the last couple of months and it probably warped my thinking. I completely agree with the general consensus on Redhawks…as much as I love my S&W .44s, my EDC here at the Bunker is a 2.75-inch Redhawk .44. Ken Jorgensen from Ruger and I shot a GUNSITE revolver class with 4-inch Redhawks stoked up with Specials, and it was ROCK AND ROLL.
From a prepper/zombie apocalypse standpoint, it's Redhawk all the way, baby! As Anon noted, if you run out of bullets you can beat the zombie about the head with it.
Michael B
I've had two trigger return springs fail on a G17 during matches,
ReplyDeletebut that is normally a "permanent until repaired" condition.
Carry a spare, a punch and a pair of needle-nose pliers to replace.
I've put many thousands of rounds thru a G17 so I wouldn't
call this a common failure.
RSR
I'm going to be "That Guy" here. I've shot (and owned) N frame S&Ws and I own a Python that I've owned and carried since 1975. I like the feel and "heft" of Colt pistols over S&Ws. I know unions have taken a lot of blame for Colt's demise but S&W is in a heavily union state as well so I have to think its mismanagement at the corporate level.
ReplyDeleteRSR...I can't count the number of 9mm rounds I've put through Glocks over the years...this was a new one on me...especially the way it "healed" itself. HM...
ReplyDeletemb