Bad news for Colt haters

[Aguila Blanca]

http://www.colt.com/Media/PressRele...Capital-Structure-and-Enhanced-Liquidity.aspx

Colt has come out of bankruptcy and it appears that they're stronger than they have been for some time. One of the problems was that the building was owned (maybe still is) by the same holding company that was siphoning all the profits out of the operation. I don't know how they solved that issue, but it seems they have.

I'm told by people who work at Colt that they have some new products in the pipeline. I have no idea if that means "new" products, or just re-introductions of old products ... but the SHOT Show will be next week, so stay tuned and see what they bring to the show.

 

[SEKLEM]

Well, color me not surprised that one of the most if not the most iconic names in American firearms will not be allowed to die. I, for one, am not upset by this.

 

[Badfinger]

Colt haters? Colt historically speaking, is the hater, specifically they hate, and their track record clearly establishes such, private consumers! Its been Colt's steadfast refusal to compete in the far more lucrative, but highly competitive private consumer market that has doomed them, repeatedly! They had absolutely nothing to fall back on, except of course all that ill will they had generated via horrific customer service, all their eggs being in that "government contract welfare basket" they toted about as a trophy for decades!

Colt. easily could have been a global titan, instead they deliberately chose to dispense with almost all private consumer development & sales, so much so that even just 5-7 years ago they were still peddling 1911's at premium prices absent almost any of the modern upgrades considered standard in the market for almost two full decades!

Colt, like Hk, was virtually anti-gun as far as we private consumers were concerned, their few decent products intended solely for a government they were surgically attached at the teat's too!

 

[silverbullet6oh]

Colt haters? Colt historically speaking, is the hater, specifically they hate, and their track record clearly establishes such, private consumers! Its been Colt's steadfast refusal to compete in the far more lucrative, but highly competitive private consumer market that has doomed them, repeatedly! They had absolutely nothing to fall back on, except of course all that ill will they had generated via horrific customer service, all their eggs being in that "government contract welfare basket" they toted about as a trophy for decades!

Colt. easily could have been a global titan, instead they deliberately chose to dispense with almost all private consumer development & sales, so much so that even just 5-7 years ago they were still peddling 1911's at premium prices absent almost any of the modern upgrades considered standard in the market for almost two full decades!

Colt, like Hk, was virtually anti-gun as far as we private consumers were concerned, their few decent products intended solely for a government they were surgically attached at the teat's too!

I don't hate Colt, but this is true. LOL

 

[rock185]

I've not always been Colt's biggest fan, but I don't hate them and do want them to survive and thrive. Badfinger makes some good points. There is only one Colt and I do think Colt trades on that fact. They know that many Colt true believers will have nothing but Colt, because Colt's fanboys believe that each and everything to come off Colt's assembly line is superior to any other manufacturer's offerings simply because they say "~COLT~" on the slide. Not me. I've purchased too many new Colts over the last 45 years or so to drink that Kool-Aid.....

 

[Jim Watson]

Actually, the asset strippers of Sciens have been left in charge with the ability to borrow money to pay themselves management bonuses and nothing into the plant.

 

[Slamfire]

Colt is a brand name. The owners sold the Colt brand name and logo for uses other than firearms. There is a real cheap line of Colt brand knives being sold, and I think I have seen the Colt brand and logo on something else. A cheap something else.

I am not paying a premium for the Pony. If Colt comes out with something that I want, at a price that I want, I might consider. What will Colt fan boys say if their new product line is designed and made in China? Will they still pay for the Pony?

 

[puppyface]

Despite a terrible Colt 1991A1 that caused me migraines and a lot of money, I hope Colt is around for another 100 plus years.

 

[James K]

I have always wished Colt well, but it is a fact that after WWII, they blew off the commercial (event the police) market and tied the company to military contracts. But they knew, or should have known, that the military contracts always include giving the government the right to manufacture the product or to have it manufactured by others. (That is how the Army had companies like Remington-Rand and Ithaca make "Colt" M1911A1 pistols>)

When Colt couldn't meet the Army's needs in quantity and quality, the Army simple went elsewhere, and Colt was left twisting in the wind. They can come back, but they have to undergo a collective brain transplant to revise their whole way of thinking. And hiring more generals to run the place is not going to do that.

Jim

 

[Deaf Smith]

Only question is, will Colt DO SOMETHING with their name or just keep cruising along.

I suspect they will just keep doing as they are doing. Zero innovation and just rely on the name to bring in the $$.

Deaf

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Colt. easily could have been a global titan, instead they deliberately chose to dispense with almost all private consumer development & sales, so much so that even just 5-7 years ago they were still peddling 1911's at premium prices absent almost any of the modern upgrades considered standard in the market for almost two full decades!

You seem to be a bit out of touch.

Maybe the problem is that, unlike Kimber and their full-page ads in every gun magazine in creation, Colt hasn't advertised for years -- they started advertising again only last year. But they've been making something like 50,000 1911s every year, and selling them all without advertising. Why spend money on advertising when you can sell numbers of guns that would make many manufacturers drool with envy, and not even have to advertise?

I know I sound like a fanboi, and I suppose I am. Blame it on the fact that as a young child I lived with my mother and her parents just a block from the old Winchester factory in New Haven, Connecticut. Over the years, I watched Winchester wither away until there's nothing left now but a brand name, and they're going their best to ruin even that. High Standard, Marlin, Remington -- so many famous gunmakers have left Connecticut or simply gone out of existence that I hate to think about seeing the same thing happen to Colt.

A number of years ago I rode a train from Washington to New Haven. The tracks run right by the huge old Remington factory in Bridgeport, Connecticut. When I saw it, the entire complex appeared to be derelict, with weeds growing in the parking lots. I've been told that in recent years most or all of the buildings have been torn down.

 

[shootniron]

Colt haters? Colt historically speaking, is the hater, specifically they hate, and their track record clearly establishes such, private consumers! Its been Colt's steadfast refusal to compete in the far more lucrative, but highly competitive private consumer market that has doomed them, repeatedly! They had absolutely nothing to fall back on, except of course all that ill will they had generated via horrific customer service, all their eggs being in that "government contract welfare basket" they toted about as a trophy for decades!

Colt. easily could have been a global titan, instead they deliberately chose to dispense with almost all private consumer development & sales, so much so that even just 5-7 years ago they were still peddling 1911's at premium prices absent almost any of the modern upgrades considered standard in the market for almost two full decades!

Colt, like Hk, was virtually anti-gun as far as we private consumers were concerned, their few decent products intended solely for a government they were surgically attached at the teat's too!
Badfinger is offline Report Post

BINGO!

We have a winner!

I don't hate'em either...but they really don't care whether I buy a gun from them or not.

 

[Win73]

I don't hate or love any gun manufacturer. I do like most of the guns that most manufacturers produce. I do hate to see any of the old line gun manufacturers go away, especially Colt and Winchester.

 

[osbornk]

I suspect Colt's "success" will only be a temporary delay of their final demise. They remain in the anti-gun northeast where manufacturing is relatively expensive and they have a union workforce. How do they plan on making guns that are affordable with union wages and union rules when their competition does not have that burden?

 

[Hunter Customs]

I have to go with Badfinger on this one as he hit the nail right on the head.

I'm not a Colt hater I even own a few, however being a custom builder of 1911's I recall the days of some of the Colts having hammers that leaned so far to the right side that doing a good action job on one was impossible.

I have a couple of Colt clone SA revolvers, in my opinion they are everything Colt should be at a lot less cost.

That horse has sold a lot of guns for Colt but not to me, I own a good horse.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Colt haters? Colt historically speaking, is the hater, specifically they hate, and their track record clearly establishes such, private consumers!

Sounds like you have never run a business. Colt operated in the manner that it thought was best for Colt and Colt's bottom line. That is as a business should be. They did not do it out of any sort of hate of private consumers.

Holy cow.

With that said, watching Colt's evolution over the last 40 years has been like watching a prized bull belly deep in the middle of a large mud pasture and trying to free himself. Every time he gets up and walks, people think he is free and doing great, and then he just sinks down into his belly again a few paces later.

 

[Skans]

Colt makes guns. How can anyone hate that?

 

[rpseraph]

Colt made a choice for their business (more gov't less commercial), and it paid off for a while. The mistake that I think they made, was to not do a great job keep their other options open. Now their decision is not paying off and they are desperately trying to re-diversify.

They have an awesome history and they started amazing product lines... I for one HOPE that they do this right and release some great new items at good prices to get us all back in their good graces.

 

[357 Terms]

I'm told by people who work at Colt that they have some new products in the pipeline

Lol, I'm not going to hold my breath on that.

Colt hasnt contributed anything new or relevant in decades.

 

[Targa]

I really hate Colt!!! I hate Ruger, S&W, Kahr and Rossi as well. Much like a marriage they keep making my wallet lighter.