I picked up 2 new to me guns from my local FFL Monday. The local indoor range is closed on Monday so not shooting right away. I managed to get out yesterday to test them out. I bought two fundementally different pistols. A 80s vintage Colt Combalt Elite and a Glock 19. These guns are on opposite ends of the spectrum but both should be included in any well rounded collection IMHO.
Well I took a new to me Colt Combat Elite out for a spin yesterday. I picked it up from Officers Match here on TFL. It looks great. I broke it down and there are a few handling and takedown marks on the gun but overall it is in excellent condition considering it was made in 1981. It came with the 80s style cardboard box and all the paperwork including warranty card and letter from Colt. I replaced the grips with some stock Colt grips I took off my 70 Repro not shown in these pics.
The trigger is a little heavy. It measured 6.7 lbs avg of 5 pulls. It is crisp but I might have to work on it to get it down to the 4 to 5 lb range where I would like it. It does not have much if any take up in the trigger. The sights are easy to pick up and with proper sight picture adjustments it shot where I pointed it. I liked the vertical line serrations on the front strap much better than the cheese grater checkering you find on most guns.
The lockup was good for a production/custom shop Colt. It was not Baer or Wilson tight but tight enough. No nasty tool marks inside the gun. The frame rails look good and straight and the slide to frame fit is again good for a production Colt. The finish especially on the slide is very nice. I really like blue guns and this one is nice example of what Colt can do.
I shot 150 rounds of 230 gr ball ammo. 50 RWS and 100 of WWB. I feed it with a Colt mag, CNC Powermag, Les Baer mag and a Wilson mag. It did not like the Wilson mag. I FTF twice with that mag but once I took it out of the rotation it functioned flawlessly. I think the spring in that particular mag might be shot. Extraction was consistent. Overall function was good if you eliminate the Wilson mag.
I shot mainly for function not of accuracy. I shot most of the rounds at 10 and 15 yards. I shot one group of 5 shots at 20 yards. It grouped well. See the pic below. I think that if I work on the trigger a bit that it will keep +/-3" groups for me at 25 yards which is good enough for Govt work. LOL
I am considering using this one as a base gun. At the very least the plastic mainspring housing has to go. I really wish Colt would get rid of that. I plan on shooting a couple more thousand rounds and then send it off for the following.
Beavertail or retro cut the existing grip safety.
Ed Brown thumb safety.
Mill and install Gold Dot bead on the front sight.
Install retro 70 style short trigger.
Colt mainspring with line checkering or Ed Brown chainlink
C&S Hammer, sear and disconnector
Steel Tool Slide Stop of choice
Wilson Bullet proof extractor
This one seems to be a keeper.
The other gun of the day was a LNIB Glock 19. Talk about a contrast. I picked this one up here on TFL too. What can you say its a Glock. It is sort of a lifeless piece of plastic which fires 9mm projectiles. No need to post a pic it looks like every other Gen 3 Glock 19. LOL
The first thing I noticed is how spongy the trigger is compared to the 1911 I shot just before it. It is not a bad trigger it is just a Glock trigger. The reset was consistent but it just had a totally different break than the 1911. The trigger weight was lower but at the same time the trigger felt heavier. Clearly a issue of perception because at 6.7 the 1911 trigger is without a doubt ther heavier of the 2. Maybe I am spoiled but I could not get over the mushy feeling of the Glock. Maybe I should have shot it first.
The grip angle is much less forgiving than the 1911 or other guns I own. The sights were decent and it really does not bother me that they are plastic. I mean after all the gun is plastic. I might replace the front with a night sight but I am in no real rush. I have owned and shot Glocks in the past but always sold them after a while. I felt that itch to have one again so i picked this one up.
For me the size, weight, accuracy and reliability of the Glock 19 is excellent. I prefer the Gen 3 over the Gen 4 which I also considered. The gun is a Glock. Nothing about the construction looked really good or bad. Nothing stood out. The gun looked like it had almost no rounds through it. There is no frame bulge present and not handling marks I on the slide or frame. One of the mags still had the warning sticker on it. Overall I am impressed with the package.
I shot 100 rounds of 124gr RWS. It was accurate enough but I did not shoot it as well as the 1911. I shot mainly at 10 yards. I had to adjust to the lightness of the gun and its very different recoil impulse. Groups were decent but nothing worth taking a picture of. I do not shoot Glocks as well as say a BHP or Sig but I was not spraying the target either. Zero malfunctions of any kind. Bang Bang Bang the Glock went.
I got this one as a beater pistol and a training tool. Lots of new shooters I take out to the range ask me about Glocks so I figured I would pick one up. I think this one will fit the bill and fill this roll nicely even if it does not move my soul....
In the end these both ended up being great examples of on the one had a traditional steel 45 ACP setup and a modern fantastic plastic 9mm. Both have their place in the safe. I treat most of my guns as tools but the Glock will be treated in this manner more than the Colt. For me there is nothing beautiful about the Glock. LOL. The 1911 on the other hand is a nice blend of art and tool.
Well I took a new to me Colt Combat Elite out for a spin yesterday. I picked it up from Officers Match here on TFL. It looks great. I broke it down and there are a few handling and takedown marks on the gun but overall it is in excellent condition considering it was made in 1981. It came with the 80s style cardboard box and all the paperwork including warranty card and letter from Colt. I replaced the grips with some stock Colt grips I took off my 70 Repro not shown in these pics.
The trigger is a little heavy. It measured 6.7 lbs avg of 5 pulls. It is crisp but I might have to work on it to get it down to the 4 to 5 lb range where I would like it. It does not have much if any take up in the trigger. The sights are easy to pick up and with proper sight picture adjustments it shot where I pointed it. I liked the vertical line serrations on the front strap much better than the cheese grater checkering you find on most guns.
The lockup was good for a production/custom shop Colt. It was not Baer or Wilson tight but tight enough. No nasty tool marks inside the gun. The frame rails look good and straight and the slide to frame fit is again good for a production Colt. The finish especially on the slide is very nice. I really like blue guns and this one is nice example of what Colt can do.
I shot 150 rounds of 230 gr ball ammo. 50 RWS and 100 of WWB. I feed it with a Colt mag, CNC Powermag, Les Baer mag and a Wilson mag. It did not like the Wilson mag. I FTF twice with that mag but once I took it out of the rotation it functioned flawlessly. I think the spring in that particular mag might be shot. Extraction was consistent. Overall function was good if you eliminate the Wilson mag.
I shot mainly for function not of accuracy. I shot most of the rounds at 10 and 15 yards. I shot one group of 5 shots at 20 yards. It grouped well. See the pic below. I think that if I work on the trigger a bit that it will keep +/-3" groups for me at 25 yards which is good enough for Govt work. LOL
I am considering using this one as a base gun. At the very least the plastic mainspring housing has to go. I really wish Colt would get rid of that. I plan on shooting a couple more thousand rounds and then send it off for the following.
Beavertail or retro cut the existing grip safety.
Ed Brown thumb safety.
Mill and install Gold Dot bead on the front sight.
Install retro 70 style short trigger.
Colt mainspring with line checkering or Ed Brown chainlink
C&S Hammer, sear and disconnector
Steel Tool Slide Stop of choice
Wilson Bullet proof extractor
This one seems to be a keeper.
The other gun of the day was a LNIB Glock 19. Talk about a contrast. I picked this one up here on TFL too. What can you say its a Glock. It is sort of a lifeless piece of plastic which fires 9mm projectiles. No need to post a pic it looks like every other Gen 3 Glock 19. LOL
The first thing I noticed is how spongy the trigger is compared to the 1911 I shot just before it. It is not a bad trigger it is just a Glock trigger. The reset was consistent but it just had a totally different break than the 1911. The trigger weight was lower but at the same time the trigger felt heavier. Clearly a issue of perception because at 6.7 the 1911 trigger is without a doubt ther heavier of the 2. Maybe I am spoiled but I could not get over the mushy feeling of the Glock. Maybe I should have shot it first.
The grip angle is much less forgiving than the 1911 or other guns I own. The sights were decent and it really does not bother me that they are plastic. I mean after all the gun is plastic. I might replace the front with a night sight but I am in no real rush. I have owned and shot Glocks in the past but always sold them after a while. I felt that itch to have one again so i picked this one up.
For me the size, weight, accuracy and reliability of the Glock 19 is excellent. I prefer the Gen 3 over the Gen 4 which I also considered. The gun is a Glock. Nothing about the construction looked really good or bad. Nothing stood out. The gun looked like it had almost no rounds through it. There is no frame bulge present and not handling marks I on the slide or frame. One of the mags still had the warning sticker on it. Overall I am impressed with the package.
I shot 100 rounds of 124gr RWS. It was accurate enough but I did not shoot it as well as the 1911. I shot mainly at 10 yards. I had to adjust to the lightness of the gun and its very different recoil impulse. Groups were decent but nothing worth taking a picture of. I do not shoot Glocks as well as say a BHP or Sig but I was not spraying the target either. Zero malfunctions of any kind. Bang Bang Bang the Glock went.
I got this one as a beater pistol and a training tool. Lots of new shooters I take out to the range ask me about Glocks so I figured I would pick one up. I think this one will fit the bill and fill this roll nicely even if it does not move my soul....
In the end these both ended up being great examples of on the one had a traditional steel 45 ACP setup and a modern fantastic plastic 9mm. Both have their place in the safe. I treat most of my guns as tools but the Glock will be treated in this manner more than the Colt. For me there is nothing beautiful about the Glock. LOL. The 1911 on the other hand is a nice blend of art and tool.
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