That was one of my 1st questions to this site. Soon afterward I bought a Bushmaster. Colt WAS something a long time ago. They don't recognize a legitimacy (anymore) in civilian ownership of such rifles and don't extend themselves very graciously to that market. The rifles are a good deal out of mil-spec in comparison to other civillian rifles (which too aren't mil-spec, but moreso than Colt) and they charge a premium for their name alone, which some are willing to pay. To their credit, a GOOD rifle is a thing of beauty in terms of fit and finish, but there are often a few poorly finished in the same batch (that can be pointed out in a lot of companies though). In short there are probably as many people willing to say that Colts today are "an overpriced piece of shit", as there are that will say "it is one of if not 'the' best rifle you can buy". So what does that tell you? If you are all set to buy a Colt then go for it. If you have an open mind regarding the benefits vs cost of the rifles on the market, then I suspect you won't be buying a post 94 Colt anytime soon.