Posted: 2/10/2011 5:53:21 AM EDT
| So I'm looking to buy my first 1911 and had my eyes on the Colt Combat Elite, but when I talked to my friend who is an avid Colt collector he told me it was junk. Basically said all the newer model Colts are junk and that the only one he'd consider buying is the Special Combat Government. Now this is coming from a guy who has 15+ Colt 1911s. Unfortunately the SCG is well out of my price range so I just thought I'd see what you guys thought of this gun. Also it is for sale at my gun shop for $889, is that a good price for this gun new? Also, any suggestions in that range are welcome. Thanks ahead of time! |
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Sounds like a strong personal opinion. With respect to manufacturing, Colt is doing a pretty good job these days, so I don't see much substance behind the pistol being junk.
What I see is decked-out 5" two-tone Series 80, most of which I find rather disfavorable for my tastes and purposes. There is nothing wrong with them, but when my money is at stake, I would be thinking Series 70 repro, another Delta Elite, Wiley Clapp, Colt Rail Gun, XSE Commander, 9mm... something, something, Combat Elite. FWIW, I would take a Combat Elite over Special Combat Gov't considering the cost and usefulness of each as I use them. A Combat Elite in .38 Super would be pretty cool as well. |
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I have a Colt Combat Elite and I haven't had any problems out of it either before I sent it to Colt for recall work or after I got it back.
I bought it because of the upswept beavertail grip safety but I don't like the full length guide rod, it doesn't give me any problems I just don't like them in general. $889 is a sounds like a pretty good price to me but I'd check gunbroker before I buy it. Overall I'd say that it was worth the money that I paid for the gun. I have to disagree with your friend though, I think the new Colts are some of the better 1911s out there in that price range. |
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I recently got a new XSE Commander that I really like. It's my only Colt, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but it's far from junk. And It is by far, nicer than my SA or my Taurus.
I would definitely like anonther. Perhaps that 9mm something, something that pulpsmack spoke of. a-bare |
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With all due respect, your friend doesn't know shit if he thinks they are junk. +1 Last couple of years I have bought a number of new Colts, a Delta, 38 Super, SAA, M4, and a Defender 9mm. Each have been flawless. The Super and the Defender went strait from the show to the range and shot 100% out of the box. |
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I recently got a new XSE Commander that I really like. It's my only Colt, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but it's far from junk. And It is by far, nicer than my SA or my Taurus. I would definitely like anonther. Perhaps that 9mm something, something that pulpsmack spoke of. a-bare Same here. I've had very good luck with this Combat Commander. The fit and finish are very nice. It's accurate and reliable too. 
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the series 70 is preferred and if you can get the original ones from the 1970s even better. The series 80 have a bunch of bullshit trigger pieces in them that a trained person doesn't need.  Don't know how I missed that one, but you shouldn't laugh Bill. Reelserious just misspoke is all. You did misspeak didn't you reelserious ?? It's easy to pull a trigger out of an 80 series. I carry one with and one without and I can't tell the difference. Take up is slightly less on 70 than 80, difference isn't discernible. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: the series 70 is preferred and if you can get the original ones from the 1970s even better. The series 80 have a bunch of bullshit trigger pieces in them that a trained person doesn't need. Don't know how I missed that one, but you shouldn't laugh Bill. Reelserious just misspoke is all. You did misspeak didn't you reelserious ?? It's easy to pull a trigger out of an 80 series. I carry one with and one without and I can't tell the difference. Take up is slightly less on 70 than 80, difference isn't discernible. I'm still laughing !  |
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I have a current Combat Elite that is flawless. I deleted the 80 series with a simple $5 plate from Brownells. Buy it and make your friend eat his words.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=13121/Product/1911_AUTO_FRAME_SLOT_BLANK 
Thought I might add my current production Colt Rail Gun as well that has been 100% flawless. 
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the series 70 is preferred and if you can get the original ones from the 1970s even better. The series 80 have a bunch of bullshit trigger pieces in them that a trained person doesn't need. I know a few guys who say that... Almost word for word. For my money, a series 80 can be tuned to be just as smooth as a 70. A well built 80 side by side with a well built 70 in a blind test? I'd be hard pressed to tell the difference by trigger pull alone... I'd wager most folks would be like me and not be able to discern by pull alone. |
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Really !! Your friend told you they're junk, eh ?? http://s660.photobucket.com/albums/uu324/daclark1911/elites001.jpg It's nice to have friends who are all knowing.... in an omnipotent kind of way. http://s660.photobucket.com/albums/uu324/daclark1911/elites002.jpg These are a couple of Combat Elite re-rubbed dogs. Not worthy of good leather. http://s660.photobucket.com/albums/uu324/daclark1911/DSC02280.jpg Good, honest, sincere friends are hard to come by. Yeah. It sounds like your friend is as full of shit as a Christmas turkey. When guys like John Harrison, Bob Miller, and Ned Christiansen say that Colt is currently making some of the best 1911s they've ever made, I listen. |
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Coal Creek Armory and maybe others will take your Series 80 and convert to Series 70 fire control system. I did that with a Gold Cup. They used Ed Brown Hardcore parts for the replacement and sent the bag of unused parts back to me with the gun. It is fantastic. So the guy who said Colts are junk...he is wrong. I love them. |
| When they first came out I saw a lot of pics of slides rubbing against dust covers wearing the bluing off, recoil spring/guide rod channels machined into the slides so off center you'd wonder how it made it out of the factory, things like that. But I haven't seen much of that since. If I were looking to buy a Colt, the Combat Elite w/ series 70 conversion would probably be my choice. |
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Quoted: the series 70 is preferred and if you can get the original ones from the 1970s even better. The series 80 have a bunch of bullshit trigger pieces in them that a trained person doesn't need. There are two pieces and a gap they fit into. Beware Series 80 parts shown below. Mine are the pretty gold ones.   |