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Colt Defender

5K views 20 replies 14 participants last post by  Leo 
#1 ·
I am interested in a Colt Combat Elite Defender. Does anyone have any experience or first hand opinion? Thanks!
 
#6 ·
I've had two .45acp Defenders-one with the stainless slide, the other with the blue slide. Both were 100% reliable with everything I ever tried and quite accurate though I never shot them past 15 yards. I've come to the point in life where for me a lightweight 1911 is better in 9 and I've found I prefer the full size grip. My 5" guns are all steel and .45

That being said I would get another one if those things were different.
 
#9 ·
I own and daily carry an Officer's ACP which these guns are based on. There are reports of these guns not being adequate for SD as they are ammunition sensitive, do not properly cycle....etc. I have had great luck with mine and it is bone stock and even has the "hinky" recoil assembly. I think handguns and rifles tend to be like many experiences in life....some great....some okay.....some bad. I "vet" my handguns and rifles. The ones I carry have met or exceeded my expectations. This particular one is a great self defense gun. It is light, accurate and shoots big ass bullets.
 
#11 ·
I have a Colt New Agent that I had a few mods made to....Trigger, Beaver Tail, Extended Thumb Safety and Iron Sights....It shoots anything I have fed it.



I have also carried a S&W Pro Series Subcompact for going on 7 years without any issues.



Just stay on top of the Recoil Springs and you should have no problems. Then OI am still on the stock springs with both pistols.

Karsten
 
#18 ·
Just stay on top of the Recoil Springs and you should have no problems. Then OI am still on the stock springs with both pistols.
Do the Colt New Agent 45ACP and Colt Defender 45ACP use the same recoil springs (or recoil spring assemblies)?

How many rounds are these rated for the service life?

What are good options for replacing the recoil springs? Or recoil spring assemblies? I remember reading something about Kimber making recoil springs or assemblies that work perfect for the Colt Defender 45ACP … Please help refresh my memory o_O

Thanks in advance!
 
#12 ·
I have older Defenders. A 2002 in 45 ACP on top and a 2010 in 9mm on the bottom. Both have been great. I carried the 2002 for a few years but went to a LW Commander as I have large hands and live in a more rural environment.



One big thing with the Combat Elite Defender is in addition to the checkered front of the frame it has a stainless steel frame which makes it the first Defender I think with a steel frame.

https://www.colt.com/series/COMBAT_ELITE_SERIES
 
#16 · (Edited)
I've been carrying my stainless .45 ACP Colt Defender daily since I bought it in 2010. I bought it to replace the S&W model 60 I'd carried since I began my LEO career in 1979. I felt that with the proliferation of high capacity semi auto pistols in the hands of many low lives that the venerable 60 was no longer a good idea. The Defender would give me a couple extra rounds, a more easily reloadable pistol, and a more effective round than the .38 special +P I carried in the revolver, plus I'd been carrying an issued 1911 for nearly twenty years. Before carrying the Defender, I fit it with an extended thumb safety, some checkered wood grips, and had my gunsmith perform an action job.
Two years after I purchased the Defender, I took a plainclothes job within my department, so I decided that rather than carry my issued Colt Gunsite 1911, I would use the Defender as my duty gun. But first I dropped the gun at my local gunsmith's door for a few upgrades. The upgrades consisted of an upswept grip safety, checkered front strap, serrations on the top of the slide, a rounded butt, and a complete refinish of the stainless steel parts in Ion Bond, with the receiver anodized in black. My gunsmith also fit a polished steel feed ramp insert, and welded up and refit the barrel. I later fit a Wilson Combat bullet proof extended thumb safety to the gun.
Since then, I've carried the Defender in a Nighthawk Custom OWB holster at 4 Oclock on my belt. I qualify twice each year with the Defender firing about 600 rounds of 230 grain ball, and Winchester Ranger HP's through it annually. I use Wilson Combat magazines in the gun for carry, and will use the factory Colt compact mags during qualifications. I will also at least monthly fire a magazine from the gun with it in the condition as carried. In the time I've carried my Defender it has never malfunctioned with any of the ammo I shoot through it, even using the original Colt factory mags. At around the 2000 round mark, I began to notice some weak ejection, and at times could feel the slide surging forward while firing the gun. I replaced the original recoil spring assembly with another from Colt. This allowed the pistol to run smoothly again, and at around 4000 rounds now it continues to shoot fine, but a spring change is probably getting near.
As for comfort of carry, the Colt Defender is the most easily carried pistol I've ever had. I often forget it is even there and will sometimes let it be seen more than I intend. It is comfortable when driving as it does not press against a car seat with its Officer size grip, and it's short enough that the barrel does not push up from the seat either.
My only issue with my Defender is that as I've grown ten years older, I've noticed that I must slow down when running the gun. If I try to shoot it too fast I will drop rounds low on my target. I must concentrate on my front sight, and take a second to watch my trigger pull or I will drop rounds low.
I have no reservations about recommending the Colt Defender to anyone considering the purchase of one for use as their defensive hand gun.
Brown Gun Wood Firearm Trigger
 
#20 ·
Are there part numbers or links you can point me to? So I can get the correct items [emoji4]
Thanks in advance!


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