[IronBalaclava]

I love and hate Colt. I have dozens, in many forms.

I appreciate Colt's history, legacy and contribution to the development and prior innovation of firearms.

I also understand and take into account their limitations, historical mismanagement, many bankruptcies, blunders, stagnation, refusal to innovate and general tom-foolery as a corporation.

That being said, just going with Colt, or (insert) brand specific anything, is significantly limiting your scope, exposure and overall experience.

 

[WC145]

Love my Colts, they've got got old school soul that no one else can replicate. They remind me of when I was a kid and no one had to say Colt or 1911 or Government Model, they just said .45 and everyone knew what they were talking about.

Out of my 2 dozen or so 1911s, I have 2 Baers, a Brown-Baer, a MEUSOC tribute Springfield, and a Para that my dad owned. All the rest are Colts and only one of them is original, but I've been kicking some ideas around for that one. 😁

 

[Frank Black]

Series 70 Colt = Peak Pony.

The Rexer agrees ….

 

[COLONELCOLT]

Colt for me also.

Bill Wilson himself in his early days on a DVD I was watching ( this was probably pre YouTube) where him and Ken Hackathorn were talking about the different 1911 brands said he would choose a Colt and used the analogy that if someone placed 2 similar pistols on a table, one being a Colt and the other a SA or whatever brand and told you to take one for FREE which one would you honestly take?

I think this was before he really built his own pistols I think and was a more a custom shop.

 

[bac1023]

I’ve bought many different semi custom and a few SA and DW customs. Most of those have been sold off. If I’m spending big $$$ on a full custom build then I want it on a colt.
For lower end guns I’m not opposed to a WC or an ACW. They offer a lot of bang for the buck.

Wilson builds a nice semi custom gun. But when you get into a full house build by one of the greats expect to pay 2-4 times what a nice Wilson costs.

Really interesting take.

Actually a bit funny and frankly a little pompous calling Wilson and ACW “lower end”. To me, the semi customs from Wilson, Cabot, ACW, Nighthawk, Guncrafter, Baer, Brown, etc, etc is where it’s at when it comes to the 1911 platform.

In my opinion, spending well into the five figures for a 1911 with a Colt serial number is absurd, regardless who is customizing it.

If I’m spending that kind of money on a handgun, it will be super rare, super high end pistol, like these Korths and Kori’s. They routinely bring $30-$50K each (and rising) whenever they change hands.

 

[Hodds]

Not trying to be pompous. There are different levels of custom 1911s. Not a knock on Wilson, NHC or any other semi custom. They are wonderful guns. I’ve owned many. To take an old crooked Colt and turn it into a modern masterpiece is a whole other thing.
And I guess its just a personal preference on the amount one is willing to spend.

 

[scott1970]

I was a diehard Colt man until I fell down the semi custom rabbit hole. I won’t sell my Colts, but I can’t recall the last time I took one to the range.

 

[bac1023]

I was a diehard Colt man until I fell down the semi custom rabbit hole. I won’t sell my Colts, but I can’t recall the last time I took one to the range.

Certainly no comparison there

 

[bac1023]

Not trying to be pompous. There are different levels of custom 1911s. Not a knock on Wilson, NHC or any other semi custom. They are wonderful guns. I’ve owned many. To take an old crooked Colt and turn it into a modern masterpiece is a whole other thing.
And I guess its just a personal preference on the amount one is willing to spend.

All good. I understand and agree.

I’m fortunate enough at this point to have a 7-figure handgun collection, but still can’t imagine calling Wilson and ACW low end. Thanks for clarifying your statement.

 

[TheCarpenter]

In my opinion, spending well into the five figures for a 1911 with a Colt serial number is absurd, regardless who is customizing it.

If I’m spending that kind of money on a handgun, it will be super rare, super high end pistol, like these Korths and Kori’s. They routinely bring $30-$50K each (and rising) whenever they change hands.


[/QUOTE]

With all due respect to your super high end collection, personally, none of those pistols light my fire like a full house Colt built by one of the top 5 1911 smiths.

 

[bac1023]

With all due respect to your super high end collection, personally, none of those pistols light my fire like a full house Colt built by one of the top 5 1911 smiths.

To each their own. I’ll take super rare handbuilt German pistols from solid blocks of billet steel over customized Colts any day. If they did it for me, I’d own a dozen of them. I probably have a quarter million in high end 1911’s and 2011’s. Nothing with a Colt serial number.

Let’s see, a customized Colt or another Infinity. To me, it’s a no brainer. I’ll take the latter.

I know people like custom builds. They just aren’t for me. I’ve got a very fine Liebenberg full custom build, but that didn’t start as a base gun.

 

[IronBalaclava]

Well, that escalated quickly. LoL!

For you watch guys: This reads like a humble, r/seiko subreddit post, that crossed over in to Rolex territory>>>>>>>>>>>>> in to a Patek Philipe/Audemars Piguet/Vacheron Constantin dick measuring contest, in like a nano second.

 

[65svtfastback]

@TheCarpenter ….still kicking myself for not picking up that Wilson/Colt from you when I had the chance!!!

 

[Nightflight88]

Well, that escalated quickly. LoL!

For you watch guys: This reads like a humble, r/seiko subreddit post, that crossed over in to Rolex territory>>>>>>>>>>>>> in to a Patek Philipe/Audemars Piguet/Vacheron Constantin dick measuring contest, in like a nano second.

Preciesly! I myself will stick with my Colt Yost builds, absurd or not.

 

[RadioActivity]

A custom build without Colt Rollmarks just doesn't hit the same. It's like a kit car vs a restored muscle car. A mustang, a Camaro, a Chevelle, look as they should. There might be plenty of cool looking body kits for miata's and you can shove a 5.3 in there.. but it doesn't hit in the same way. Colt and high end full house custom 1911 go hand in hand. Given Colt's quality in the past decades, unfortunately you're simply paying for a serial number and roll mark - for that aesthetic. Silly as that is. But lets face it, we're shooting 1911's for a reason, just like owning/driving a classic car isn't the fastest way around the track.

 

[IronBalaclava]

A custom build without Colt Rollmarks just doesn't hit the same. It's like a kit car vs a restored muscle car. A mustang, a Camaro, a Chevelle, look as they should. There might be plenty of cool looking body kits for miata's and you can shove a 5.3 in there.. but it doesn't hit in the same way. Colt and high end full house custom 1911 go hand in hand. Given Colt's quality in the past decades, unfortunately you're simply paying for a serial number and roll mark - for that aesthetic. Silly as that is. But lets face it, we're shooting 1911's for a reason, just like owning/driving a classic car isn't the fastest way around the track.

Yeah. NGL…despite all of Colt’s Shenanigans, I do have a bit of an emotional attachment to Colt when it comes to base guns and I currently have a Colt Limited Edition at NHC right now for a classic, full house build.

Next, I’d like to have one of greats “chop up” one of my MK IV Series 70s (the quintessential Colt chassis IMHO), or a Colt WWI Repro for another in the near future. Wondering with whom, though. As Yost and Burton and Garthwaite are out of the question, anymore.

ETA: @TheCarpenter
Is that a Yost, BTW?