Looks nice. Thanks for the write up.

 

Very nice. Can't wait for the range report. Remember, we love pictures.

 

Looking sharp. Seems to have some similarities to the Wiley Clapp model.. the thumb safety, grip safety, undercut frame, checkered frontstrap, brass bead front sight, Novak rear...

 

Yep, the two pistols seem to share a lot of traits! I do really love the attention to detail with the checkering on the slide stop and thumb safety!

Only thing holding me back from buying one is that grip safety. The Colt competition models have much better fit Beavertails that that. Springfield, Kimber, and numerous other production guns are better fit that that, just have not been able to look past it.

Because I know this gun will be going to a custom shop, I let it slide. I will agree that the SA's I have handled have had better-fit grip safety and I really do wish the good folks at Colt would look into this.

Yours must be fit better than mine, which is comically loose. So much that I stopped using it for dry fire practice because every time I gripped the gun, the slide would shift so much it was disconcerting. Mine benefited greatly from being worked over, but I can't get past the slop to the point where I don't think I want to risk getting another POS for a redo of my first build.

Mistakes Were Made

If you want to know why the trigger blows chunks, here's the factory sear I pulled out of mine. 10 year old with an angle grinder, with no secondary.
View attachment 1379396

Yeah, that is not ideal looking... I pulled up your write-up in a new tab and I am going to read through it right now! I haven't even field-stripped the gun, I have just been racking/dry-firing it while working today.

You and I are on the same wavelength about these guns. The grip safety on them is terrible, and everything else you said is spot on. That's why I bought one specifically for a build, and I too was thinking Novak, or Nighthawk.

I think this gun was made for guys like us, that think only of the end-custom gun result.

I was waiting to see your review, while I was more disappointed than you, my general thoughts echo your “review” so to speak. The higher end guns SPOILED me tremendously and that being my first colt was a let down. Aesthetically though…MAN…every aesthetic feature is 👌🏾 the only thing I’d consider changing is ball cuts on the slide, mainly because if I kept mine it would need a dehorn and refinish anyways. Functionally a medium trigger would suit me better. Ultimately, I’m going to just build my repro into a nicer version of that pistol. If the fit and finish was on par with my WWI repro, I’d still have that SE.

This gun will more than likely see a pretty major overhaul. Ball cuts would look exquisite.

Nice write up. Like the direction Colt is going in, more options with front grip treatment.
Thanks for posting.

Thank you for reading!

 

Only thing holding me back from buying one is that grip safety. The Colt competition models have much better fit Beavertails that that. Springfield, Kimber, and numerous other production guns are better fit that that, just have not been able to look past it.

 

Change it out.

 

Yours must be fit better than mine, which is comically loose. So much that I stopped using it for dry fire practice because every time I gripped the gun, the slide would shift so much it was disconcerting. Mine benefited greatly from being worked over, but I can't get past the slop to the point where I don't think I want to risk getting another POS for a redo of my first build.

Mistakes Were Made

If you want to know why the trigger blows chunks, here's the factory sear I pulled out of mine. 10 year old with an angle grinder, with no secondary.

 

Yours must be fit better than mine, which is comically loose. So much that I stopped using it for dry fire practice because every time I gripped the gun, the slide would shift so much it was disconcerting. Mine benefited greatly from being worked over, but I can't get past the slop to the point where I don't think I want to risk getting another POS for a redo of my first build.

Mistakes Were Made

If you want to know why the trigger blows chunks, here's the factory sear I pulled out of mine. 10 year old with an angle grinder, with no secondary.
View attachment 1379396

A butcher piece of workmanship. Guess there are still a lot of people who call themselves gunsmiths and exist in word only.

 

I thought about one of these because I really liked the wiley clapp series, and a wiley clapp commander was the first 1911 I had as a carry gun. I'll just wait for the right wiley clapp to come along, or buy an older colt for a base model if I'm gonna sink money into a colt.

 

You and I are on the same wavelength about these guns. The grip safety on them is terrible, and everything else you said is spot on. That's why I bought one specifically for a build, and I too was thinking Novak, or Nighthawk.

 

Sorry does nothing for me. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

 

I don’t think there’s a JMB on this forum that does NOTHING for me.

Maybe I’m back to the honeymoon phase after years of polymer..

 

Beautiful

 

I was waiting to see your review, while I was more disappointed than you, my general thoughts echo your “review” so to speak. The higher end guns SPOILED me tremendously and that being my first colt was a let down. Aesthetically though…MAN…every aesthetic feature is 👌🏾 the only thing I’d consider changing is ball cuts on the slide, mainly because if I kept mine it would need a dehorn and refinish anyways. Functionally a medium trigger would suit me better. Ultimately, I’m going to just build my repro into a nicer version of that pistol. If the fit and finish was on par with my WWI repro, I’d still have that SE.

 

It really is a good looking pistol. I love the safety. Looking forward to hearing how it shoots!

 

I am very happy with mine.

 

Where did you get those grips? looks really good

 

Nice write up. Like the direction Colt is going in, more options with front grip treatment.
Thanks for posting.

 

Interesting Details

I was delighted to see the undercut on this gun, and really feel that this shows someone at Colt is listening to shooters.

Great looking gun! But, just an FYI, Colt has been undercutting trigger guards on many models since the XSE series guns came out in the mid-2000s, maybe even a little earlier. In fact, all of the current Colts come with undercut trigger guards except the 'Traditional Series'.

 

My thirty-five-year-old 1980s-era combat Elite is undercut!

 

Good write up Eli. I didn't know about this pistol until your IG live the other night. So, I found one under retail and bought it, because it does have potential.

My tentative plans, since I don't have the thing... Swap out the ignition parts for Harrison ones w/ the spur hammer., including one of his medium solid triggers. I was going to ditch the safety, but since you report that it is checkered on both sides, I'll keep it. I'm sorry to hear about the MSH, so that will get changed to matching checkering -or- if I get froggy a Chen SI.

I suppose the GS will go, if it is really that bad.

I'd really like to get a french border on it, I think it would look nice, perhaps someone can remove that god-awful "Limited Edition" on the right side. Colt can do some of the nicest roll marks (if not in actual quality) and yet some of the tackiest, shaking my head.

The sight will go, this isn't the 1990's and there are better rear sights. I'll either get a fiber front or a gold bead, bass front sights are for people who wear stainless steel jewelry.

You shouldn't sweat the Series-80. One of my Garthwaite's is a Series 80, has well over 20k rounds through it, was shot in classes, carried, and has been 100% reliable. But, I feel ya.

Colt has been doing undercuts, some of the Gunsite pistols have them. Another pistol I want, that Colt totally botched the rollmarks.

 

Good write up Eli. I didn't know about this pistol until your IG live the other night. So, I found one under retail and bought it, because it does have potential.

My tentative plans, since I don't have the thing... Swap out the ignition parts for Harrison ones w/ the spur hammer., including one of his medium solid triggers. I was going to ditch the safety, but since you report that it is checkered on both sides, I'll keep it. I'm sorry to hear about the MSH, so that will get changed to matching checkering -or- if I get froggy a Chen SI.

I suppose the GS will go, if it is really that bad.

I'd really like to get a french border on it, I think it would look nice, perhaps someone can remove that god-awful "Limited Edition" on the right side. Colt can do some of the nicest roll marks (if not in actually quality) and yet some of the tackiest, shaking my head.

The sight will go, this isn't the 1990's and there are better rear sights.

You shouldn't sweat the Series-80. One of my Garthwaite's is a Series 80, has well over 20k rounds through it, was shot in classes, carried, and has been 100% reliable. But, I feel ya.

Colt has been doing undercuts, some of the Gunsite pistols have them. Another pistol I want, that Colt totally botched the rollmarks.

"You shouldn't sweat the Series-80. One of my Garthwaite's is a Series 80, has well over 20k rounds through it, was shot in classes, carried, and has been 100% reliable."

100% agree here. My retired Series 80 Colt has who-knows-how-many thousands and tens of thousands of rounds through it over its long life. The Series 80 system never hiccuped. Not once. And it has an AWESOME trigger, courtesy of Bruce Gray. If the trigger is properly tuned, you'll never have a problem.

 

I love everything about that gun except the — Limited Edition — written on the right side. I wish they would have stuck with Colt Government Model or something and put the LE on the frame.

Not that it would stop me from buying one though! I still need to get my first Colt customized. While it has awesome slide/frame fit, there is some creep in the trigger and the safety could be better.

 

Yes, that "Limited Edition" is horrible! I would not have picked up the Wiley Clapp if it had a big ol' "CLAPP" on the slide, hehehe

 

I swapped the fire controls, extractor, and trigger with EGW on mine. C&S thumb safety. Some dehorning. Harrison Nitre blue pins and screws. Grips.
I do this stuff with all my base level guns. My expectation when I buy a new gun is that it will get some parts.
I have shot a few hundred through it. Its a keeper.

 

I swapped the fire controls, extractor, and trigger with EGW on mine. C&S thumb safety. Some dehorning. Harrison Nitre blue pins and screws. Grips.
I do this stuff with all my base level guns. My expectation when I buy a new gun is that it will get some parts.
I have shot a few hundred through it. Its a keeper.

Do you have any photos?

 

These guns are series 70.
They do come with a series 80 extractor, though. The Gold Cup and CCO I bought recently had the same thing. Series 80 extractors in them.

 

Colt is to modern consumer 1911s what IBM became to personal computers. They broke the ground, then got outdone in every way by competitors.

And, what do you mean, a comp on a 45acp is "kind of lame?" Maybe with 230 grain target loads, but try it with a 185 grain Underwood doing over 1200 fps.

 

Well, I finally got ahold of Colt's newest release in the 1911 space, the Colt's Model 01911SE-A1. As a card-carrying member of the Colt's Fanboi Club, it was a "must have", especially after seeing that this new model sports a ring hammer. For some general information, this pistol is a standard Government Model length, GI recoil system, single-stack, .45 ACP. The gun comes with one (bummer) Colt-marked magazine.

Now, aesthetically, I think Colt absolutely knocked this gun out of the park. With the exception of the Novak rear (personal choice/opinion), I really can't think of anything I would change about the SE's immediate looks. As far as function goes, I can't make that determination yet, as I just picked up the gun and haven't shot it yet.

Here are some of my initial highlights of the gun:

Overall Aesthetic
The SE is an insanely good-looking gun, because it follows the classic look that is universally loved. It's a five-inch, blued, .45 ACP pistol, a formula that not only won two World Wars- but our hearts as well (I know Gov't issued WW2 guns were largely parkerized, don't ruin the moment). However, the general look of the gun is only the beginning. I was really impressed by Colt's decision to use an original-style nub thumb safety with "checkering" on the top AND bottom like the pre-war guns (The thumb safety is actually very nice. Crisp and audible movements. Great job!). You'll also notice this early-style checkering mimicked on the slide stop as well. Of course, the left side of the slide depicts the roll marks that were first seen on Colt 1911/Government Models in 1918, an excellent choice for this retro-inspired build. When I first saw this, I was puzzled at the use of these roll marks with a scalloped frame and short trigger, however, I believe early transitional model pistols also sported these markings with a scalloped frame and short trigger (call it 1918-1924 for this style of roll mark).

Interesting Details
On the frame of the SE, you'll notice a slight undercut as well as 25LPI checkering that actually feels really good, even with my fondness for 15/17/20LPI checkering. I was delighted to see the undercut on this gun, and really feel that this shows someone at Colt is listening to shooters. Moving from the frame to the slide, the SE sports a brass bead front sight (very nice) and a Novak blacked-out rear sight. Personally, the Novak sight isn't for me, as I have become a whore for a ledge rear sight, but to each his own, or something like that. Then folks... then we get to the cherry on top, the pizza de risitance (or whatever them Frenchies say), the freakin' ring hammer. Holy crap- seeing Colt put out a blued, five-inch .45 ACP with a ring hammer plum gave me a tingle in the dingle. It's the epitome of cool, the 4in white walls to a 50's Caddy, the last piece of the puzzle, the perfect setting on the thermostat so that you're cool enough to be comfortable but don't have to have on a blanket. A ring hammer is just... it. To quote Ken Hackathorn when we were chatting about the gun yesterday, "They were really speakin' to ya with that ring hammer, weren't they?". It's a phenomenal look, one that I tend to replicate on most of my semi-custom builds, and just like with those guns, the ring hammer looks fantastic on this gun.

Yes, But...
While the Colt SE is an overall big win, there are some things that even this old (wait, I'm 25)- young- Colt lover isn't a fan of. For starters, the fit of the gun is... okay. I think this is coming more from me being spoiled with hot-rodded guns and semi-customs, however, compared to Colts made post (and during)-World War Two, it's pretty top-notch. I think people tend to forget the scale of production that Colt is doing, and while I am certainly not here to make excuses, it is also important to know where you came from and keep that quality in perspective. With that same note, I do think that the grip safety could have been a.) made better b.) fit better. I get that these are, virtually just assembled handguns, but man, they (Colt) can produce a better-looking grip safety than this. It's really the only major point of somewhat disappointment with the gun. That, and the mainspring housing sports vertical lines on the back, not 25LPI checkering to match the front strap. The trigger isn't fantastic (again, spoiled from semi-customs), but it IS a Series 70 trigger which is a big win. My Colt Custom Shop Custom Carry has a Series 80, so I am really happy to see that this gun was able to get the Series 70 ignition system.

Interesting fact: Due to lawsuits, Colt currently has a policy where marketed "carry guns" are Series 80, while "collectible/competition guns" remain Series 70.

I think all-in-all, this is a big win for CZ-era Colt. It shows that they're willing, ready, and able to continue the Colt legacy and give 1911 shooters the pistols we want. It's a great gun for those who want a "classic" Colt with some modern fighting-gun features and of course- it'll make a RAD base pistol for a build.

My plans for this new .45 ACP? I would never send this off to be customized! Just kidding, yall know me better than that. I'd like to send this gun to Novak to get one of their packages with The Answer backstrap. I've been obsessed with The Answer for some time, and I think this pistola would look gorgeous with the Novak logo on it! Or, maybe sweet talk KGB into recreating his latest comp'd gun (even though .45 ACP comped is sort of lame).

View attachment 1379251
View attachment 1379252

I think it looks fantastic

 

Great write up didn't know this was out there. Welcome back Duck!

 

One of my local shops got one. I liked it. I almost bought it but I was really after a Delta Elite or Defender so I talked myself out of it.

 

Gorgeous piece!! LOVE those early small triggers!!!

 

Can't speak for everyone, but I would be interested in seeing more of the custom carry since it uses some of those awesome Stan Chen parts and is made out of unobtanium.

 

I looked that one up, again with the roll marks. 🙄

The Pony should be on the rear side of the slide, behind the serrations. They were really on a roll with the rollmarks, they must have gotten tired because there are actually a few areas on the pistol they left empty.

The frame looks good though.

 

Very nice 1911 in my favorite 45acp