Colt's most embarrassing failures in the company's history

[C0untZer0]

I had a friend whose mother bought her this pistol for self-protection, and this friend wanted me to teach her how to shoot - using this gun.

I took my HK P7M8 and a Ruger Standard and we went to the range. She could shoot the Ruger pretty well and she shot fairly well with the P7M8 but neither of us could produce very good groups with the 2000. She asked me what I thought was wrong with the gun and I said it was the trigger. It takes a lot just to pull it, and its not a smooth pull - I told her that its almost impossible to "squeeze" the trigger, the processes of pulling the trigger is transferring a lot of motion to the gun.

So she asked me what could be done to improve it... and I told her "get another gun..."

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Well, the New Service was made from 1898 to WWII -- some were assembled from parts on hand right through the war. So it had a fair to middlin' life.

I was thinking of short-lived in terms of the M1909 as issued in .45LC which only lasted 2 years. You are quite correct that the commercial and M1917 variants hung around quite a bit longer.......I believe a few M1917s even made it as far as Vietnam, yes?

 

[Nuclear]

Another fine example would be the Colt Double Eagle (AKA the Colt Double Turkey) which was a double action .45 automatic.

I've handled and shot a Double Eagle, there really wasn't anything wrong with it, other than it was a double action 1911. Even had a nice trigger on it.

 

[bannockburn]

Didn't the Double Eagle have a MK.II version come out due to some shortcomings with the original design?

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I've handled and shot a Double Eagle, there really wasn't anything wrong with it, other than it was a double action 1911. Even had a nice trigger on it.

Yes but there was a gap at the top of the grips that you could stuff a cat, or small dog into. This allowed trash such as dirt and sand get in.

 

[kBob]

Nightlord,

I saw a picture of some women perhaps part of a CIDG supposedly in the early 1960s shooting 1917 S&Ws the revolvers looked huge with those tiny folks.

-kBob

 

[Jim Watson]

There was the 1950 era Colt T4 in competition with the High Standard T3 and S&W M39.

Then again in the 1980s with the Colt SSP, the Stainless Steel Pistol offered to the Army in competition with Beretta et al.

Then more recently the "Double Action Government Model" which looks a lot different from the Double Eagle.

 

[mgmorden]

I've occasionally seen the Colt American 2000 here and there. Never fired or even held one though. Honestly though I almost want one just for the same of it being "odd" and a bit rare though.

 

[Jim Watson]

I looked at one of the aluminum framed AA2000s.
The trigger pull was long but not rough or hard.
The finish was as nice as a Gold Cup, right up in Royal Blue quality (polished anodized aluminum receiver flats.)
I understand that the aluminum frames were made to get guns on the shelves while they were trying to get a mold right for the plastic mass production version.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I was thinking of short-lived in terms of the M1909 as issued in .45LC which only lasted 2 years. You are quite correct that the commercial and M1917 variants hung around quite a bit longer.......I believe a few M1917s even made it as far as Vietnam, yes?

I saw at least one there -- although it was privately owned.

 

[wojownik]

The Colt 2000 is what happened when a Colt and a Hi-Point drunkenly mated in the wild.

I'd go way back to 1855 for another Colt clunker - the Model 1855 Percussion Revolving Carbine. Very cool looking, but all the joys of firing a blackpowder right up in your face. Plus your other hand downrange of they cylinder - the disconcerting feeling of getting hit by grit etc...

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The Colt 2000 is what happened when a Colt and a Hi-Point drunkenly mated in the wild.

I'd go way back to 1855 for another Colt clunker - the Model 1855 Percussion Revolving Carbine. Very cool looking, but all the joys of firing a blackpowder right up in your face. Plus your other hand downrange of they cylinder - the disconcerting feeling of getting hit by grit etc...

The Colt revolving rifle was issued to Berdan's United States Sharpshooters -- and they rioted over it.

 

[JONWILL]

Nothing wrong about the Colt Z40, except that Colt didn't have the guts to follow through on its joint venture with CZ. I'd love to have one... (I had a CZ 40B and foolishly traded it away. That was before I got comfortable with .40 S&W.)

I still have mine. It the area around the slide stop was really chewed up, scratches, dents in the finish. Guy tried to get it out with a punch.

I don't think he was aware on this model, unlike other CZ's, you need to line up the dots on the slide and frame to take it down. Not the lines on the back.

I ended up Duracoating it. Came out like new.

 

[FL-NC]

That 2000 is a commode-clogging piece of poo. The double eagle wasn't too great, either.

 

[someguy2800]

Honestly I have no idea how colt is still in bussiness. Turkey after turkey after turkey.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Honestly I have no idea how colt is still in bussiness. Turkey after turkey after turkey.

They are still in business because, people are still willing to pay to ride the pony.
Some will tell you that Colt builds the best AR, when in fact they have been subcontracting most of the parts for years. They inspect the parts, put their stamp on them, assembled them and sell them at a high markup.
I really hope that one day someone buys Colt and turns them back into a Firearms company that puts out innovated, modern guns. Not just someone who pays someone else to build a new version of something they built years ago.

 

[Trey Veston]

This thread brings back memories...

I was a young sailor stationed out of NAS Whidbey Island in 1991 and I was in a local gun shop browsing. I wanted to see the new Glock that I heard so much about and the guy behind the counter said I should buy the new Colt polymer pistol. Said it was made in America and not in Austria. I remember looking at it and the Glock, decided both were too expensive and too ugly, so I bought a Ruger D90 as my first self-defense handgun. It was ugly, too, but it was cheap and in .45 acp.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

They are still in business because, people are still willing to pay to ride the pony.
Some will tell you that Colt builds the best AR, when in fact they have been subcontracting most of the parts for years. They inspect the parts, put their stamp on them, assembled them and sell them at a high markup.
I really hope that one day someone buys Colt and turns them back into a Firearms company that puts out innovated, modern guns. Not just someone who pays someone else to build a new version of something they built years ago.

Well, with S&W and Ruger now under control of anti-gun shareholder groups hellbent on turning them into home furnishing and auto parts manufacturer's, you may get your wish!

 

[Rock185]

I think slamfire might be right. If Colt had introduced the 2000 now, called it the "Tactical" something, it might be a big success in today's booming polymer market. Buyers now are accustomed, even enthusiastic about, polymer guns, and their triggers. Just make it available in tactical designer colors, threaded barrel, extended magazine holding 30-40 rounds, maybe an optional skull crusher. Maybe Colt will bring it back?

Soon after the 2000 was introduced, I got the opportunity to handle one. I liked the grip shape and size, but it had no other redeeming features for me. I recall a gun writer going on about the 2000 as if it was going to be the biggest thing since introduction of the 1911. If they are collectors items now, I still don't regret my decision NOT to buy one.........ymmv

 

[Old Dog]

Honestly I have no idea how colt is still in bussiness. Turkey after turkey after turkey.

Cool, a Colt-bashing thread ... I'd pile on except for the fact that I like all my Colt's -- two fine M-4s, and several great 1911s (produced from 1978 through 2018).

So the company's put out a few failures. So has every other gun manufacturer I know of ...

 

[Monac]

I think slamfire might be right. If Colt had introduced the 2000 now, called it the "Tactical" something, it might be a big success in today's booming polymer market. Buyers now are accustomed, even enthusiastic about, polymer guns, and their triggers. Just make it available in tactical designer colors, threaded barrel, extended magazine holding 30-40 rounds, maybe an optional skull crusher. Maybe Colt will bring it back?

Soon after the 2000 was introduced, I got the opportunity to handle one. I liked the grip shape and size, but it had no other redeeming features for me. I recall a gun writer going on about the 2000 as if it was going to be the biggest thing since introduction of the 1911. If they are collectors items now, I still don't regret my decision NOT to buy one.........ymmv

Although I am one of the few people to like the Colt 2000, the gun had problems. Most people felt the trigger was dreadful, and there were reports of frames cracking or breaking in a fairly low round count. IIRC, it was the latter that really rang the death knell for the gun. Maybe somebody could revive the original Knight/Stoner design, but they would have to shun any connection to the gun Colt actually made.

 

[JR24]

They are still in business because, people are still willing to pay to ride the pony.
Some will tell you that Colt builds the best AR, when in fact they have been subcontracting most of the parts for years. They inspect the parts, put their stamp on them, assembled them and sell them at a high markup.
I really hope that one day someone buys Colt and turns them back into a Firearms company that puts out innovated, modern guns. Not just someone who pays someone else to build a new version of something they built years ago.

I agree, though my experience trends more towards their 1911s which are, in my opinion, over priced at their price points for the features and quality they offer.

Subjective, I know, but I dont like paying extra for a pony on the slide when i can get a same or better quality option from a different brand cheaper.

 

[Old Dog]

Subjective, I know ... but I'm into accuracy, and production Colts, in my experience, are more accurate than comparable 1911s at the same or lesser price points (excluding Springfield Armory 1911s, which I've found to more than acceptably accurate out of the box). If you're talking other features, I'd be more in agreement with JR24, as, for example, Kimber, SIG and SA offer frontstrap checkering and decent nightsights at the price-points where similar Colts don't ...

 

[JR24]

Subjective, I know ... but I'm into accuracy, and production Colts, in my experience, are more accurate than comparable 1911s at the same or lesser price points (excluding Springfield Armory 1911s, which I've found to more than acceptably accurate out of the box). If you're talking other features, I'd be more in agreement with JR24, as, for example, Kimber, SIG and SA offer frontstrap checkering and decent nightsights at the price-points where similar Colts don't ...

Very fair. Yes those kinds of things and personally, Colt usually offers the two styles of thumb safety I dislike, as well as a lot of short triggers which do not fit my hand size well.

As you say, all subjective and even the pony is worth something to some people, and I do not begrudge them that.

Oddly enough, one of the most accurate 1911s I ever owned was a base model Remington R1 I won in a raffle. The most accurate one I currently own is a RIA 10MM of all things.

 

[DPris]

I worked with the 2000 & went through a Colt armorer's school on the pistol in 1993.
As originally designed, it could have been a viable pistol.
When Colt took the design & transmuted it, not really all that good.

A Colt rep told me the pistol was 90% outsourced, an amusing forbear to the current 100% outsourced Colt Cobra.

The biggest problem I found with the trigger was in the polymer version.
And that could have been corrected, had the pistol been in production longer.
Denis