New retro Colt Delta Elite 10mm at the Shot Show 2009

Do you like the new Colt Delta Elite "retro"?

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outerlimit

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I looked at the posts for the past few days and surprisingly saw nothing about this so I guess I will start a thread so anybody who does not know will see. Colt has scrapped the production of the bull barrel Delta Elite model (thank God) for a retro 80's model of the original Delta Elite 10mm.

Only thing I would change on the original is a short metal trigger and dovetail the front site. Hopefully they will not try and use the plastic guide rod setup again.

I've included a poll and I've attached some pictures from the Shot Show. Keep in mind Colt said the gun at the Shot Show is actually an 80's or 90's production, BUT THIS IS WHAT THEY PLAN TO MAKE AGAIN:
 

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Looks good. Of course that's what I said about the one they showed last year. Hopefully this one isn't just another teaser.
 
As the owner of two of the original Deltas,one a gold cup similar to the one pictured, i have no interest in buying a new copy of the original, but if and when Vltor Fortis brings out their new Bren Ten, i am definately in line for that
 
davepool, if I owned a couple of the original Delta's I probably wouldn't buy another one either. But I don't have one, so I'm very interested in the new Delta. I'm also very interested in the new Bren Ten! Can't wait to see them for sale.
 
I've been waiting for Colt to release the new Deltas since last year, but I'm almost to the point of buying a used one off of gunbroker.
 
Personal taste always differ a little but IMO the Delta Elite was a good looking pistol. I would recommend:

Keep the strait serations on the rear of the slide only.

Keep the Delta Elite rubber grips.

Keep the Commander small ring style hammer.

I would like them to update a few things to make it a better combat pistol. Smiple stuff like the sights and the grip saftey. They have good parts already in stock for example utlize the XSE's NOVAK sights (offer night sights as an option) and the S&A beaver tail grip saftey used on the Combat Elite/Special Combats... I'm not the only one asking for this stuff either. Almost every real 1911 person I talk with say almost the same things.

Don't mess with it too much, keep enough to make it regonizable as a Delta but don't make another re-issue... They already offer that with the Series 70's and WWI 1911.

IMO Failure to update their 1911's after Kimber and Springer, ect did is one of the reasons Colt nearly went under. The orginal Delta Elite was a state of the art 1911 combat pistol in about 1975... too bad they didn't offer them until the late 1980's... The current XSE's are again 10yrs behind the times... let's not make those mistakes again.
Will
 
rklessdriver, I think they're finally listening to their customers. Most people like the original style Delta Elite. And in addition, most people don't want the ugly beavertail with memory groove that I honestly believe serves no practical purpose and only hinders the capabilities of the gun. Aside from that, I think they've kept everything else you mentioned.
 
rklessdriver
The orginal Delta Elite was a state of the art 1911 combat pistol in about 1975... too bad they didn't offer them until the late 1980's... The current XSE's are again 10yrs behind the times... let's not make those mistakes again.
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The 10mm auto cartridge was introduced in 1983. The Colt Delta Elite came out later (1987). I do not understand your statement above about 1975.
 
Makes sense to me. rklessdriver is not talking about 10mm handguns, he is talking about the 1911 concept. If you look at the standard custom work 1911's had in 1975, they were the same features Colt finally offered in 1987 (in the Delta Elite). Same with the XSE's. They look like the guns that Kimber and Springer were offering in the mid '90's.

So, if they follow pattern, when (if?) then new Delta hits store shelves, it will look like a 1911 straight out of the 1999 Kimber catalog.

[edit]
I echo the sentiment that the real centimeter excitement is the VLTOR remake of the Bren Ten. That looks like a sharp execution and update of a very good design. And it uses readily available Witness magazines.
[/edit]
 
I mentioned myself a couple of changes that I would make to the Delta Elite from the original production design.

However, I'm not of the opinion that newer is necessarily better.

I would like to hear what rcklessdriver and sqlbullet would do to the Delta Elite to make it not look like a 1999 Kimber. (Assuming that's a bad thing).

As far as I'm aware the Pre-series II Kimbers fetch the premium.
 
Any news on dropping all that goofy Series 80 junk from the new model?
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Since the original Delta Elite was a series 80, I doubt very much we'll get a series 70.

Some features of the 80 I like, such as the lowered ejection port. I personally like the safety features of the 80 though I know I'm in the minority.

The trigger pull on my 80 is better than any other pistol I own. If the series 80 parts bother you enough, you can remove them.
 
I've got to disagree with outerlimit on one point: IMNTBHO, 1911's in 10mm NEED a beavertail. I have yet to shoot a 10mm 1911 that did not benefit greatly from a beavertail. A 9mm, .38 Super or .45, I can take the 'tail or not; gotta have it on a 10.

Sam
 
1999 Kimber may have been a poor reference. Point being, Colt lags behind in 'latest' features.

Looking at the 2009 SHOT Show gun: High-ride beavertail with memory bump (or whatever they want to call it). Undercut trigger guard. Flat main spring housing. Snag free sight upgrade. Skeletonized hammer. A more aesthetic and positive functioning thumb safety.

Personally I think they could dump the stirrup cuts on the slide as well. It would set it off visually. It isn't really an 'upgrade'.

I am sure I could think of more.
 
I would like to hear what rcklessdriver and sqlbullet would do to the Delta Elite to make it not look like a 1999 Kimber.
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Nothing wrong with the way a Kimber looks. They make a good pistol for the money mostly. They made what people wanted to buy as well. Nothing wrong that.

I guess I wasn't clear on what I'd like to see from Colt. IMO these features would keep a hint of the orginal Colt Delta Elite but with a more modern and practical carry option.

Traditional finely spaced strait serations on the rear of the slide only. Those big wide spaced serations on the XSE's and the fact they also have them on the front of the slide are probally why I keep buying XSE's and then selling them... They look like crap and the front ones eat up holsters.

The rubber Delta Elite grips or something that carrys the theme.

The small ring Commander hammer. Everybody has the elongated combat hammers these days. The small ring hammer has a nice throw back look that dosen't compromise anything.

Novak Sights standard issue with the night sights as an option. My Series 80's sights seem to snag on even the best fitting shirt or jacket.... I know everybody is using them these days but theres not much way around it. They are one of the best going, don't snag, and are easy to see.

I'd personally like to see the Smith and Alexander beavertail like they have on the new Combat Elite. No memory bump. I agree with who ever else said the 10mm can benefit from it. It lowers the gun in your hand and really cuts down on precieved recoil.

Everybody has different sized hands but a med length trigger and a strait mainspring housing are my fit. What ever they use I'd prefer them to keep the solid trigger desgin (no lightening holes).

I think it'd look like an updated COLT Delta Elite and there would be no mistaking it for a Kimber.
Will
 
I'm not a fan of flat mainspring housings at all.

I like the feel of the arched, and it helps to keep my grip high on the gun where it belongs.

I agree about the front slide serrations. I think they're extremely ugly and their only functional purpose seems to be to chew up the interiors of nice soft lined leather holsters.
 
I have not seen the new Delta Elite but I purchased my Blue Delta Elite NIB in 1994. My primary concern is functionality and with that in mind I hope Colt has equipped the new one with a recoil system utilizing a single recoil spring and an improved guide rod without the sandwiched rubber buffer built into it.

Cheers

:evil:
 
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Oh trust me, I can do it in my sleep. I was just hoping for once I wouldn't have to.
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Oh yea, I certainly understand why some people dislike series 80 parts. For a pure shooter, I would prefer it without the series 70 parts as well. For a carry gun, I think I mildly prefer the series 80 type gun. However, I wouldn't be too up in arms if they made the new Delta as a 70. But I think we all know that's about as likely as a tsunami wiping out Las Vegas.

I predict that Colt will not use the plastic recoil rod again, but we'll probably still get a plastic trigger.

I'll be very happy if they dovetail the front sight, but it will probably be staked.
 
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