COLT Going Away?

[Thunderjohn]

Get your Colts while you can?
Nothing really new in the financial problems.
http://www.shootingsportsretailer.com/2 ... -deadline/

[gun_fan111v2]

Just when I started liking Colts and thinking about a WC or new Set 70 Gold Cup. Do we know if the warranty is funded to continue if the main operation folds?

[Rip Van Winkle]

Maybe this is a dumb question, but is Colt Defense the same as Colt's Manufacturing Company?

Eta: I answered my own question.

Colt Defense LLC and New Colt Holding Corp. Merge
posted on July 15, 2013 15:22
West Hartford, Conn. - Colt Defense LLC, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of rifles and carbines for the military, law enforcement and sporting markets, has acquired New Colt Holding Corp., the parent company of Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of firearms for the civilian and sporting markets. For the first time since their separation in 2003, a single company will now develop, manufacture and sell firearms under the Colt name for all markets.

[2in2out]

I wasn't aware they had problems. Bummer.

[UnaStamus]

In today's market, when you don't offer separate lower receivers and you charge people an arm and a leg for replacement parts to the point where building the rifle costs dramatically more than buying a complete rifle, and you won't sell anyone any individual parts unless they go through one of only two distributors, and when people want to order those parts it takes over a year, and you only offer variations of the same two rifles, you are bound to get schooled and put out of the market by businesses who do the exact opposite. Such is why DD and BCM are flourishing and Colt is waning.

[yuppiejr]

I think Colt's more recent decline has more to do with the loss of the exclusive contract to produce M4A1 carbines for the U.S. Military to FN a few years back and Remington more recently. While other big players like Ruger, Springfield and Smith and Wesson evolved with the changing consumer market, Colt has failed to do anything truly innovative in a long time..


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[Ghost]

I think it has more to do with their poor management whom decided their benefit outweighs the companies.

[shooter115]

Colt's been slowly driving a stake into it's own heart for decades. Selling so-so products at exorbitant prices based on brand name alone has an expiration date and Colt has been stale for a long, long time now. The only thing Colt has added to their catalog in the last 20 years is their competition series rifles and they had to outsource them. I mean really!!! Colt has to pay someone else to build AR's for them!

It would be sad to see them die, but the only way they are going to save themselves is to fire everyone at the top, completely re-structure the company, move to a more freedom loving and business friendly state and start producing products people actually want. Your fat cat days of living off government contracts are gone, time to evolve or die.

[Rip Van Winkle]

"time to evolve or die"

[onebohemian]

It it goes under, someone will buy the brand and we'll continue to see "colts" on the market. Could be better or worse in the long run.

[photogpat]

It it goes under, someone will buy the brand and we'll continue to see "colts" on the market. Could be better or worse in the long run.

^this

The brand name still carries too much name recognition to die away.

[UnaStamus]

The downside is that Colt could be bought by a large conglomerate or group and turned to crap. The problem with a good name is that people may only rely on the name for sales and not uphold the quality. Next thing you know it takes a year or two for people to realize how much they've gone to shlt. This has happened to numerous companies under the Freedom Group umbrella, ATK umbrella and others.

If they're bought out, the hope would be that they keep their quality.

[Snakeman721]

It it goes under, someone will buy the brand and we'll continue to see "colts" on the market. Could be better or worse in the long run.

Worked OK for Winchester. The rifles are now made in Japan and the quality is as good as pre 64 rifles...but that quality costs an arm and a leg ($1000++).

[tenmilmag]

It it goes under, someone will buy the brand and we'll continue to see "colts" on the market. Could be better or worse in the long run.

Worked OK for Winchester. The rifles are now made in Japan and the quality is as good as pre 64 rifles...but that quality costs an arm and a leg ($1000++).

I've held a few of the new Model 94's. They seem heavy

[FJ540]

Their quality control is total garbage and has been for over a year. They came out with the new tiny 1911's without sights, and both case samples at Gander had thumb safeties that didn't work. This isn't the same company that made the Python. Sure, the name and logo are, but it's not running how it came into power in decades past.

A savvy investor would buy them up and dump all their management (down to the shop floor leads), and start over. They have the name recognition, they have the history, they have the tooling; they can be turned around and made great again.