In Part 1 I wrote about the details of the new Colt Cobra. This post will cover the remainder of the new introductions from Colt's Manufacturing. Given that they are all 1911s, they aren't new per se but they do include new calibers and updated features. All of this information comes courtesy of Yamil Sued who released this information early this morning.
Starting with updates to the Colt Gold Cup, it will now be the Gold Cup Trophy and will come in both .45 ACP and 9mm. The next two pictures give their specifications.
Yamil gives his impressions of the Gold Cup Trophy in the video below:
Now to the big boomer - the Colt Delta Elite Rail in 10mm. As Yamil says, this is really just a modification of the Delta Elite as only the rail feature is added.
The final three 1911s are variations on the Colt Commander including a new Wiley Clapp LW Commander in 9mm and a reintroduction of the Combat Commander. Their specs are below:
I think the perennial question for revolver lovers is when or if will Colt ever resume making their double action revolvers. According to the Blue Book of Gun Values, Colt ceased regular production of double action revolvers in October 1999. The Colt Custom Shop did however have a run of Colt Python Elite and Anaconda revolvers from 2002 to 2006. The problem for Colt is that their old craftsmen who assembled and hand-fit parts on the old double action revolvers are long retired.
With the SHOT Show beginning in little more than two weeks, I've been cruising Instagram to get clues about new production introductions. I'm not an industry insider invited to special showings so I have to glean info where I can. While that can be a disadvantage, it also means that I'm not under any sort of non-disclosure agreement prohibiting me from writing about what I find.
Last night I happened across this picture of an ad that Colt reportedly will be running for the Colt Cobra revolver in .38 +P. The revolver will also have a fiber optic front sight and a steel frame.
A photo posted by Freedom GunCo (@freedomgunco) on
The original Cobra introduced in 1950 was an alloy framed revolver similar to the steel framed Detective Special. Only the King Cobra and Combat Cobra revolvers produced from the mid-1980s until the Nineties were steel framed. Looking at the ad for the new model Cobra, it appears that Colt has also changed the cylinder release button from the more traditional version. Otherwise it is very similar to the second issue Cobra.
Colt's Manufacturing is listed as an exhibitor to Industry Day at the Range so I anticipate that if they are actually releasing the Colt Cobra I will have a chance to try it out. If so, I will report on it then. It will be interesting to see whether they have changed the internals to eliminate the traditional Colt trigger stacking.
It have embedded below the Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition filed by Colt Defense LLC and its associated companies with the US Bankruptcy Court for Delaware. The associated companies include both Colt's Manufacturing Company and Colt Canada. The petition was filed on Sunday evening according to their press spokesman.
I have not had time to read the whole document and I'm not an expert on reading bankruptcy petitions. However, I did read through the list of unsecured creditors to whom it owes money. Number two on the list was Magpul. Colt owes Magpul almost $1 million presumably for PMags, MOE furniture, etc. Many of the other unsecured creditors are small companies that provide services to the firearms industry. As such, Colt's bankruptcy is going to be felt throughout the industry.
Back in late 2011, Colt's Manufacturing Company indicated that it planned to open a plant in Kissimmee, Florida. They said they were going to make a $2.5 million investment in a vacant facility that was owned by Osceola County. While the plant was scheduled to open in 2012, it never did.
While Colt has committed to this plant since 2011, I don't believe any mention has been made of just what will be made or assembled in this plant. Given Connecticut's new gun control laws, I would not be surprised to see the plant being used for the assembly of AR-15s for the civilian market. However, that is just a guess.
WFTV Channel 9 Orlando has a report on Colt moving in along with the positive reaction by area residents.
Since 2003 there have been two Colt companies manufacturing firearms. There is Colt Defense LLC which manufactures the M4 carbine for the US military along with the C7 and C8 rifles through their Canadian subsidiary Colt Canada. And then there is New Colt Holding Company or, as it is better known, Colt's Manufacturing Company. This latter company produces rifles and pistols for the civilian market including both AR-15s and 1911s.
