if its an XS I think it's a good price.
if it's a XSE then I have seen them for less.
differences are beavertail,sights and safety.
if it's a XSE then I have seen them for less.
differences are beavertail,sights and safety.
$779.00 for XS, Good Price? How Does it Compare?
My local gun shop has a NIB stainless Colt XS for $779.00. I'm always looking for a deal.Is this a good price? Also, Is the XS as well made as a say, a Kimber? I hear that they were CNC machine made, so fit and finish is good. How good? Is the frame made to accept a beaver tail grip safety or did some one cut and file? I guess the big question is, is this a well thought out pistol like Kimber or an average Colt with a bunch of aftermarket parts thrown at it? Think I should buy it? Thanks, Sam
1 - 19 of 19 Posts
I collect Colt 1911's, I was looking the other day at 1911's. And looked at this new breed the XS Government. I did'nt really care for it to much. I think the price of it was $800 or $850 it was a week ago. So it is a fair price in the west. Has that huge storm buried your house yet? And others compare to Colt, it is the standard.
It was an XSE not an XS I did'nt catch that. The XS was discontinued and I don't know any detail of changes.
Sam,
You'll find a long string of posts relating to the XS and XSE guns on this forum, so I won't elaborate on the specifics too much here. The bottom line is this: suggested retail on these guns was $750, and they usually sold (during the last few months of production, anyway) for at least this amount -- often much higher.
They have been incredibly hard to find in most parts of the country, and yes, they are highly desireable guns. Even if I weren't a Colt loyalist, I'd place them on par with the best production Kimbers, if not an echelon above them.
IF you are sure the gun is an XS, and not an XSE, and ...
IF you lkie the idea of owning a super quality, rare Colt, and ...
IF you don't mind paying $800 for a production 1911 ...
I'd advise you to buy it as soon as possible. For what it's worth, I certainly would, and I know that many others on this board would as well. You will always be able to get your money back out of an XS if something else catches your fancy later on, and these guns really deserve their fine reputation IMHO.
Chuck
You'll find a long string of posts relating to the XS and XSE guns on this forum, so I won't elaborate on the specifics too much here. The bottom line is this: suggested retail on these guns was $750, and they usually sold (during the last few months of production, anyway) for at least this amount -- often much higher.
They have been incredibly hard to find in most parts of the country, and yes, they are highly desireable guns. Even if I weren't a Colt loyalist, I'd place them on par with the best production Kimbers, if not an echelon above them.
IF you are sure the gun is an XS, and not an XSE, and ...
IF you lkie the idea of owning a super quality, rare Colt, and ...
IF you don't mind paying $800 for a production 1911 ...
I'd advise you to buy it as soon as possible. For what it's worth, I certainly would, and I know that many others on this board would as well. You will always be able to get your money back out of an XS if something else catches your fancy later on, and these guns really deserve their fine reputation IMHO.
Chuck
I paid $800 for my XS in January, and it took me about 5 Months to find one NIB. I wouldn't pay over $700 for an XSE, and even then I think thats high. To much needs to be done to the XSE to make it comparable to the XS. Look and see if it has ambi thumb safety, "speed bump" beavertail grip safety. If it does, its an XS. If it doesn't, and it has "XSE" in the serial number somewhere, I'd pass.
Also, I was looking for a factory Colt with some of the features found in custom guns. Thats the only reason I went with the XS. It is very, very nice.
Also, I was looking for a factory Colt with some of the features found in custom guns. Thats the only reason I went with the XS. It is very, very nice.
I have a XS Combat Commander about 1yr1/2 old now its a great gun. Very well made not one problem with it either. Good Luck
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shooter.batcave.net
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shooter.batcave.net
I bought my XS Gov't when they first came out at around $725. I traded for an XSE Gov't last week and they had $850 on it. If it's the XS your probably not going to do any better than the $779.
I have a Colt XS CCO with ~50 rounds through it. I'd like to sell it. If your interested send me an email. Excellent gun. I want to buy my wife a full size in .40. Thanks!
Check out my thread on TFL: http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=59736
How come the XS link at the Colt site doesn't work? I was wondering what they say about the XS series, since they are still around NIB. Sam
They stopped production last year.
Bummer. I stoped by the gun shop today and that XS is really an XSE. I was able to tell the difference because of the information obtained from this board. Thanks guys. One thing I noticed, was the slide to frame fit wasn't as good as a Kimber stainless, that was the same price. Cheaper sights and beavertail too! Can Colt survive against the likes of Kimber and Springfield? I hope so. There is something about owning a Colt. It just felt sooo good in my hand. Sam
Get a new 1991A1 and put a couple of parts on it if you want it customized. Best 1911 out there for the money right now.
Shootin' Shane is right. I already own a 1991A1, never been fired. Might as well find a good smith. Oh well, here we go.....finding a good smith. A new adventure awaits! Sam
Sam, Your post dovetails neatly into a "Kimber - it's tight so it must be quality" story from our shop last week.
A customer came in with a new Kimber that he claimed "jams once every magazine". We asked the usual questions. Ammo - four different factory loads. Magazines - three different brands were tried - including Wilson. It didn't seem to matter, he said, the gun still jammed regularly after 200 rounds of frustrating "break-in".
The customer took it out of the box and the gun was - well, TIGHT (one of our gunsmiths had a different term - poorly fitted). We took it back to the gunsmiths and fired it (attempted to fire it) into the bullet trap. With ball ammo, it did indeed jam pretty regularly.
We cleaned it, put in some fresh lube, loaded up a new McCormick magazine and by gripping the gun VERY tightly, we got it to work ALMOST every time. We saw the same thing on a new Springfield three months ago. We have had no new Colts that would not function with a normal shooting grip from the box.
We advised the customer that it seemed that with more break-in the gun would most likely "come-around", or he could return it to Kimber.
I said all that to say this - why does everyone think that a "match clearanced slide" is superior - or even desirable - on what is primarily a defensive handgun? Since when did anyone need better than 3" groups at 25yds to save his/her life in the real world? A handful of dust would definitely stop these "Match tight" wonders. But this guy bought his for CCW on Kimber's "great" reputation. He's lucky he tried it before carrying it. Les Baer and others are selling similarly "overtightened" (or under gunsmithed) pistols for a premium. Are we all IPSC champions, or have we lost sight of what the tool is for?
We are primarily a Colt/Para shop, when it comes to handguns. The new Colts in particular have excellent to perfect barrel to slide fit. That is what determines accuracy in a 1911, not slide to frame fit. I had a new customer in with his first 50 foot target from his brand new XSE on the same day and he was extremely pleased with his new Colt. And we have never seen a Colt that was "stiff and unusable" out of the box.
Can Colt compete? Most definitely! Out of the box, they currently seem to work better. I will gladly trade an ambi-safety and a beavertail for an honest gun I can trust. And yes, nothing else feels like a Colt. Balance, contours, finish. I don't know what is responsible for that "feel" - but I know what I like. Warmly, Col. Colt
A customer came in with a new Kimber that he claimed "jams once every magazine". We asked the usual questions. Ammo - four different factory loads. Magazines - three different brands were tried - including Wilson. It didn't seem to matter, he said, the gun still jammed regularly after 200 rounds of frustrating "break-in".
The customer took it out of the box and the gun was - well, TIGHT (one of our gunsmiths had a different term - poorly fitted). We took it back to the gunsmiths and fired it (attempted to fire it) into the bullet trap. With ball ammo, it did indeed jam pretty regularly.
We cleaned it, put in some fresh lube, loaded up a new McCormick magazine and by gripping the gun VERY tightly, we got it to work ALMOST every time. We saw the same thing on a new Springfield three months ago. We have had no new Colts that would not function with a normal shooting grip from the box.
We advised the customer that it seemed that with more break-in the gun would most likely "come-around", or he could return it to Kimber.
I said all that to say this - why does everyone think that a "match clearanced slide" is superior - or even desirable - on what is primarily a defensive handgun? Since when did anyone need better than 3" groups at 25yds to save his/her life in the real world? A handful of dust would definitely stop these "Match tight" wonders. But this guy bought his for CCW on Kimber's "great" reputation. He's lucky he tried it before carrying it. Les Baer and others are selling similarly "overtightened" (or under gunsmithed) pistols for a premium. Are we all IPSC champions, or have we lost sight of what the tool is for?
We are primarily a Colt/Para shop, when it comes to handguns. The new Colts in particular have excellent to perfect barrel to slide fit. That is what determines accuracy in a 1911, not slide to frame fit. I had a new customer in with his first 50 foot target from his brand new XSE on the same day and he was extremely pleased with his new Colt. And we have never seen a Colt that was "stiff and unusable" out of the box.
Can Colt compete? Most definitely! Out of the box, they currently seem to work better. I will gladly trade an ambi-safety and a beavertail for an honest gun I can trust. And yes, nothing else feels like a Colt. Balance, contours, finish. I don't know what is responsible for that "feel" - but I know what I like. Warmly, Col. Colt
>>why does everyone think that a "match clearanced slide" is superior - or even desirable - on what is primarily a defensive handgun?
Since when did anyone need better than 3" groups at 25yds to save his/her life in the real world?
A handful of dust would definitely stop these "Match tight" wonders.
But this guy bought his for CCW on Kimber's "great" reputation. He's lucky he tried it before carrying it.
Les Baer and others are selling similarly "overtightened" (or under gunsmithed) pistols for a premium.
Are we all IPSC champions, or have we lost sight of what the tool is for?<<
---------------------------------------------
Well said!!...and correct
Since when did anyone need better than 3" groups at 25yds to save his/her life in the real world?
A handful of dust would definitely stop these "Match tight" wonders.
But this guy bought his for CCW on Kimber's "great" reputation. He's lucky he tried it before carrying it.
Les Baer and others are selling similarly "overtightened" (or under gunsmithed) pistols for a premium.
Are we all IPSC champions, or have we lost sight of what the tool is for?<<
---------------------------------------------
Well said!!...and correct
Have you noticed that the current Colts have a slightly looser slide-to-frame fit than did the XS series? From what I remember of the 1991s that were made during the XS era, they were also of extreme tightness.
Do you think Colt has deliberately loosened up their guns to enhance reliability?
Do you think Colt has deliberately loosened up their guns to enhance reliability?
>> - on what is primarily a defensive handgun? Since when did anyone need better than 3" groups at 25yds to save his/her life in the real world? <<[/B][/QUOTE]
A great post by the Col.
While some may debate the above ( LEO`s maybe, who must be on the offensive ) new civilian CCW holders/Shooters who lust to be packing a 1911 should not.
The engagement distance they will most probably face is more likely 25' and even 10 Feet.
For those who are really interested in " what it might be like", try finding a large library that has _many_ years worth of the NRA`s "The American Rifleman" and read The Armed Citizen, or whatever they call that section now. It will be Sobering.
Good Luck
[This message has been edited by Blackjack (edited 03-11-2001).]
A great post by the Col.
While some may debate the above ( LEO`s maybe, who must be on the offensive ) new civilian CCW holders/Shooters who lust to be packing a 1911 should not.
The engagement distance they will most probably face is more likely 25' and even 10 Feet.
For those who are really interested in " what it might be like", try finding a large library that has _many_ years worth of the NRA`s "The American Rifleman" and read The Armed Citizen, or whatever they call that section now. It will be Sobering.
Good Luck
[This message has been edited by Blackjack (edited 03-11-2001).]
1 - 19 of 19 Posts
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