If they had been willing to cover it I'd be SHOCKED. It's like wanting Ford to cover replacement of the rusted body panels in my '67 Mustang. Thing ARE supposed to get old and break after a few years.
Colt's Warranty
I just got off the phone with Colt, I wanted to see if recrowning my barrel was covered under the warranty. It wasn't, they won't even do the work. My Colt is a commercial from '33 - so its to old. I guess there lifetime warranty only goes back to '85.
The woman said something intresting she said that they just didn't want to work on old guns, and anything past '85 is just to old. What happens in 10-20 years when someone needs work on there firearm made in '86? I wonder if there lifetime warranty will still be in effect then?
I don't know, I really wasn't expecting them to cover it. Worth a try, oh well.
Anthony
The woman said something intresting she said that they just didn't want to work on old guns, and anything past '85 is just to old. What happens in 10-20 years when someone needs work on there firearm made in '86? I wonder if there lifetime warranty will still be in effect then?
I don't know, I really wasn't expecting them to cover it. Worth a try, oh well.
Anthony
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Did they specify the life of the gun, or the life of the original owner?
Seems to me it would depend on the type of defect and how the warranty read as to whether it was covered under warranty. Certainly, they should be willing to repair pistols of any age for a reasonable fee. Or do they figure they got the money and to hell with you.
Oh well, I guess Zilkha hasn't heard about Colt tradition and American values like keeping your word and Customer satisfaction and a man's word on a hand shake.
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PigPen
Oh well, I guess Zilkha hasn't heard about Colt tradition and American values like keeping your word and Customer satisfaction and a man's word on a hand shake.
PigPen
I think they would be swamped with repairs. If they were to say they would fix any 1911's they had produced. I have never heard of a lifetime warranty from Colt. It must be something recent.
Colt went to a Lifetime warranty in 97 IIRC. Anything before then was a one year warrenty. (it's of course possible that they had a lifetime warrenty at some time in the past)
It also only applied to the original owner.
I'm surprised the Custom Shop won't do the work though.
It also only applied to the original owner.
I'm surprised the Custom Shop won't do the work though.
I just got back my Colt Dectective special which I sent back to them for service. I explained that I wasn't the original owner and it didn't cost me a dime other than shipping. While they had it I had them replace the hammer with a spurless one for $75. Now its DAO, SWEET.........Mike
[This message has been edited by timujin (edited 02-26-2001).]
[This message has been edited by timujin (edited 02-26-2001).]
I really wasn't suprised. I was sort of just curious. I just need the barrel recrowned, for the price I paid its not that bad a problem. They specified the life of the gun. The woman I spoke with, who was very nice and polite, told me that they would only warranty/fix anything made 1985 and after.
I just wanted to see if I could get it fixed by Colt, unfortunaltely they won't fix it for me.
Oh well,
Anthony
I just wanted to see if I could get it fixed by Colt, unfortunaltely they won't fix it for me.
Oh well,
Anthony
Is the barrel really that dinged up? If it's just minor I'd say leave it as is. Older Colts like that are very collectible if left in original condition. Otherwise, if it needs it really badly call around to some local shops that deal in hunting rifle work. Somebody should be able to clean the barrel crown up without making it too obvious.
Your're right dsk, I'm prob just going to leave it the way it is. I just wanted to see.
Anthony
Anthony
I have to tell this story even if it isn't directly about Colt. It's a story about Browning and the contrast in service.
I once bought a 1967 or 68 or 69 (I don't exactly remember), Browning BAR Grade IV rifle. The rifle was 20 years out of the factory but never fired and NIC. The receiver was "greyed" and the finish had crazed. I checked around and learned that during that period, Browning had used a salt containg solution to dry stocks more quickly and that the metal on the barrels etc. was rusting on these rifles. I didn't see any rust anywhere but felt the crazed receiver might be the result of the salt. I called Browning to discuss this with them.
When they learned that the rifle was twenty years old, they said that it was out of warranty. I pointed out that I bought it new (twenty years after it was made) and had the original warranty card......No Dice! Then I pointed out that it was shipped twenty years previously with a lifetime warranty from Browning! (which it was)
They told me to ship it back to them. They refinished the receiver (It had nothing to do with salt) they replaced the high grade wood and they sent it back to me as NIC. I looked at the stock and I saw a paint run. I sent it back with a letter complaining. They upgraded the wood to exhibition grade without a paint run and sent it back to me!
The whole thing cost me $65.00. Now that's old time customer service. I still have that .308 BAR.
PigPen
I once bought a 1967 or 68 or 69 (I don't exactly remember), Browning BAR Grade IV rifle. The rifle was 20 years out of the factory but never fired and NIC. The receiver was "greyed" and the finish had crazed. I checked around and learned that during that period, Browning had used a salt containg solution to dry stocks more quickly and that the metal on the barrels etc. was rusting on these rifles. I didn't see any rust anywhere but felt the crazed receiver might be the result of the salt. I called Browning to discuss this with them.
When they learned that the rifle was twenty years old, they said that it was out of warranty. I pointed out that I bought it new (twenty years after it was made) and had the original warranty card......No Dice! Then I pointed out that it was shipped twenty years previously with a lifetime warranty from Browning! (which it was)
They told me to ship it back to them. They refinished the receiver (It had nothing to do with salt) they replaced the high grade wood and they sent it back to me as NIC. I looked at the stock and I saw a paint run. I sent it back with a letter complaining. They upgraded the wood to exhibition grade without a paint run and sent it back to me!
The whole thing cost me $65.00. Now that's old time customer service. I still have that .308 BAR.
PigPen
That's a great story on the BAR, similar to my experience last year with Colt. They replaced the damaged slide on my Delta, even thought the gun was ten years old, and I wasn't the original owner. What's different about both my story, the Browning story, and the original post is that the first two problems were caused at/by the factory, while the original post was concerned with shooting wear. If the engine blew up on your car the first time you started it, the maker would probably put in a new engine under warranty, but if you drove 100,000 miles and complained it was burning oil, they wouldn't feel inclined to do anything for you. Wear or damamge due to use or mis-use is generally not covered by a warranty.
That was a great story about Browning. In terms of the Delta that makes sense as it was made after '85. I wasn't really complaining, I really just wanted to see if they would do the work.
Anthony
Anthony
Did you ask them if the custom shop would do the work for you? and what fee they'd charge?
Not sure about when they started a life time warrenty program, but I do kow that we will work on most any gun, from any era, the only problem would be parts availability, there are just not a lot of parts for the older models laying around
The lifetime warrenty started Feb of 97, since I bought my Pony in January and missed it by a month, I know this 
I don't know if they had a lifetime warrenty anywhere back in the decades before that though.
I don't know if they had a lifetime warrenty anywhere back in the decades before that though.
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
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