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Whats the story?

1K views 11 replies 12 participants last post by  Dwolf00 
#1 · (Edited)
I was in a busy gun store yesterday and i asked them why they did not carry any Colt products. They said Colt has been bankrupt for years and there is only a "custom shop". Basically they said there is no Colt Firearms. I argued that Colt does make guns like the Defender, Gold cup, SAA, ar 15 etc.
They continued to say its only the custom shop and there is no real distribution of Colt firearms.

I have been on the website of Colt and i have seen their products in other gun stores. So basically i just dropped the argument. Now, I just read a web article from CNN dated 1999 that said Colt was getting out of the civilian handguns business. So I am wondering why all these things don't seem to fit together. What is the story?
:confused:
 
#2 ·
Sounds a little bit like the story I got a few weeks ago at one of the local shops. I went in looking for a Kimber SS compact.
The guy behind the counter told me that since they aren't a
"Kimber Master Dealer" they can't even get them.

I said "OH!" and turned around and left.

This time last year that was not the case. Maybe things have changed since........
 
#3 ·
That is very strange. I was just at my dealer last night and was told essentialy the same thing. I heard that due to their financial situation, Colt needed a buyer soon or the public manufacturing branch would have to fold by the beginning of next year.

I understand the low opinion across the board for gun store talk, however, the guy I go to has been in the business for a long time, likes Colt, and orders from them on a regular basis.
 
#5 ·
The BS that floats around gun stores is appalling. Colt is still in business, and they are still making guns. They just aren't making enough to meet demand right now because their capacity is a fraction of what it once was.
 
#6 ·
This upsets me also. I have a friend who loves Kimbers and always ask me what I have. I always say Colt and he always says I thought they were out of business? I have told him no less than 10 times over the past few years and he always says the same thing :confused:

I have been buying Colts from my current dealer for the past 8 yrs and they continue to keep a good rotating stock. On their used shelf I see a little bit of everything on a regular basis but I seldom see any used Colts.

If Colt would just advertise a little, or a little more life would be great! Perhaps an advertising compaign that says "ALTHOUGH WE REALLY NEVER LEFT....WE ARE REALLY BACK"
 
#9 ·
I was in a Galyans yesterday that had Kimbers and SAs, but no Colts. I asked the guy why didn't they carry Colts and he asked with a smirk, "Why do you want a Colt?". He said, "Colts have given me more trouble than anything else over the years and I have had to work on too many of them"

I told him the Colts had better components than the Springfields and Kimbers and he said "I have complete confidence in Springfield - I've never seen one break."

And I have no confidence in Springfields or Kimbers (unless the Springfield is a Professional Model from the custom shop or the Kimber has had EVERY component replaced, except for the slide, frame and barrel...

It's sad. I really would like to see Colt on top again.

Steve
 
#10 ·
Gekko said:
I was in a busy gun store yesterday and i asked them why they did not carry any Colt products. They said Colt has been bankrupt for years and there is only a "custom shop". Basically they said there is no Colt Firearms. I argued that Colt does make guns like the Defender, Gold cup, SAA, ar 15 etc.
They continued to say its only the custom shop and there is no real distribution of Colt firearms.
Lemme guess. This shop sells primarily Kimbers or Springfields.



I have been on the website of Colt and i have seen their products in other gun stores. So basically i just dropped the argument. Now, I just read a web article from CNN dated 1999 that said Colt was getting out of the civilian handguns business. So I am wondering why all these things don't seem to fit together. What is the story?
:confused:
Since no one has addressed this point I'll do it. Again.

Colt used to sell to any retail dealer that called and wanted one. For whatever reason, in the late 90's it was decided that Colt would begin selling only to distributors who would in turn sell to the retail dealer. For some reason this got turned into Colt not selling guns to the public at all.
 
#12 ·
It sounds like Mark has his work cut out for him visiting all these shops around the U.S. squashing these rumor idiots.
 
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