Colt

[Patriot]

So...legendary gun maker Colt has filed for bankruptcy. They are in serious trouble, over $350 million in debt. They haven't created any new firearms in years and still push AR-15's and 1911's. They are pretty much history. I wanted to send my Delta in for repair but they said they aren't taking any repair orders right now. They focused too much on government contracts with the M4 and pretty much abandoned the civilian market. The military canceled the M4 platform and they are in sinking fast.

[The_Shadow]

Current Greedy Government putting the shaft to American!  Through Gun Control vis Bankruptcy of the company, financially to stockholders...

I just posted this on FB...
All the while American People are pussyfooting around with the BS of Political Over Correctiveness, the Islamic terrorist gain more ground and conquer more people! So keep playing around SHEEPLE! America will be consumed without a fight!

[Rich10]

How about a new idea, design, or something, Colt?!?!

They screwed themselves.  The prancing pony can only take you so far.

[Centimeter]

How about a new idea, design, or something, Colt?!?!

They screwed themselves.  The prancing pony can only take you so far.

Agreed! Pricing your relatively mundane product above market value because you feel like you're basically doing the civilian market a favor by even offering some items for sale is a sure sign that you don't care about maintaining (or improving) your image in their eyes. You don't allow growth when you hardy entertain the civilian market. Making contract guns only gets you so far if you don't invest in R&D and focus on growing your brand instead of making your numbers. I have a hard time understanding how such a large, and old, company was so short-sighted that they allowed themselves to put almost all of their eggs in one basket and then wonder what happened when that basket was taken away... I hope whoever buys their name respects the heritage of Colt and begins producing revolutionary new firearms like they used to. Maybe the prancing pony can get a second wind and live again.

[Wolfie]

Dang I have a 9mm at Colt for a Super conversion, hope it does not get lost.

[sqlbullet]

I agree that Colt brought this on themselves.

They need to fire the bean counters, hire some gun guys to run the place.  I mean, you can make a mint in 1911's and AR's right now. Despite the fact that we are sick of seeing them all the time, they sell well.

But, you gotta bring real value to the market.  Colt sells a Rock Island Armory quality 1911 with sub RIA features for prices between Kimber and Dan Wesson.  Seriously!

Give me a Delta Elite for the 21st century with a high ridge beavertail, decent hi-visibility sights, a ramped barrel, and superior fit and finish and I would belly up to the bar.

Same goes for the LE6940.  Seriously, $1300 for the base gun.  I can get a similar carbine from S&W for $739 MSRP, less in the wild.  That isn't a no-name.  It is a S&W.  The no-name carbines can be had these days for around $400 if you shop hard.  Heck...I saw a DPMS Oracle the other day for $480 shipped.

Colt is going out of business cause they don't compete and are poorly managed.  They mainline the two hottest gun platforms of the last 15 years.  They originated those guns.  If they can't make money with them, that just poor business.

[nclark2]

Anyone seen what a PYTHON or ANACONDA fetches online these days? i bet they would have record sales for years if they brought back some of their revolver line....the demand is crazy

[my_old_glock]

How about a new idea, design, or something, Colt?!?!

They screwed themselves.  The prancing pony can only take you so far.

Agreed! Pricing your relatively mundane product above market value because you feel like you're basically doing the civilian market a favor by even offering some items for sale is a sure sign that you don't care about maintaining (or improving) your image in their eyes. You don't allow growth when you hardy entertain the civilian market. Making contract guns only gets you so far if you don't invest in R&D and focus on growing your brand instead of making your numbers. I have a hard time understanding how such a large, and old, company was so short-sighted that they allowed themselves to put almost all of their eggs in one basket and then wonder what happened when that basket was taken away... I hope whoever buys their name respects the heritage of Colt and begins producing revolutionary new firearms like they used to. Maybe the prancing pony can get a second wind and live again.

Sounds like almost every old American company. The big 3 automakers screwed themselves in the 1970's, but the government bailed them out. They repeated themselves 10-15 years ago, and were again bailed out.

What ever happened to Kodak?

.

[Centimeter]

How about a new idea, design, or something, Colt?!?!

They screwed themselves.  The prancing pony can only take you so far.

Agreed! Pricing your relatively mundane product above market value because you feel like you're basically doing the civilian market a favor by even offering some items for sale is a sure sign that you don't care about maintaining (or improving) your image in their eyes. You don't allow growth when you hardy entertain the civilian market. Making contract guns only gets you so far if you don't invest in R&D and focus on growing your brand instead of making your numbers. I have a hard time understanding how such a large, and old, company was so short-sighted that they allowed themselves to put almost all of their eggs in one basket and then wonder what happened when that basket was taken away... I hope whoever buys their name respects the heritage of Colt and begins producing revolutionary new firearms like they used to. Maybe the prancing pony can get a second wind and live again.

Sounds like almost every old American company. The big 3 automakers screwed themselves in the 1970's, but the government bailed them out. They repeated themselves 10-15 years ago, and were again bailed out.

What ever happened to Kodak?

.

Yeah it's a shame that "old" is more frequently coming to mean "inflexible" versus "strong" or "resolute" or all of the other things that a long-running, seemingly determined, well-regarded, company should be when it comes to preserving thousands of jobs, billions of potential dollars, and decades of history (legacy?).

[my_old_glock]

Yeah it's a shame that "old" is more frequently coming to mean "inflexible" versus "strong" or "resolute" or all of the other things that a long-running, seemingly determined, well-regarded, company should be when it comes to preserving thousands of jobs, billions of potential dollars, and decades of history (legacy?).

Here is why the old companies continue to fail. Back in the olden days, 1960's and earlier, a CEO usually worked on the manufacturing floor of company before moving up the ladder. The CEO learned about the company from the bottom up, and how things are really done. Now days CEOs come direct from large Universities where they were taught how to run a business by professors who never worked in or ran a company. It is kinda like the Pentagon being run by people who have never been in combat. It is a recipe for disaster.



.

[rw]

I called colt about a bad chamber in an ar barrel, customer service bitch hung up on me.
Good riddance ...

[P33v3]

Here's the thing. Colt has partially priced themselves out of the market. A basic 1911 is uberexpensive compare to something like a Taurus PT1911 that has all the bells and whistles and really only needs some decent magazines (I bought one and the damn thing was a tack driver). You have the Colt SAA which while cool is substandard when you compare it to the Ruger Blackhawk. Everyone makes an AR-15 and most are as good if not better than Colt and are cheaper. Then they refuse to produce the Anaconda, Python, or Detective snubbie which would all sell like hotcakes. No surprise on the announcement.

[Patriot]

Well hopefully they get bought by a gun lover, or at least someone with a brain. If they get bought by Vltor or one of these other manufacturing companies they'll be made overseas and just be garbage.

[4949shooter]

I agree that Colt brought this on themselves.

They need to fire the bean counters, hire some gun guys to run the place.  I mean, you can make a mint in 1911's and AR's right now. Despite the fact that we are sick of seeing them all the time, they sell well.

But, you gotta bring real value to the market.  Colt sells a Rock Island Armory quality 1911 with sub RIA features for prices between Kimber and Dan Wesson.  Seriously!

Give me a Delta Elite for the 21st century with a high ridge beavertail, decent hi-visibility sights, a ramped barrel, and superior fit and finish and I would belly up to the bar.

Same goes for the LE6940.  Seriously, $1300 for the base gun.  I can get a similar carbine from S&W for $739 MSRP, less in the wild.  That isn't a no-name.  It is a S&W.  The no-name carbines can be had these days for around $400 if you shop hard.  Heck...I saw a DPMS Oracle the other day for $480 shipped.

Colt is going out of business cause they don't compete and are poorly managed.  They mainline the two hottest gun platforms of the last 15 years.  They originated those guns.  If they can't make money with them, that just poor business.

This is what I have been thinking. Upgrade the Delta Elite.

[Buckeye 50]

Guys;

I haven't been in their boardrooms but have plenty of others.  I STRONGLY SUSPECT that where Colt is today (unfortunately) is solely of their own doing.  You have no idea how many big decisions at the senior management level are based upon bias and ego rather than current and future market conditions and reality.

I can easily see some of them stubbornly saying the 1911 is "America's Gun" and will be around and purchased by gun owners forever.  The correct answer was and is, "Yes, they will be PART of the market but how much of the market?"  I bet anything they convinced themselves it would remain mainstream and told each other what each other wanted to hear rather than reality.

This kind of mis-management regarding market trends that lead to trouble and bankruptcy often are years or decades in the making - this also manifests itself in little reinvested in R&D.  Unfortunately, I believe they (Colt) are so far behind that catching up is impractical.  Same exact thing goes/went for Blackberry phones.  At one time, THE market product leader.  They went silent in R&D for some reason and when they tried to kick start things they were GENERATIONS behind, not just a few years.

The fat lady is on stage clearing her throat.

Pat