Colt's lack of innovation

[Soldat222]

I was looking at the thread about the DA 1911 and somebody brought up the complete lack of any apparent innovation in Colt recently. They have a good point, as they do only really make three weapons in various modified forms, the 1911, the SAA, and the AR15.

Sure they a popular, but while other companies have put our new and innovative handguns colt seems to be resting on its laurels. All of their "innovation" seem to be half hearted attempts, like this DA 1911 and the Double Eagle.

It sort of makes me sad to see this, especially because even with lack of innovation and new designs they could diversify their line of products with some of their classic revolver or older semi auto designs.

I guess this is sort of a rant with a question of why do you think this is? Why does colt seem to just make the same stuff over and over while companies like Smith and Wesson, etc are trying to make new weapons and improve their line up?

[mpan72]

I was looking at the thread about the DA 1911 and somebody brought up the complete lack of any apparent innovation in Colt recently. They have a good point, as they do only really make three weapons in various modified forms, the 1911, the SAA, and the AR15.

Sure they a popular, but while other companies have put our new and innovative handguns colt seems to be resting on its laurels. All of their "innovation" seem to be half hearted attempts, like this DA 1911 and the Double Eagle.

It sort of makes me sad to see this, especially because even with lack of innovation and new designs they could diversify their line of products with some of their classic revolver or older semi auto designs.

I guess this is sort of a rant with a question of why do you think this is? Why does colt seem to just make the same stuff over and over while companies like Smith and Wesson, etc are trying to make new weapons and improve their line up?

If they started to make new things some would say they are just pandering. Also mabye they are at their limits and could not keep up with orders if they make other types of guns. Just some thoughts.

[bcgst5]

Are their civilian sales different from the military sales? Because they make a ton of M4s and M16s for the military. Every rifle I ever had in the Marine Corps was a Colt(Well M4/M16 variant anyways). That maybe strenuous on production. At the very least the money they make off of that may be the answer to why they don't care to come up with anything new? It sucks for the consumer(us) but if its not broke, don't fix it right?


But they keep bringing back other designs. I wish they would bring back their DA revolver line at least. Obvisiouly that is before my time; however, my Dad's Python was one of my favorite guns growing up as a kid.

[Maryland_Shooter]

Colt relied and relies on mil contracts.

There is no incentive to capture the commercial market.

Buy a 1911 from Springfield Armory, have a problem 5I or 10 years later, they'll fix it.

Colt won't even return your call.

Colt is an icon, but I don't own one.

For me, Springfield Armory for handguns, I have three of their 1911s.

In ARs many choices out there.

People who say Colt "stakes the castle nut, under the front sight base, properly staked gaskeys are, IMHO, fan boys touting inconsequential nonsense.

YMMV, just one man's opinion.

[ByblosHex]

Colt has always been a military contractor. Never an innovator. Colt didn't invent the 1911 or the M4/M16, they simply manufacture them.

[Soldat222]

Colt relied and relies on mil contracts.

There is no incentive to capture the commercial market.

Buy a 1911 from Springfield Armory, have a problem 5I or 10 years later, they'll fix it.

Colt won't even return your call.

Colt is an icon, but I don't own one.

For me, Springfield Armory for handguns, I have three of their 1911s.

In ARs many choices out there.

People who say Colt "stakes the castle nut, under the front sight base, properly staked gaskeys are, IMHO, fan boys touting inconsequential nonsense.

YMMV, just one man's opinion.

There is a good point in the gov contract thing colt relies on. However, with how heavily invested in police handguns they were in the past it is interesting how they sort of abandoned that market.

[FUNDAMENTALS]

Since Colt lives on its military contracts, even though Colt Canada is
supplying weapons for the U.S. Military. Lack of innovation, Naahhhh,
lack of loyalty, Sure thing.

[harold63]

The way I see it, there aren't too many options out there that are better than the M16/M4 or 1911 for fighting. There are a ton of things that tickle fancies, but when it comes down to fighting, well, the tried and true still reigns. 1911's can't even be kept in stock here in FL (except RIA 1911's, which do not move well, here). The M16/M4 is probably the best single fighting tool on the planet. There have been a number of different variations of it (the ACR, for example), but are any of them that much better or good enough to call an innovation. The 1911, of course, is still at or near the top for fighting pistols. These weapons were way ahead of their time when they came out and haven't really changed all that much. Hard to improve or innovate when something is already so good. It is also hard to argue that Colt doesn't do 'bout as good as anyone when building these weapons. They have veered from the path a time or two, but they always seem to get back on it. We probably won't see another super freak innovation until someone builds a ray gun that you control with your mind.

Edit: odds are, when someone patents a Buck Rogers ray gun or a Star Trek stun gun (Star Wars blaster, etc.), they'll ask Colt to build a shit ton of them.

[RXM]

Colt realized they messed up focusing just on military sales and now they're paying for it. There was an article in Combat Tactics (Display until 1/30/2012 date) that goes over Colt's shortcomings and what they're doing to drive more business in commercial sales.

Colt's Manufacturing Co., which is the commercial half of Colt's house, is preparing to release commercial variants of many of Colt Defense's latest mil and LEO offerings.

Starting with the Colt SP901 and P0923 APC (Advanced Piston Carbine). Also, look up Colt's sub-compact weapon (SCW).

[Soldat222]

Colt has always been a military contractor. Never an innovator. Colt didn't invent the 1911 or the M4/M16, they simply manufacture them.

Sure they were always military contractors but they were at one point innovators and did serve the civilian and police markets well.

If you are going to say the Colt Patterson, which revolutionized handguns, was not innovative, I do not know what is. Also, while they were not responsible for development of the 1911, they were the ones producing and selling innovative and advanced designs by John Browning, such as the colt 1900, 1903 pocket hammerless, 1908 vest pistol, and 1911.

Colt used to market its handguns to civilians and police as a direct competitor to the other big handgun company, Smith and Wesson. Now they just make military guns, which is great for Colt Defense, but their civilian company I feel is going to, and is, falling by the wayside more and more and new companies produce new weapons.