Colt cant shoot straight

[free]

Long article, but worth the read:

http://www.businessweek.com/articles...most%20popular

[Kabloosh]

This is what happens when you design your company to be dependent on government contracts.

[free]

This is what happens when you design your company to be dependent on government contracts.

interesting point.

[jim-analog]

Greetings,

Thanks for the link; interesting article. It's been WAY too long that Colt ignored the civilian market place and had essentially no new or significantly updated products. They seemed to stake the entire company (beyond the gov contracts) on more and more variations of the 1911. They missed every chance provided by market expansion to exploit it with appropriate products. I don't think they even now sell any "modern" revolver, while they had a great product line (snake guns, etc.). A long and sad decline, but I hope they can get the act together and succeed.

Regards, Jim

[Yellowfin]

This is what happens when you design your company to be dependent on government contracts.

That and having the entitled mentality much like GM that you'll always be there and don't have to do anything to keep up and get better.

[ungawa]

Anybody know why there are so many converted AR-15s in the NFA machinegun registry?

Colt didn't want M16s sold to civilians. If a dealer had 4 M16s and only provided proof to Colt that he sold 1 to LEO they would only restock him 1. Or none. Most real M16s in the registry are police guns.

Plus, as you saw in that article, Colt's CEO saying Congress should require a federal permit for individuals to own guns, smart gun nonsense, it's juts endless. Colt has been at the forefront of gun control for a long time. Heck, to this day I can't buy potential NFA parts from Colt.

[win67]

Good read.

I've never really bothered to learn much about Colt before. My perception of them, which BTW hasn't changed because of this article, is that they are condescending fudds who never really bother to develop new or better products, and who make almost their entire living arming the government.

And frankly, they aren't even doing a good job of those things lately. Morons. I loved the part about their executives complaining that their sales are shrinking because of reductions in Pentagon spending. "We can't capitalize on the gun sales surge because we sell to the military". Geez, who ever heard of expanding your product line? Nothing, nothing at all, is preventing you from making guns that customers do want. Just like GM, "the evil customers hate us, we need a handout".

[arjohnson]

This is what happens when you design your company to be dependent on government contracts.

And union labor.

[JenniferG]

If Colt is to survive it has to move to a business friendly state with workers that have a right to work. They also have to get gun people at the top and start marketing modern firearms to the civilian market. How many people would line up to get a brand new Colt Python that didn't come with a Hillary hole in the frame or junky MIM trigger like Smith and Wesson? Geez, the possibilities are endless. Hope they get the picture.

[American1776]

If Colt is to survive it has to move to a business friendly state with workers that have a right to work. They also have to get gun people at the top and start marketing modern firearms to the civilian market. How many people would line up to get a brand new Colt Python that didn't come with a Hillary hole in the frame or junky MIM trigger like Smith and Wesson? Geez, the possibilities are endless. Hope they get the picture.

I agree. I think a lot of top shelf gun manufacturers, Colt included, have started to slip with regards to QC and cutting too many 'cost effective' corners.

I was looking at a Colt Commander 1991; it was really nice. But I couldn't get over the fact that on a 1100 dollar pistol, they have MIM parts. Same with Sig (read about their woes of late), and even Smith & Wesson.

They need to get their acts together. Heck, I'd buy a new Python if it was well executed.