Colt Delta Elite

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Fireman179

New member
I have been wanting a 10mm for a while now and I never could decide on a pistol. I have looked at 1911's and Glocks chambered in it but have never decide which one. Well I saw a Delta Elite at the LGS today and it just feels good. I just have a few questions before I lay down the cash.

1. What's a fair price for a NIB delta elite?

2. Anyone have personal experience with one?

3. Pros/cons?

Thanks in advance I will check back soon.
 
Price?

Not sure about pricing, but I have had a Colt Delta Elite in 10mm for a very long time. Absolutely love the platform and love the round. I reload my own so it is affordable for me to shoot, but from what other people say, the 10mm is expensive factory ammo. I want to say I paid $600~ for mine 10-15 years ago? I've had it for so long I don't remember.
 
$1000 is a good price.
I've had a late-'80s Delta for fifteen years (paid $700 for used but unfired). I don't shoot it a lot, with maybe 2000 rounds through it.
If the gun is going to be shot a lot, or with mostly full-power ammo, there are some changes that can be made to enhance function and durability.
Some people don't like that the Delta doesn't have a ramped, fully-supported chamber on the barrel.
If you are going to shoot "nuclear" loads, or reload brass used for nuclear loads, a ramped barrel is probably a good idea.
If you are going to shoot nothing more powerful than "full power" (200@1200, 180@1300), and you are not going to reload those cases to full power levels, the unramped barrel is perfectly adequate.
I have cases that have been reloaded many times, but I mostly shoot mid-range loads that don't stress the brass.
 
Man, I couldn't even hazard a guess on a decent price anymore. Have had mine since the 80s and paid only $425 NIB. But, that gun would be absolutely last in my inventory to leave the safe for good.
 
Are you talking about an 80's-90's Delta Elite or a new manufacture Delta Elite? A new manufacture seems to be selling for $900-$1100 in the last 12 months. An original manufacture is going to sell for $1200-$1600, unless there is something particularly special about it or there are extras, etc.

Yes, I have personal experience with them. They are fantastic shooters if you like the 1911 platform. In my opinion, the best of the bunch is the improved early-mid 90's models that have the flat top slides and flat grip safety. Those incorporate a bunch of improved features that the original ones and the recent manufacture do not have. Why the new ones are not modeled after that is a mystery to me. Plus, the older ones are blued and the new ones have the rough matte blueing that I do not personally care for.
 
You mean within the last year, as a "some time"?
It was announced at '08 SHOT Show that the gun was going back into production, and I think there were guns actually on dealer shelves some time during 2010.
I haven't heard anything about it being discontinued (again)?
 
That's what my LGS told me--and they have one for around $1100. I think the thinking is there will be significant collector's appeal.
 
Nothing seems to carry and feel as nice as the 1911 platform, The Colt would sure be a great outdoor gun. They are never going to get any cheaper either.
 
If for collecting, grab it. However, the 80's DE's had a fatal flaw...
they were simply .45acp frames that had 10mm slides & barrels...
which meant that after the recoil spring wore down, it'd hammer the slide stops & frame...
So inspection of the crash surfaces is in order on used ones.
And you dang sure ain't gonna use it for competition unless using pretty light loads.

Either era, get a Hogue grip...the cush helps your felt recoil...which is stout.
Sold mine a few years back, just couldn't justify the discomfort after getting a G20.

If you want a 10mm to shoot the stuffings out of, get a G20/G20SF.
and it soaks up recoil far better than either the EAA or the 1911's :)
And the options are near-endless...mine wears a 9" threaded barrel for hunting with a muffler :D
A quick barrel change and its ready for GSSF meets after hunting season is over!

If you want a 1911-style pistol to shoot the stuffings out of,
get a RIA in 10mm, as the lower cost is far more justifiable.
 
In 1988 or so, I was as fascinated with the Delta Elite as I was with anything wearing a Ferrari nameplate. But these days, it makes sense to at least recognize some of the points already made. If you want to run fullbore 10mm, it's simply not the best platform.

The one I had was a newer one and stainless. Was $1000 new and shipped from Ken up at Wild West, many folks in these forums know him well.

A good looking gun and decently accurate, pride of ownership was there for sure. But there were things I absolutely did NOT like about it.

Didn't make sense to me that a new Colt, the name held on such a pedestal and this one in 10mm at that... came with plastic parts. Plastic guide rod parts and a plastic MSH. Also did not like the arched MSH but that is a preference more than a valid complaint. The old school, old style GI grip safety with no beavertail at all was simply not all that comfy for the snappy 10mm round. The classic black grips with cool Delta logo weren't that comfortable and the trigger pull was extremely averge for what I suppose I thought was an upper echelon pistol.

I sold it. My buddy picked up a RIA tactical a good while ago and he's got half the money in it and considering that, it's very nearly as good and with more and better features.

Suppose the Delta Elite will always occupy a significant place in my heart and in my memories. I actually submitted a high school English composition paper on it, and interviewed my kitchen table FFL as a resource. :D
 
I found the DE on Colt's site too--shoulda checked before posting, but that was what was I told by my LGS that has one (probably thinking it was the old one, I guess).
 
Plastic guide rod parts and a plastic MSH.
Click to expand...

The same, more than adequate parts that they've been using since 1987.
The guide rod is plastic because it's a sacrificial part. It's SUPPOSED to take the beating, and be replaced with another $6 part when it's worn.
 
If you have the $$, you might wanna look into the STI Perfect 10 instead. It has a 6 inch barrel and utilizes the 10mm better than a 5 inch. STI are leaps and bounds above any current Colts.
 
Which claim? The fact that a longer barrel can utilize the 10mm better? Or the claim that Colt simply doesn´t make their product with the same love and care anymore?

STI is the semi-custom route. Colt is... generic.

Not that I would not like a Delta Elite, but over here we have to choose as we cannot own as many guns as we want, so spending the additional bucks are often justified.
 
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