Colt vs Sistema

D

Drizzt

New member
I was looking over the Sistemas offered on the Cruffler website, but I was wondering if anyone can tell me if there is any real difference between those and the Colt Govt Models offered on the same page. I know they are supposed to be essentially the same, so are you paying $150 more just to have the Colt name on the handgun?

Also, what is the differnce between the original finish and the refinished models?
 
The Sistemas are OLD guns. Most made in the '40s - '60s. They were made on Colt equipment by Colt-trainned machinists, to the quality standards of Colt of the '40s. They are generally pretty good guns. But a lot of them are rearsenaled -- refinished, etc. A few are worn.

The new Colts, at least until relatively recently, had spotty quality control. (An acquaintance bought one recently, and the first time he tried to fire it, the barrel bushing slipped forward and the gun would not function. Apparently the slots in the frame hadn't been cut properly.)

Sistemas were frequently used as the base for a custom gun, but needs a lot of enhancements -- such as better beavertail, better trigger, better sights, and slide release.

You could do worse, but you may spend less getting a newer Colt and trying to make IT work right.

Its kind of a crap-shoot either way, but both guns (if the other is a true Colt) are fundamentally sound.
 
Drizzt,

From looking at the page the $450.00 price tag you are seeing is for an original 1911 Colt that was made in the US and sent to Argentina as part of the contract between the Argentinian Govt and Colt, basically to get the Govt of Argentina guns until the Colt machinery was up and running.

The 1927 Argentina built Colt Sistemas are what they made using the Colt machinery. Hence the price differences.

IMHO get the Sistema made in Argentina or buy a new Colt, why pay the $450 for a used gun, when you can shop around and pay a hundred more and get a new one.
 
The Systema Colt M1927 is for all practical purposes, a real 1911A1. They are virtually identical to the prewar 1911A1's produced by Colt in the US. I own one, an Argintine Army stamped model, and it does all I ask it to do. It is tight with no looseness in the action at all. It beats AO and Charles Daly hands down (except, perhaps, for the CD's enhancements). That said, the Systema Colt has all the right tollerences and is made from forged steel, not investment casting. Now, I have no trouble with investment casting at all, but the original Colt was all forged.

It would be an excellent base for a race gun. But if you are like me, you would keep it just the way it is. There is no real need to enhance one (yeah, yeah, I know, to get the greatest accuracy out of one, those tiny sights have to go, and while you're at it, other improvements can be made. I'm the kind who likes the flat-head six in my 1949 Ford.)
 
I bought a 1927 Sistema a couple of months back and have absolutely no regrets.

The slide to frame fit and the barrel bushing are tight and the gun is accurate to boot - excellent buy.

Amen 7th!
 
Sistema

The Sistemas are good quality. All examples that I've come in contact w/ have been nice guns. The price is great and they work.

Slabside
 
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