I have been a Colt owner for years and have put up with their prima donna attitude for years. In 1959 my dad bought a SAA .45 and used it for fast draw. The gun now belongs to me. It has been well worn; it needs a new mainspring, a new sear and bolt spring, a new hand spring, and it needs to be properly timed. I do not trust gunsmiths as they never get the timing right. I sent the gun back to Colt a couple weeks ago for the aforementioned (what should be) simple service and repair. I anticipate that they may refuse to work on the gun. When I called the customer service a couple days back to confirm that they received the gun, the guy told me that they don't normally work on 2nd generations. When I asked why, they said that Colt no longer has all the parts and the guns are very valuable and so Colt doesn't like to work on them. I can't believe that they are unable or unwilling to work on a gun that is only 41 years old. Several years back I acquired a nickel plated SAA .45 that was built in 1920. I later found out that the original finish was blue. When I asked Colt to strip the nickel and restore the gun, they flat out refused. Years ago I bought a new in the box electroless nickel finish Gold Cup. The acid from my hands turned the finish a very ugly black. When I contacted Colt and told them I was unhappy with the finish, and that I wanted the finish stripped off and the gun blued, they refused. They said they would only refinish it in the original finish (which was a substandard finish to begin with!). The list goes on. I don't want to bore you with all my woes with Colt. But they wonder why they can't keep afloat. It's their GD independent attitude and refusal to work along with their paying customers that keeps them drowning year in and year out. In the meantime I'm sitting here hoping day to day that they may magnanimously extend to me their ever gracious hand in working on my dad's old Single Action.
Colt's Bad Attitude
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suckersrus
New member
It doesn't sound like we are going to miss them very much after they are gone.
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Wear your PFD
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Wear your PFD
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
How recent was this? This year?
The incident with the 1920 Colt happened about 10 years ago. The incident with the Gold Cup happened about 6-7 years ago. And the incident with the 1959 Colt happened this past week. Believe me, I have more stories in dealing with Colt, almost all bad. Example: 10 years ago I sent a 3rd generation that I bought in 1981 back to Colt to have a new cylinder installed. The gun had previously had a sear & bolt spring break and Colt had sent me to one of their "authorized service centers", Bain & Davis. Bain & Davis did a lousy job in timing the action, causing EXTREME scarring around the cylinder. Thus, I sent the gun back to Colt for a new cylinder. When I got the gun back, Colt had taken it upon themselves to COMPLETELY REFINISH THE GUN! Obviously, any Colt collector knows the disaster this effects on the gun's value. I never in a million years would have asked for this service. And if I knew then what I know now, I would have sued them. Good ole Colt... A bunch of screw ups, prima donnas, wannabe good guys, and definite bad guys.
you've got me confused, in one situation you want them to refinish a gun and in another you dont want them to refinish a gun? if you complained about the timing and the wear on the finish in your letter to Colt I can see where they might have tried to go above and beyond to make you happy.
I dont think I would call Ford to rehab a model T I inherited, I would find someone I trusted. and I certainly wouldn't be upset if Ford refused to Rehab a model T either. It's unreasonable to think they have the parts on hand.
I dont think I would call Ford to rehab a model T I inherited, I would find someone I trusted. and I certainly wouldn't be upset if Ford refused to Rehab a model T either. It's unreasonable to think they have the parts on hand.
The only gun I wanted them to refinish (actually, blue) was the Gold Cup, which they refused to do. They would only refinish it in the original finish, which no doubt would have again turned black from the acid on my hands like it did the first time. I notice that they no longer sell the electroless nickel finish.
As for the Single Action I sent off 10 years ago, all I wanted was a new cylinder, not a complete refinish. My cylinder had been heavily scarred from the inept timing job done by Colt's service center. I notice now that Colt tells customers to send the gun directly to Colt for service, and that they no longer tout the service centers.
The thing is, Colt really does know how to get the timing right on their single actions. For this most recent single action I sent back for 3 new springs and a timing job, I wrote out a detailed cover letter setting forth in simple, explicit terms what I wanted. I know exactly what the gun needs, I just don't have the expertise to do it properly. I made sure I put in the letter the fact that I don't want the gun refinished in any manner whatsoever.
The bottom line is, do you think I would have gone through all these headaches in dealing with the S&W Performance Center? I think not. They are very willing to accomodate, unlike Colt. And I don't think it's too much to expect Colt to have springs on hand for a 2nd gen, SAA. They're not that much different from the current models (basically just the shape of the hand and the cylinder bushing). Anyway, I really think Colt ought to get their act together and try to be more user friendly with the public.
As for the Single Action I sent off 10 years ago, all I wanted was a new cylinder, not a complete refinish. My cylinder had been heavily scarred from the inept timing job done by Colt's service center. I notice now that Colt tells customers to send the gun directly to Colt for service, and that they no longer tout the service centers.
The thing is, Colt really does know how to get the timing right on their single actions. For this most recent single action I sent back for 3 new springs and a timing job, I wrote out a detailed cover letter setting forth in simple, explicit terms what I wanted. I know exactly what the gun needs, I just don't have the expertise to do it properly. I made sure I put in the letter the fact that I don't want the gun refinished in any manner whatsoever.
The bottom line is, do you think I would have gone through all these headaches in dealing with the S&W Performance Center? I think not. They are very willing to accomodate, unlike Colt. And I don't think it's too much to expect Colt to have springs on hand for a 2nd gen, SAA. They're not that much different from the current models (basically just the shape of the hand and the cylinder bushing). Anyway, I really think Colt ought to get their act together and try to be more user friendly with the public.
I sent my Delta Elite to Colt about three months ago. I had bought the gun secondhand, but unfired. After only 400 rounds, there was damage to the slide near the FP safety plunger port. I sent the gun to Hartford, and they replaced the slide, no questions asked. They had estimated a 30-day turnaround time, and I had the gun back in 33 days.
Try Eddie Janis at Peacemaker Specialists for your SA. He does great work, and stocks a lot of the parts that Colt no longer has. Colt retimed my First Gen, and refinished the cylinder (only) in 1990, but I had to go to PS for a new barrel, as Colt had sold-off their stock of barrels with the 1st/2nd Gen thread. My experiences with Colt, their products, and their service have been uniformly good.
Try Eddie Janis at Peacemaker Specialists for your SA. He does great work, and stocks a lot of the parts that Colt no longer has. Colt retimed my First Gen, and refinished the cylinder (only) in 1990, but I had to go to PS for a new barrel, as Colt had sold-off their stock of barrels with the 1st/2nd Gen thread. My experiences with Colt, their products, and their service have been uniformly good.
Thanks for the information. I have heard of Peacemaker Specialists. Do you know how to get in touch with them? Someone told me they were in Whitmore, CA, but when I dialed 411 to get their number, there was no listing. If this thing with Colt doesn't work out, I will go through them. Again, thanks.
I've always been a Colt fan, but I have never had to deal with their customer service. If they won't work on their own gun, and treat their customers better, they deserve to go. They can stand in bankrupcy court with S&W, and comp[lain to each oither how foriegn comp etitors put them put of business. I hope it works out for you , but if it does not their are plenty ofr good craftsmen in thes country that would gladly appreciate the business, and do a great job! 
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"Millions for defense, not one dime for tribute!"
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"Millions for defense, not one dime for tribute!"
Well, I just got some good news from Colt. They chose to work on my dad's old Peacemaker and time the gun. The whole process is expensive. To ship the gun was approx. $40 (I insured it); and I just paid Colt $125 to do the repair work. Maybe I jumped the gun this time. I've just had such bad luck in the past that I was ready for more. Apparently, the cylinder needs a new bushing. The gun was made in 1959 and was used extensively for fast draw in the early 60s. It may be the most accurate gun in my family's collection (it has a 7 1/2" barrel)and has the most history behind it. It is as, or more, accurate that our Gold Cups and Pythons. Believe me, I can't wait to take it out and shoot it again. There's nothing like a first gen. or early second gen. Peacemaker. Probably the most enjoyable gun ever made. By the way, does anyone know the address or phone number for Peacemaker Specialists? Thanks.