2011

[majette]

here are colt's offerings:

http://www.coltsmfg.com/upload/news/...ve%20Flyer.pdf

[peruna]

"Fire blue?" Are you talking about the color case-hardening?

It's not color case-hardening, it's what's known as nitre blue. It can still be done today, and I imagine it wouldn't cost much more (or any more, for that matter) than that gold-inlayed monstrosity Colt is peddling for nearly $2300, which should prove to be very popular with pimps next year.... ).

[D. Christopher]

It can still be done today but Colt doesn't have the equipment or experienced craftsmen to do it. They could outsource the work but I don't think that will ever happen. It's not cost-effective for them. That kind of work and attention to detail only exists on the individual level these days. Very small companies and individual gunsmiths.

[D. Christopher]

Thanks for the link Majette. That's what I'm looking for. I'm actually surprised Colt is making the ANVIII model, and I'll certainly order one of those as a fun gun to actually shoot. If it's a nice as I hope I'll probably buy another one to keep NIB. I'd much rather have one to shoot and one to keep than spend the same amount and just have that gaudy ANVII model. That's the one I expected Colt to make.

[peruna]

It can still be done today but Colt doesn't have the equipment or experienced craftsmen to do it. They could outsource the work but I don't think that will ever happen. It's not cost-effective for them. That kind of work and attention to detail only exists on the individual level these days. Very small companies and individual gunsmiths.

Actually, my information is that Colt outsourced the carbonia blue finish on the initial WWI replicas to be done by Ron's Gun Shop (R.G.S. Restorations, Inc.). RGS also does nitre bluing.

IMO, Colt could have done it had they desired to do so, but apparently Colt has no plans to offer what a large percentage of potential customers actually want.

[D. Christopher]

I believe you are correct about RGS regarding the last reissues. At least that has been the rumor for a couple of years. I didn't mean they didn't outsource or haven't, we know they do for some parts. However I don't think it is very likely they will build a pistol with any fire blue parts again. Look at the current reissues, they have a lot more in common with the black army finish than any other finish used on the 1911 series of pistols. (Even though the early 1911 pistols didn't have that finish.) The so called black army finish was the least labor intensive finish they put on 1911 pistols. It resulted because they eliminated labor intensive steps in the preparations of the parts in order to speed up production in a time of need. The result was a finish that didn't hold up very well. Thousands of pistols with this finish that were never issued before the end of WWI went into storage having never been used, and thousands of those "new" pistols had to be sent to the arsenals to be rebuilt and refinished in phosphate before they could be issued for duty in WWII because of flaking and corrosion that occurred while in storage. The early 1911 pistols (both civilian and Govt.) with the fire blue parts were the most labor intensive finishes Colt ever used on these pistols and I don't think we will see this level of craftsmanship from Colt or any company their size ever again. I hope I'm wrong.