Colt going-ons...Co is changing

[SteyrAUG]

Those choices weren't exactly "voluntary."

Well they did it at a time when other manufacturers were still offering bayo lugs and things like that.

[SteyrAUG]

Colt started their "FU civilian trash" attitude with the SP1, big hole screwed uppers, sear blocks, oversized FCG pins, none of that was required by anyone. During those years I would rather run a Colt upper on a Bushie lower than put up with the Colt lower BS.

Actually, "some" of that was required and goes back to the 1968 GCA and early SP1s. The whole "not readily convertible" to automatic fire requirement that everyone else had to adhere to, that is why HK91s are clip and pin rather than swing down trigger groups.

The sear block in the "sporters" and removal of bayo lugs prior to the 1994 Federal law were BS though.

Also even though it was completely legal to sell a Colt M16A2 to a private citizen, if you did it, you'd never get another sales sample again. This was pre 86 ban of course.

[mack7.62]

Actually, "some" of that was required and goes back to the 1968 GCA and early SP1s. The whole "not readily convertible" to automatic fire requirement that everyone else had to adhere to, that is why HK91s are clip and pin rather than swing down trigger groups.

The sear block in the "sporters" and removal of bayo lugs prior to the 1994 Federal law were BS though.

Also even though it was completely legal to sell a Colt M16A2 to a private citizen, if you did it, you'd never get another sales sample again. This was pre 86 ban of course.

Actually that is not exactly correct, here is a link to a 1964 SP1 with that stupid front take down screw, that was all on Colt. After carrying a M16A1 for years when I got my SP1 in 1976 I always hated not having the front pivot pin.

https://www.gunsamerica.com/97502292...IAL-NUMBER.htm

[usmcvet]

Yep, only unlike HK they can't cite US import laws as the source of the problem. We should remember Colt voluntarily began neutering their rifles (no bayo lugs, sporter models) even before the Clinton ban existed. One could even argue the contributed to the Clinton ban.

They thought they would ALWAYS be the big military supplier, but Springfield used to think that too.

Yup I sold my Colt A2 In 1994 just before the ban.I was pissed how much they neutered it. I bought a Bushmaster in 96/97 on letterhead.


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[1168]

I also owned a Bushmaster back then. Colt wasn’t exactly sticking to the TDP. RRA probably sells as good a rifle as Colt was selling us 15 years ago.

[Diamondback]

Yep, only unlike HK they can't cite US import laws as the source of the problem. We should remember Colt voluntarily began neutering their rifles (no bayo lugs, sporter models) even before the Clinton ban existed. One could even argue the contributed to the Clinton ban.

They thought they would ALWAYS be the big military supplier, but Springfield used to think that too.

Possible tangent, but... Doesn't 922r apply to Canadian-made guns too? That's probably the cop-out for why "no Diemacos here"...

[SteyrAUG]

Possible tangent, but... Doesn't 922r apply to Canadian-made guns too? That's probably the cop-out for why "no Diemacos here"...

It should apply to all imports.

[TMS951]

It’s nice Colt finally started selling normal civilian stuff. But they waited too long.

Also karma, the BS they pulled on civilians was totally out of control. A real F U.

[Slater]

Look at the flood of Turkish handguns (and shotguns & some rifles) coming into the US these days. I guess it goes to show that you can save a lot of money on R&D if you just take a proven design (Walther, H&K, etc.), add a tweak here and there, and sell it by the buttload.

One company (Sarsilmaz?) actually injection molds their own polymer frames and even makes their own plastic gun cases.

[pinzgauer]

I also owned a Bushmaster back then. Colt wasn’t exactly sticking to the TDP. RRA probably sells as good a rifle as Colt was selling us 15 years ago.

People who are not there then don't understand that. Half moon bolt carrier groups, mags were not that available, unless you bought up beat up Surplus.

H&K 91s were slightly less to buy, had similar mag availability, and were much more reliable then Colt ARs of that era. Which is how I ended up with a 91 in college. And a close friend had the first car 15 I ever saw. We shot both extensively. You could get cheap German 762 in the green sleeves, cheaper than I could buy 223 until ppmc came along

I bought my first mini 14 for a quarter the cost of a Colt at that time. And factory mags were almost identical in cost between the two.

Not saying the mini is as good as modern Colts. Just that back then, the Colts were not what we have now. There were valid reasons the mini became as popular as it did.

Ace Hardware stores locally sold ruger's including the mini 14, and had mags in the sales counter. Probably 20:1 more retail distribution relative to Colts.

Then again, the local mall Sporting Goods chain (oshman's) briefly carried both H&K and Colt. Most LGSs could not get the Colts, not that different than what it was 5 to 10 years ago.