Colt-Now Outsourcing Almost Everything?

[MegademiC]

Well, won’t be buying from them any longer if that’s true. I overlooked the poor fit & finish for years because it came with a high assurance of small parts & build quality. But if that’s no longer true then F*** ‘em frankly. Plenty of honest manufacturers to buy from...BCM, KAC, Sionics, SOLGW, FN, Centurion.

Why would you assume its no longer true?

[everready73]

Without the proper markings you can't 100% trust where it came from. I'll guarantee you that there are unscrupulous dealers out there who would swap shit parts for genuine Colt-marked ones, especially now that there's "cover" to do so.

This is what worries me. There are already fake colt uppers going around now. Only buy from well vetted sources for Colt. G&R, Shark Arms, Arms Unlimited are about the only places i would buy colt stuff from these days

[grizzlyblake]

So, let's dig into the details. What parts are outsourced and who is making them? Same for Sionics, BCM, etc.

We know everybody uses the same raw forgings for uppers and lowers. The makers do all the finish machining and such so that QC is in their shop.

Are there parts that Colt is getting 100% finished elsewhere that BCM is finishing themselves?

[OldState]

i'm not depressed. I just picked up my new Colt CCU yesterday and I'm happy. Like Iraqgunz said, this is nothing new.
As for the naysayers that aren't buying Colt anymore; more for me.

Well, according to Bartocci, this is a bit of something new...or newer. As was stated by Scottyran earlier, what you are seeing now are upper receivers, barrels, BCGs and bolts coming out without the “C” mark. So Colt is assembling rifles full of parts that they have not proofed or vetted. This is new and different and the main thing I think Bartocci had issue with. The big issue is that Colt is not making barrels...maybe the worse issue. This is definitely a new revelation.

When he reviewed their retro guns his big problem was that they were not really Colts other than the pony on the side. What it sounds like now is even their 6920s will be like that.

Ironically I had just spoke to Colt CS yesterday afternoon before I saw the video. They still have not sent me a new lower to replace the f’d up one I got and sent in. The guy said he was going to find out what the hold up is and call me back. Maybe I will ask him.

That said, the 6920 I’m referring too has “C” marks everywhere they are appropriate. It’s 2016 vintage.

I certainly hope this is a temporary thing. According to Bartocci Colts businessmodel was HEAVILY focused on govt contracts (not a big secret) Their efforts to shift focus to the civilian market was slow and too little too late. He has mentioned several potentially lucrative designs Colt has scrapped for stupid reasons in the past. The CCU series showed promise though.

[scottryan]

Without the proper markings you can't 100% trust where it came from. I'll guarantee you that there are unscrupulous dealers out there who would swap shit parts for genuine Colt-marked ones, especially now that there's "cover" to do so.

Yeap. Why spend $200 on a Colt BCG when I can't prove its pedigree when it has no markings that distinguish it as Colt.

I can just buy a $89 fly-by-night special from PSA.

[Firefly]

Colt is like Harley Davidson for gun people.

Still want a 9 milly mill Gold Cup though

[MistWolf]

Colt is like Harley Davidson for gun people.

HA! At least the Colt doesn't piss oil all over your driveway.

[rjacobs]

\The big issue is that Colt is not making barrels...maybe the worse issue. This is definitely a new revelation.

I was under the impression that Green Mountain had been making Colt barrel blanks for a while... Maybe Colt was finishing them, but they were Green Mountain blanks.

[T2C]

Here's a shocking newsflash which has been discussed before. Colt has only made a few components in house anyways. LPK's for at least 15 years were coming from elsewhere, BCG's components were shipped in and assembled, etc.. etc..

So why I would I buy a Colt? Why not spend my money on a Sionics Weapon Systems carbine?

[jsbhike]

Would be a real cracker if they issue a press release stating they had been using Bushmaster, DPMS, etc. as subcontractors ever since switching away from the front take down screw.