I just read about this just this AM. I sure hope they can get things back up and running like the old days.

BREAKING: Colt Lays Off Custom Shop Director, Other Employees, Company Rumored Gutted - The Firearm BlogThe Firearm Blog

...and we are surprised because....

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Release the Kraken

The article is a bit overblown

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Sure glad Florida gave them incentives to buy land.building here in Florida to so something. What that is has never happened.

What exactly does Colt do or make that is any better than other makes? There are plenty of AR 15's that are as good or better. If they do not have a big Govt Contract then what keeps them going??

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Still Running Against the Wind

Not ones that are as cheap

So far this story has no source or link. As far as we know it may just be that some people got layed off and by the time the story plays whisper down the lane we get this
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They'll end up selling plastic guns, if anything.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

This guy, Brent Turchi, was sort of a liason between Colt forum members and the Colt Company. He made a lot of good things happen for a lot of folks, and now they are angry and lighting up the phones and emails to Colt.

Yep.. Brent was the go to guy at Colt. Makes you wonder what is really going on.

And they just introduced a new revolver the "Cobra" They have always had management issues.

Step forward with one foot, step backwards with the other. I know you need business people to run a business, but having some firearms people around the management of a firearms business is kind of a nice thing.

I can’t believe they could be in trouble!!! After all they have the AR15 they developed in the 50’s, the SAA that Sam developed in the 1800’s, the Mustangs and the 1911 that Moses developed a hundred years ago. They are “re-introducing” the 1903, the 1908, the Cobra. Seriously, do they even have an R & D department?

If CZ started making revolvers, there'd be a bunch of folks in trouble. JMTCW.

Colt Canada? Oh no!
Closing the custom shop is odd. The article is a bunch of speculation but if that speculation is correct that could spell trouble. Of course it's impossible to know what Colt managaement is doing. They were able to run the company into the ground during the biggest growth in the firearm market ever.

"Colt Is In Trouble, AGAIN!"

Well, here we go...again.

"Rumors of massive layoffs at Colt..."

"The extent of the layoffs are not yet known..."

"Whether this is a handful of layoffs or a gutting of the company is yet unknown..."

Then along comes some guy (appropriately named "misanthropist") on a forum posting stuff like, "my understanding is..." and "from the sounds of things...", and "That’s what I am hearing, anyway."

Then we have, "There is a lot of speculation..." No, really?

I'm always amazed (well, not really) at how some of these firearms blogs and websites can't wait to jump on every rumor, especially when it comes to Colt. They love to be the bearers of possibly bad news. They make me sick. This, of course, cues up all the Colt bashers that seem to inhabit every known gun forum. They love to gloat over any misfortune that befalls the venerable old gunmaker.

And the only fact that comes out of that article is that one guy, Brent Turchi, has lost his job. And does he say anything about layoffs in his post on the other gun forum? Nope, nary a word. He just says he's no longer with Colt.

I've seen absolutely no official press releases from Colt that either confirm or deny these rumors. Zero. Nada. Zilch.

The gun blog parrots love to talk, though, don't they? Even if they don't really say anything.

Please, please stop using logic. Gun forums don't work like that

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I only "WISH" I could afford to buy a Colt product. But, if Colt IS in trouble, it makes you wonder if they will now skimp and/or cut corners in able to save money as to they try to climb back to the top.
Also, like there are Glock fanboys, there are Colt fanboys. And, I think this thread will rear its ugly head to display such.
BTW, there is a great article video on YT where a man narrates the Colt story. It's about 35 minutes long and every bit of information he tells about the Colt story is amazing!
Can someone please tell me what forum this thread is posted in? It was moved an I don't know where to.

............

From all I've heard the last few years, "Colt management" is something of an oxymoron. Or at least a massive euphemism.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Okay.

The video mentioned is posted by Forgotten Weapons. Ian McCollum does a great job of recounting Colt's colorful history.

I always enjoy his videos as he comes across as very well spoken and intelligent without being dry. His knowledge of firearms is vast and amazing.

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Un-Reconstructed Southerner

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Much of this is rumor and speculation. There is one fact however, and it is a HUGE one. They did let Brent Turchi go and it was not voluntary. He was the personification of Colt to almost every Colt firearm owner. He is highly respected in the industry. His departure is puzzling.

For a company that is still trying to recover from poor management decisions of the past, this seems a remarkably short sighted action. No one is irreplaceable, but Brent comes close. This might be the death knell for Colt. I don't think there will be another bailout. JMO

CZ does make revolvers, they produce the Dan Wesson .357 with the interchangeable barrels.

Maybe the new administration will promote the "buy American" and quit purchasing weapons for the military from foreign interest...

Well, the AR-15 market right now is flooded. They also came out with the Colt Cobra. I think the Cobra is a very nice revolver from when I got to hold it and dry fire it, but revolvers aren't very popular with younger shooters as much as they are with a lot of you old farts "seasoned gun owners". Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the art and history of revolvers, but not many people my age (late 20s) are buying revolvers. That being said, if Colt came out with a polymer, striker fired pistol right now, a lot of people would say too little too late.

Maybe if Colt started designing new innovative products they might have something other than "legacy" sales to cling to.

But not new plastic pistols.

Colt has been "in trouble" for the last 30 years or more. Yet somehow they keep managing to muddle along.
Nope, its nowhere near the company it once was. But they are still alive and kicking. I suspect that they will be for quite some time to come too.
I'm not really a Colt fanboy, but I do own some of their guns and have been very happy with them. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on one of the new Cobras. If its as good as its claimed to be, I'll likely buy one.
Various writers and bloggers have been trying to kill off Colt for years. Rumors are just that, rumors. I'll believe it only when they actually close the doors.

I hope Colt does get back in the revolver business. I've had two; the Cobra .38 that was my first off-duty gun in 1968 ($85 new), and my issued DS that saved my butt in 1974. They built the best revolver action in the industry (IMHO) back then. Still have the Cobra.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

What a shame about Brent, very good guy. Who knows what happening behind the scenes, but I would think this has to do with their financial troubles (and not a performance issue), and Colt just making another in a long line of bad decisions!

I can't imagine a company having a better representative/manager than Brent on their team. The guy bent over backwards in his customer service outreach and accommodation, and was very proactive in his communications. Too bad, but I'm sure he'll land somewhere where the company will appreciate what he brings to the table.

As for Colt's demise, yes, we've all heard it before; multiple times. I have a hunch that it just may come to pass this time. They really have not kept current with their R&D and new product development. They make an awesome product, but as others have mentioned, their product offerings are all based on 50 to 150 year old designs! They stunk up their plastic pistol effort 30 years ago and never made another run at it. Practically ignored the civilian market when their military contracts were going well, and are now trying to get all 'civilian' again. Too little, too late, I believe.

Colt is so far behind the 8 ball from a product development, marketing, and most importantly, financial standpoint, it really will be a miracle if they come through this latest restructure/financing deal. And what a shame, they really do make an outstanding product. I love my Colts, and hope they will prosper, but I'm not holding my breath!

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NRA Life Member

What a great opportunity for someone to buy the Colt name
and move all operations to a gun friendly state in South.

They have had problems before, likely will again. They still make the best AR rifles I have ever owned. I love the latest, an LE 6940. Mine was bought new last year. It is a semi-auto copy of the current US battle rifle. A conversation with a vet of our last two wars, helped me make the decision to buy another Colt. I am glad I did. It was not cheap, but it is well made, mil spec, and dependable.

Colt has been snatching failure from the jaws of success for years
They lost money in their various attempts to diversify. They had
Colt Industrial Scale Division, that went down the tubes. They
had the division that made auto parts, that came with UAW, down
the tubes. They had it made with 1911 & ARs, but they priced
themselves out. The SAs and top line DAs were side lined while
they played with Smart Guns. They also had a failure with their
Double Eagle 9mm & Cadet 22 pistol. The last thing I have herd
is that they are going to make a A2 m16 repro to sell to aging
Vietnam Vets, at $2300 @. A lot of us may be considered fools
for going to RVN, but we ain't fools enough to pay that kind of
money for a m16 repro.

Does anyone remember the Colt American 2000?

Garbage, just garbage

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My sgntr is mor thn 30 chrctrs

American Rifleman | The Keefe Report: Hey, Chicken Little, Colt Isn't Falling

Yes, one of the first handguns I handled after coming to the US. Even with my limited knowledge back then, I did have trouble keeping a straight face. It felt like a kids toy and rattled like one.

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Release the Kraken