My Colt Detective Special has been @ Colt for rebluing and mechanical fixing since AUGUST.I called once again and found out that I won't have it back until at least January.This is with Colt doing the work.When I started the updates on my beloved gun I thought that I would have the pleasurable experience I have with S+W Customer Service and already have pics of my 640 and D.S together but God was I wrong.My gun's life"IN THE COLT ZONE" continues and thank you all for allowing me to vent.......God Bless.......Mike

Well thats what you get for marrying outside the family.

Sorry it's taking so long...I hope the wait will be worth it.

Colt has my dick special too. The barrel was not fully turned in and it shot way left. I sent it in and was told $80 to fix. That burned me as the gun was as new and obviously had not been properly assembled but I sent the $80 any way. It is promised by Dec 25 so we will see. I hope the Colt folks don't mix my gun up for yours and reblue it. Mine is nickel.
Dan

Unless it's under warranty, I never take a car to a dealership and I never send a gun to the factory! Once something is out of warranty, they generally don't care about customer service anymore. Repair work isn't their bread and butter. They think they are doing you a favor.

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Chris
SWCA #2243 SWHF #292

Most of us make a point of marrying outside the FAMILY!

In 1976 I bought a new nickel Python. It developed a scratch around the cylinder, down to the copper plate. I don't remember what caused it or why I didn't notice it right away, but I returned the revolver to Colt, which agreed it was a warranty repair.

I waited a year (that was normal back then) and then received a call from the warranty center that the Python was ready, except that it had a blued cylinder. I told the warranty center to return it to Colt, and I sent a letter to Colt's president, C.E. Warner. Within a week I had received a letter from Colt's president, and a few days later, I was told my gun was ready, and it did have the correct cylinder.

Sorry to hear whats happening to you. I learned a long time ago to forget about Colt for any concern's about thier firearms.

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Stay safe people!

I have a 70 series gold cup 45 frame I need re-blued I called colt about a month ago they quoted me $100. and two weeks. I've been contemplating/saving up money, but I also like looking and reading your kind of story so that I can know what to expect. Over the years I've seen the type of work people pay for elsewhere and have never been impressed like I would with a factory blue job. I guess I'm stuck with calling colt possibly after the holidays.

Maybe if you complained to the UAW....

Save it for your new GM.

Yeah, you mean the one I'll never own? The UAW Goons own them too....

Sent two Colts off to Colt on July 15, and didn't get them back 'till Oct. 15. But the wait was well worth it, you can't tell the guns from new.

I wouldn't really mind if Colt would be straight up about when the work would be finished and notify me in a TIMELY MANNER that it is not.I was told "late November early December the latest".I get a day off mid December and have to call once again.I told them to E Mail me when it ships.Once I get it back if the work is done right it may be worth it but the president of Colt MFG will get a letter.......God Bless....Mike

Bought a Colt SAA New Frontier just before they discontinued the centerfire version as a standard catalog item around 1980 or so. It had a cosmetic issue with the hammer so returned it to the factory for warranty repair. Took 180+ days to get it back. It was the first & last new Colt I ever bought. They held it in their service area for a while until they decided that it needed to be sent thru their assembly line in order to get a new hammer fitted. I never understood this but based on some other experiences I had in UAW operated facilities, I assumed that the service people didn't have parts fitting in their job description. That work was claimed by the assemblers.

Anyway, experiences like this tend to make me appreciated Smith's generally (with some notable exceptions) excellent service dept.



Bruce

I just met a recent retired Colt machinist. He had worked 30 plus years at Colt and was very high on his former employer. I am sorry Colt has had your weapon for this extended time but it will be all the sweeter when it comes home.

The retired employee commented that all Presidents are given a new fully engraved Colt when they take office. I wonder what Obama did with his?

My point exactly.....I always drove GM products, but never will again.

Ha - ha - ha, Mike. What planet did you say you were from?

S&W is far from perfect, but compared to our friends in Hartford, they walk on water. I gave up on Cxxx products years ago, not because of the product or the price - just the "service." Hope the thing pleases you when you finally get it. I understand your venting.

I bought a new MK V Trooper in the 80's and found out, after getting home with it, that it was out of time. I had a local shop send it back under warranty. Colt had it for about 9-10 months. When it came back, it had been finished in bright nickel! There was a $120 charge with it for the nickel job. The gun shop told me that they would let Colt know they fouled up and the $120 would not be sent. I bought the revolver to use as an alternate duty weapon and my agency didn't allow bright, nickel revolvers. I sold it shortly after that. They did do a nice job on the finish, though. I still like Colts but I don't know why...

This is certainly a case of live and learn.This was my instructors bug and off duty weapon for 30+ years and I was the only guy he would let shoot it because I was a revolver guy and would appreciate it.We lost him this year to Pancreatic Cancer and I bought it from his estate.The 30+ years of holster wear was going to stay until I noticed some rust under the grip and I was getting alot of light hits so off to Colt it went.The amont of time the job would take isn't the issue.I said take what time you need to do it right because of its sentimental value to me.What I do take issue with is delaying the start of work for a month,not notifing me via email that there is a delay,and having to pull teeth to get information.The UAW controls Colt.......Lord Help Us ALL>>>>>>MIke

I realize that I'm stepping into the lion's den here, but I think I can add some light. Colt is a different company from the Colt of the 80's. They ruined a Python on a refinish for me back then. I've sent several guns back for service lately (last year or so) and service was exceptional. One gun went to the custom shop (a 1911 Gold Cup Trophy) for work and came back flawless. I've toured the factory (April) and I was impressed. Work sometimes gets backed up; I waited 3 months plus for a Smith refinish. The 1911 Colt of today (especially the Series 70 and the WW1 reissue) are superb pistols. Here's the GCT I sent to the custom shop. Back in 6 weeks, including shipping.
Bob

I to am furstrated with colt. I have a Lawman MKIII that I sent in October. It has a sticky extractor. I called the service department two weeks ago last Monday. They said that the gun was repaired and that it was down at the range for testing and if no problem would go out be mid week.

Well, I had not heard from them so I called again this past Wednesday and they said that it was in the shipping department and that if it did not go out that afternoon it would be shipped on Monday.

I take it that Colt does not have Thursdays or Fridays on their calenders hence they only have three day work weeks. So it stands to reason that it takes longer than some other service departments.

My Colt Lawman was delivered by UPS. The Colt shipping department did get it in shipped on last Wednesday afternoon and it showed up at my door Friday. I am really glad to have it finally back.

The SAA in the pic is a first month 1956 Gen II* that was originally 5.5" .38 Special that Colt's Custom Shop coverted to .45 LC + .45 ACP (second cylinder) 4.75" bbl, reblue and re-color case harden, and 1-piece ivory grips. It took 2 years + to get it back (this was in 1999) and they sent it back to my house with no adult signature required. Worse was the fact we were gone for 3 weeks and the package sat propped up on our front door for nearly 2 of those weeks. At night a spotlight was on the box!

*this SAA was purchased in '56 to be used in fast draw and when I bought it for $300 at a garage sale had virtually no bluing or case color. The makeover included re-bluing the .38 Spec. cylinder and barrel. Since moving to AZ I had Bob James tune the Colt's action... smooth like butter.

Interesting thread but I have to ask:

Why is this thread here instead of the lounge? What does this have to do with S&W revolvers 1961 to 1980?



Bruce

An astute observation, Bruce. Was wondering the same thing myself, after posting a comment...
Bob

+1 for me too.

Bruce

Sorry my mistake next time I will be careful to post items in appropriate area......Mike