Colt Halts Production of Long Guns for the Retail Market

[Drm50]

I've never been into military rifles especially auto loaders. I've had a lot of them go through my hands but always traded them off for classic sporting guns. I did get a hankering for a AR type that looked like M16. I don't know why really. I know I can put one together from parts but I wanted a Colt. The m16s my outfit had were H&Rs

In the early 70s both the AR-15 and 1911 were not hot items. The m16 was still getting a bad rep from early failures in RVn. The 1911 sales weren't hot either because of rep of WW2 guns still in use.

I don't know what happened with Colt when the AR/1911 craze kicked off.
They lost the opportunity to control the market. I was in business from middle 70s to 92 and during this time I sold a good many Colt revolvers and 1911s. The 80s were tough times because of jobs and industries going over seas. Vietnam was over. Colt Industies may have been over extended and not able to compete. If you read up on Win Repeating Arms Co. you will see they died a similar death.

Where did all the money go from the govt contracts? They must not have been rolling any back into the gun production. Not the first company to go under from not putting investment back in the company.

 

[GerSan69]

Where did all the money go from the govt contracts? They must not have been rolling any back into the gun production. Not the first company to go under from not putting investment back in the company.

According to the statement from Colt that came with Post #1 of this thread, Colt has received significant government and police contracts that are causing them to utilize their entire production line to fill.
After emerging from bankruptcy, it's not surprising that they had to consolidate to get back on their feet.
The main thing is, this isn't what the media has made it out to be. The timing of this is unfortunate only in the sense that it's fodder for propaganda. But if you know the real story, you know it's simply Colt living up to their contracts. Good for them!
Big difference - and no story.

 

[Terry Two Shanks]

I also built a XM177E1 clone while I was at it, although I used a 12" heavy profile barrel for better accuracy and better stability in longer strings of fire.

Good pic. So do those sandals have tire treads on the bottom?