Delta Elite 10mm any good?

[brucev]

Briefly... found a COLT Delta Elite 10MM pistol. Blue Colt box, paperwork, etc. all in the plastic bags. Pistol is new. From cursory examination it has no idiot mark, not handling marks on the front strap, no marks on the hammer from cocking, etc. Two Colt magazines. Price is $949. The pistol is new. From my examination, it shows no signs of have been fired. There is no brass rub on the breech, etc. The pistol is stainless steel. The flats are shiny as normal w/ a Colt. Grips or some sort of rubber w/ a red/black triangle sort of design on the decoration that normally would be occupied by the rampant Colt.

What do you think? I was looking to find a nice Ser. 70 COLT .45ACP. I saw this while resting my weary bones in the LGS. It'll be there tomorrow A.M. What to do? What to dooooo? Open to ideas... suggestions.

 

[O2Guy]

They are nice but, if you plan on shooting it a lot, it will loosen up pretty bad. At least, the one that I had did and the one that a friend had did the same.

 

[Duke426]

Just my opinion:

Delta Elite are a fine gun but 10mm is expensive if you don't reload for yourself (of course .45acp isn't cheap either).

Recoil is a little more brisk but quite manageable.

If you don't like it you can get rid of it fairly easy as the Delta Elite has a devoted following.

Personally I'd buy a .45

 

[jkc]

I recall that there were problems with cracked frames on some, but don't know the whole story.

 

[Jason68]

Duke is right, give it a test drive, it will hold it's value really well. If you decide you can live without it, it will find a new home easily.

 

[Dragon88]

Colt is currently making Delta Elites, so you are likely looking at a new gun fresh from the factory. The price is ok, not bad necessarily but full retail for a new gun.

There were some issues with cracking frames on early guns in the 80's and 90's. The Delta Elite was reintroduced in 2009 with a new dual recoil spring. The Delta emblem on the wraparound rubber grips is a unique feature of the Delta Elite.

I enjoy mine, paid about $100 less than that for a new gun a couple years ago. It is accurate only with full power, full pressure 10mm handloads. If you are limited to factory ammo, you will not enjoy shooting it much. Mine is a safe queen, I have only shot it a few times. I do enjoy owning it though and would never trade or sell it.

Here's mine, with a few custom touches. All the original parts are safe in the box of course to maintain it's value.

Dan

 

[Bob R]

it will loosen up pretty bad.

I keep hearing that, and waiting for it to happen to mine. After a steady diet of thousands of handloaded 180g bullets moving at 1250fps it still hasn't happened. I don't think that is a real issue, but I could be wrong.

I recall that there were problems with cracked frames on some, but don't know the whole story.

That was a problem on some of the very early Deltas. The frame would crack at the top of the horseshoe cut out for the slide stop. Colt fixed the problem by milling out the part of the frame that cracked. You can see what and where in this thread.

Colt Delta Elite 10 MM

There is a possibility it is new, as in the last year or so. Colt has started making the Delta Elite again just like it used to be. The red triangle in the grip is the "delta" symbol, which is also the greek letter "delta". All of the Deltas came from Colt with the black rubber wrap around grips with the delta symbol in them.

If you reload, or plan on reloading I would say get it. You can load your own and make it affordable. If you don't load and buy it you may be limited to shooting it due to the cost of ammo when compared with other calibers.

The 10mm is a great round IMO. I am getting right at 1250fps with 180gr XTPs over Power Pistol powder. It is accurate and really not that bad on recoil.

Here is mine after being carried daily for 5-6 years now. After I got it I sent it off the Ted Yost for some work and it has been my daily carry since then. I probably shoot 5000 or so rounds a year out of it and it just keeps on ticking. I have had way too much done to mine, including having it hard chromed over the stainless that it really doesn't have value as a Delta Elite anymore, yet IMO is worth much more than I will ever get out of it if I were to sell it.

bob

 

[Revolver-time]

I like the 10mm cartridge. I really thought I wanted the Colt but got into the 10mm with my 1006 and 610. My thoughts about the 1911 is it should be in 45. The 100 year old design might not be up to the pressures of real 10mm loads. I have five 1911s all in 45 acp.

 

[epj]

I had a very early model. The recoil wasn't that bad, but it was a straight govt model-no beavertail, little sights, etc. Vicious hammer bite. Didn't last long. Shot one box of Norma "real 10mm" through it and got rid of it. I love my 1006.

 

[brucev]

Thanks to all for the information. It has been many years since I saw a DE. My brother had one back in a different day and age... but like so much that he had, he let it go. Oh well. I saw it and thought it might be worth a look. It'd really be pushing things for me to buy it, but if it was wise, I was going to put it on layaway this morning. On a Saturday afternoon a month or so ago I saw a very nice 6" 28-2 at the same GS at a good price... virtually new, in the box, papers. Went back on Tuesday of the following week when I had all the money... and it was of course gone. Sounds like I'll be better served to keep looking. Thanks again. Sincerely. brucev.

 

[Jitterbug]

I've had a 1006, Glock's and now a 1911 Dan Wesson Commander they call it a CBOB in 10mm and I've been shooting 10mm since it came out in the early 90's, if I could only have one caliber it would be the 10mm.

It's a very under appreciated cartridge.

I reload so ammo cost isn't much of an issue, or performance level, 135 gr. at almost 1700 fps or a 200 gr. at almost 1200 or anything in between, accurate with most all too.

The 180 gr. XTP loaded to around the 1200 fps range is a nice do it all load.

My main plinking load is a 180 gr. hard cast doing about 1000 fps, I can shoot it all day long.

I just swap magazines for the task at hand.

I shoot and carry, 38 Special, 9mm, .357, 45 acp and 44 Mag as well but the 10mm offers a lot of versatility in an easy to carry package.

Very nice Delta Bob...very sweet. I'd snag one in a minute if I had the the cash.

 

[7tenz]

I keep hearing that, and waiting for it to happen to mine. After a steady diet of thousands of handloaded 180g bullets moving at 1250fps it still hasn't happened. I don't think that is a real issue, but I could be wrong.



That was a problem on some of the very early Deltas. The frame would crack at the top of the horseshoe cut out for the slide stop. Colt fixed the problem by milling out the part of the frame that cracked. You can see what and where in this thread.


There is a possibility it is new, as in the last year or so. Colt has started making the Delta Elite again just like it used to be. The red triangle in the grip is the "delta" symbol, which is also the greek letter "delta". All of the Deltas came from Colt with the black rubber wrap around grips with the delta symbol in them.

If you reload, or plan on reloading I would say get it. You can load your own and make it affordable. If you don't load and buy it you may be limited to shooting it due to the cost of ammo when compared with other calibers.

The 10mm is a great round IMO. I am getting right at 1250fps with 180gr XTPs over Power Pistol powder. It is accurate and really not that bad on recoil.

Here is mine after being carried daily for 5-6 years now. After I got it I sent it off the Ted Yost for some work and it has been my daily carry since then. I probably shoot 5000 or so rounds a year out of it and it just keeps on ticking. I have had way too much done to mine, including having it hard chromed over the stainless that it really doesn't have value as a Delta Elite anymore, yet IMO is worth much more than I will ever get out of it if I were to sell it.


bob

What Bob said. I'd like to add that I can whip out my credit card and fill my garage with 10mm premium factory ammo, and it will cost the same as 45 acp.

 

[JcMack]

I had one which was #298 of 1000 of some or another Colt limited production. I had a Jarvis .40 cal barrel fitted to it.

 

[Mike1957]

The Delta is a pretty good gun and the 10mm is a great round.
The price seems a bit steep, but all the better Colts and Smiths seem to be going high these days.
If you want to use heavy loads, I would suggest you install a heavy recoil spring. Shok-buffs won`t hurt either.
The 10mm can be loaded anywhere from mild to wild. If you don`t currently reload, this round is a good reason to start. Most of em seem to like heavy bullets (180gr-200gr) for accuracy. Try IMR 800x, Blue Dot, or AA#9 powder.

 

[PH-2]

Bruce,

I couldn't answer your qustions re: reliability.

This one came NIB so I've never shot it.
I am, however a big fan of 10mm and load for and carry a 1006 and a Glock 29.

Mike

 

[whitecoyote]

The Colt Delta Elite 10mm is an awesome pistol. Mine has run perfectly.

 

[Evil One]

Mine is an amazing shooter, better than I am.
I replaced the factory plastic guide rod and 23lb dual spring set up with a GI rod and 20 lb wolfe single spring.
I also replaced the firing pin stop with an EGW flat bottom firing pin stop.
Shoots like a dream.

Jim

 

[Bob R]

I also replaced the firing pin stop with an EGW flat bottom firing pin stop.

IMO, that should be the very first thing a 1911 owner does to their pistol.

bob

 

[7tenz]

IMO, that should be the very first thing a 1911 owner does to their pistol.

bob

What is this EGW fbfps? I got a picture in my mind and I'm interested in finding some for my Deltas and one 45. Make them for Kimber? Should also work in my Double Eagle 10mm also.

 

[JcMack]

If you google "EGW flat bottom firing pin stop" you will get a lot of info.

Jim