Gal at Colt Customer Service Hinted at the New Revolver Coming

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Was on the phone with Colt about a guy at work's New Service revolver and asked her about the confirmed rumor that Colt was going to introduce a new revolver. Being a Colt nut and a revolver nut I pressed her to hint at what was coming, she said it was going to be something like a Detective Special but she didn't know if it would be next year or the year after next.

[ReloaderFred]

Colt has already announced in the trade magazines they were bringing back some of their revolvers. I believe I read it in SHOT Business, or one of the other dealer magazines.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[rintinglen]

I hope it is not a POJ like the DSII. I traded a nice 327 Ruger Black Hawk for one and boy did I get rooked. The misfitting of the hand makes a Rossi look like a precision implement.

[FergusonTO35]

I'll be interested to see it. A modern, light weight DS type revolver with six shots of .38 would be awesome!

[OuchHot!]

I would like to have a diamondback....many years ago, I passed on a .22 db and have regretted that ever since. I have a buddy who has bought two new 1911 Colts and both are very well fitted and accurate. I think Colt is back, I sure hope so.

[Love Life]

Hopefully they put some effort into fitting and finishing of the damn thing.

<---making angry face.

Back to the subject at hand. A new pocket revolver from Colt? Neat, but really no interest from me unless it competes price wise with a ruger SP-100 series. If it is up to Colt OLD standards in fit and finish then I would buy one if it was in the same price range as a S&W J-frame. Ah who am I kidding, I still need a Mustang and a Vest pocket auto before I get more Colt stuff....

[enfieldphile]

I'm thinking they would bring back the King Cobra, Anaconda those guns don't require all the hand fitting. Maybe an updated DB, a verdion that does not require hand fitting.

With CNC, MIM The cost can be held down. If they put the super-finish on it, the guns will sell like mad.

[Dframe]

I hope it is not a POJ like the DSII. I traded a nice 327 Ruger Black Hawk for one and boy did I get rooked. The misfitting of the hand makes a Rossi look like a precision implement.
If you want to get rid of that DSII I can most likley accomidate you. I don't have a ruger for trade but have cash.
Dframe

[MtGun44]

As long as the stay away from the wonderful to shoot but relatively fragile and
mandatory hand-fitted Police Positive - Python action design it would be interesting.

Bill

[enfieldphile]

I know that's right! The Python may be worth 2K on the used market, but it is fragile w/ regard to timing. The newer designs w/ MIM & CNC manufacture, updated looks, hi-finish, demanding QA and a real street price will put Colt back in the game!


As long as the stay away from the wonderful to shoot but relatively fragile and
mandatory hand-fitted Police Positive - Python action design it would be interesting.

Bill

[Char-Gar]

Colt has been sending out feelers about the return of the New Service for at least 6 or 7 years. I remember John Taffin asking some of us, if we would buy one, should Colt bring it back. The answer was yes, if it was the original design. If it was a new design on which they stuck the New Service name, then maybe not.

The old Colt lock work did involve allot of hand fitting due to number of parts, how the worked together and the tolerances of the parts produced by the machine tools of the day. I should think with todays CNC machines, Colt would make the same parts which required no hand fitting.

The ship has sailed for Colt and it is to late for them to try and get back in the game. The other makers have to big a lead on them and the DA sixgun market has declined sharply. They make their living on ARs, 1911s and SSAs. nostalgia and the Colt name is the only leg up they have on other companies, so they should play it to the hilt and not jack with the old designs. Every time they have done so, it has come back to bit them on the ****.

[45 2.1]

As long as the stay away from the wonderful to shoot but relatively fragile and
mandatory hand-fitted Police Positive - Python action design it would be interesting. Bill

My first DA handgun was a 4" Python. I remember working it off to repay my great uncle for well over a month. I shot that with 38 Special RN loads 95% of the time with Mags being the 5%. I shot a lot of combat matches with it. No, I did not touch the action and it was shot DA a lot. I never noticed it being fragile, but hey, it had well over 200 thousand rounds thru it (powder and primers were cheap then and free lead was to be had) and spit very badly when someone just had to have it more than I did..... it was a good trade to. I've seen S&W N frames go thru more and still be tighter though, so maybe you have a point.

As to the threads hint, if they brought back the New Service (or the Shooting Master) with the old lock work, heck Yes I'd buy at least one if not more..... great handguns.

[GP100man]

I won`t be holding my breath !

[smkummer]

Just picked up a nice used shooting master 38 for $1300 in about 99% condition. I believe I got a good deal but I don't know how Colt could make that gun for that price or less unless it had the internals of the Anaconda. The retail on the new mustang is $600 and that has to compete with guns in the 300-450 range. I believe their goal should be to match S&W and Ruger on price for similar models but that is just my .02.

[nicholst55]

i won`t be holding my breath !

^^this^^

[Dframe]

Here it is again the "Colts are fragile" myth. Yes there are parts that wear out over time, but so do other revolvers. Some people would have you believe a Colt can't digest a box of ammunition without going out of time. I thought Grant Cunningham put that one to rest, but still it persists. I have a 100 year old Army Special that still functions just fine.
OK small rant off!

[MtGun44]

There are two sides of the "Colts are fragile" - situation. Those that have
actually repaired Colt and S&W revolvers and those that have not.

I have and fact is, Colt internal parts design is NOT as robust as a S&W.
The hand and cyl bolt are locked tight as a tick when the round is fired,
working in opposition. This is just fine and dandy if the gun happens to have
that cyl hole EXACTLY lined up with the bore. Some actually do. Most have
a few that do and a few that don't. When the boolit jumps the gap and the
cyl is slightly misaligned, it whacks the heck out of the hand, and the innards
in general. This causes wear. The speed of going out of time is directly tied
to the accuracy of the cylinder alignment when firing.

S&W has the cyl free with a slight bit of clearance so that when a boolit is jumping
the gap, it can move the cylinder slightly if needed due to a slight misalignment,
WITHOUT smacking the heck out of the guts of the revolver.

Just because a particular Colt held time for a long round count does not prove a thing,
I'm sure that the particular one lucked out and had all the holes lined up really well.
Some do, many don't.

Sorry to disagree, but this is a hard engineering fact of the internal design. I seriously
doubt that the D-frame (Pol *** - to - Python, AND New Service, too) design could be
made without hand fitting, even today, but it may be worth a try. IF MADE ACCURATELY
ENOUGH - the guns could be nice. The design is just not forgiving of any misalignment
of the cylinder holes with the barrel.

Bill

[45 2.1]

Colt revolvers seem to work well enough to be 40 to 80 years old and work fine, and yes, I've worked on both a lot (a lot more S&W went thru than Colt at the shops I was at). The newest Colt I've owned was a Anaconda. The only Colt revolvers with a bad reputation are the diamondbacks..........................

[MtGun44]

OK, well my experience is different than yours. I own a number and I like my
Colts, but I don't think they are nearly as durable, on the average,
as S&Ws. But, I think we can disagree without being disagreeable.

Bill

[rintinglen]

I have 7 v-spring Colt's, and while I love them, they are not as durable as S&W's or Rugers. My 4 inch Python has about 20,000 rounds through it and has been in the shop twice for tuning. My gunsmith died, so I baby that one now and it doesn't get shot all that much any more. Parts availability is limited and the number of competent revolver smiths gets smaller every year. At least, ones who work on v-spring Colts.

[km101]

Gotta' go with Bill on this one! I shot Pythons and Smiths in PPC and Bullseye competition in the 70's and 80's. I did not have nearly the timing and repair issues with my Smiths as with the Pythons. One or the other of my Pythons was in the shop a lot of the time. But I have an N frame Smith that has over 400K rounds through it and has never had the sideplate off. I loved the feel and fit/finish of the Pythons but it cost too much to keep them running.

[enfieldphile]

Actually, Colt has been flirting w/ the idea about bringing the New Service back since the early-mid 90's! @ that time, they had the King Cobra and Anaconda as their "modern design" wheel guns and just kept them instead. A re-introduction of the New Service is totally doomed if it's some custom shop, limited item, w/ an uber-high price and you need to "know someone" to get your name on the wait list. As stated, if they can CNC / MIM it for real production and price it within the market, it could be a go!


Colt has been sending out feelers about the return of the New Service for at least 6 or 7 years. I remember John Taffin asking some of us, if we would buy one, should Colt bring it back. The answer was yes, if it was the original design. If it was a new design on which they stuck the New Service name, then maybe not.

The old Colt lock work did involve allot of hand fitting due to number of parts, how the worked together and the tolerances of the parts produced by the machine tools of the day. I should think with todays CNC machines, Colt would make the same parts which required no hand fitting.

[birch]

Challenge--Go to a gun show and pick up any used official police revolver you can get your hand on. They are going to be rock solid. They are fine actions and the fragile thing is nonsense. They are built like a tank and run as smoothly as a Rolls Royce. I don't know how anyone can say Colt revolvers are fragile. The only think I can honestly say is they either work well or don't work at all. The ones that don't work at all are very easy to spot. Buy the Colts, Shoot the Colts, or put them in the safe. They are the finest of the fine and even a new MIM Colt (if that is what they choose) will be a fine handgun.

I remember when everyone was saying that Colt SAA's were junk and USFA clones were the ticket. Well, I bought an SAA and I just don't hear much from the U.S firearms crowd! Colt is the only US gun company that has any soul or heritage anymore. Buy a new Smith and everything can be seen first hand. LONG LIVE THE COLT and LONG LIVE THE COLT FIREARMS COMPANY.

[MtGun44]

LOL! Whatever you say. "built like a tank" :bigsmyl2:

The last Police Positive I bought at a gun show was $100 because it was locked
up internally due to wear. I spent a good bit of fun time rebuilding it
and it works perfectly now. There is a thread about some of the repairs
I did on it. A gunsmith would have charged at least $200 to do what it
needed done to it.

I LIKE my Colt revolvers - but I do have a realistic view of the mechanical limitations
of the ancient design.
Bill

[9.3X62AL]

It would be VERY difficult for me to NOT buy a re-intro'ed New Service in 45 Colt--44 Special--or one of the larger-bore WCF calibers. An Anaconda in 44 Mag or 45 Colt would be tough to lay off of, also. I agree that the revolver market is well-covered by current makers, so something turned toward hunting and field usage would sell better than some pocket roller. We need more of those like a trout needs a mountain bike. Dream Gun--Diamondback 6" in 327 Federal.

[MtGun44]

Al,

Is the Diamondback (which I think is like the Trooper series) a new internal design - which I presume
would then mean that the Anaconda is probably the same (new?) internal design. I am
really only knowledgable on the old Colts, have an Anaconda but never had the
side plate off.

Bill

[birch]

I would do a happy dance if I walked in and saw a brand spanking new Snake in any configuration. LONG LIVE THE COLT!!!!

[9.3X62AL]

2nd attempt.....the board software EATS posts about once a day, and it's always a lengthy one. DAMMIT!

Bill, the D-backs I've seen are all D-frames, like the DetSpecs. Like the late-series DetSpecs, they are +P rated in 38 Special. The Mk III and Mk V Troopers are built on a larger--simpler--and more robust frame than the D- or I-frames, called a J-frame IIRC. THAT will cause confusion with the S&W folks. :) The Anaconda frame is a further-expanded rendition of the Trooper III/V frame, with very similar lockwork that is far simpler than the V-spring Colt innards, and actually simpler than the S&W as well. These internals are quite robust, don't wear out at all, though are not as smooth as either of the above and cannot be refined as nicely, either.

[Char-Gar]

Challenge--Go to a gun show and pick up any used official police revolver you can get your hand on. They are going to be rock solid. They are fine actions and the fragile thing is nonsense. They are built like a tank and run as smoothly as a Rolls Royce. I don't know how anyone can say Colt revolvers are fragile. The only think I can honestly say is they either work well or don't work at all. The ones that don't work at all are very easy to spot. Buy the Colts, Shoot the Colts, or put them in the safe. They are the finest of the fine and even a new MIM Colt (if that is what they choose) will be a fine handgun.

I remember when everyone was saying that Colt SAA's were junk and USFA clones were the ticket. Well, I bought an SAA and I just don't hear much from the U.S firearms crowd! Colt is the only US gun company that has any soul or heritage anymore. Buy a new Smith and everything can be seen first hand. LONG LIVE THE COLT and LONG LIVE THE COLT FIREARMS COMPANY.

I have meet your challenge, in spades. I have been buying, selling, accumulating and shooting Colts DA sixguns with the old lock work for over a half century. I have about 20 in my safe now, that were produced from 1914 through the mid 1960's. I have owned scores more. In a word I "like" these old pistols.

But, no matter how much I like them, I am not going to let emotion and nostalgia trump facts. The design of the lockwork involves a two step hand/pawl and when fully locked, the bottom step of the hand is in full contact with the ratchet when the handgun is fired. Recoil is transferred to this bottom hand and in time will cause it to peen/shorten.

This condition is know as "bottom hand short". Most older Colts that have been shot allot will exhibit this, to one degree or another. To check for it, cock the hammer very slowly. If this condition exists, when the hammer is at full cock the bolt notch in the cylinder will be just shy of letting the bolt pop into the notch. A slight nudge with the finger will rotate the cylinder enough for the bolt to pop in the notch. If the hammer is drawn back smartly or the pistol is fired double action, the inertia of the cylinder rotating will cause the cylinder to rotate far enough for the bolt to pop into the notch. With enough wear on the bottom hand, even the inertial of the cylinder won't do the trick.

The fix for this is to peen the hand enough to stretch it, and refit. This can be done a couple of times before a new hand is required which currently are being made from unobtainem.

It is incorrect to call these old Colt "fragile", but they do require more service and maintenance to keep them working vis-a-vi the Smith and Wesson. Smiths are not maintenance free, but they do require less. Cylinder endshake is issue that shows up most often in Smiths that have been shot a bunch, again recoil is the cause.

The above is coming from a guy with 50 plus years experience in buying, shooting and working on Colt and Smith and Wesson DA revolvers that run into the hundreds. Both are man made object of a different designs. Neither has a soul and neither is clearly superior to the other. They both have wear issues, and that happens sooner on the Colt than it does on the Smith and Wesson.

[Char-Gar]

2nd attempt.....the board software EATS posts about once a day, and it's always a lengthy one. DAMMIT!

Bill, the D-backs I've seen are all D-frames, like the DetSpecs. Like the late-series DetSpecs, they are +P rated in 38 Special. The Mk III and Mk V Troopers are built on a larger--simpler--and more robust frame than the D- or I-frames, called a J-frame IIRC. THAT will cause confusion with the S&W folks. :) The Anaconda frame is a further-expanded rendition of the Trooper III/V frame, with very similar lockwork that is far simpler than the V-spring Colt innards, and actually simpler than the S&W as well. These internals are quite robust, don't wear out at all, though are not as smooth as either of the above and cannot be refined as nicely, either.

Over the years, I have had several Diamondback in both 38 Special and 22 LR. They are slick little sixgun and indeed are the D frame with the old lockwork. I don't know how they are rated by the factory, but due to the design, I would use +P ammo in the 38s. sparingly. metallurgy can be improved, but the design is the same. The more the recoil, the faster the wear. +P ammo won't cause the pistol to fail, but will reduce it's service life.

[9.3X62AL]

100% agreement with your take on this question, Char-Gar. +P ammunition in any 38 Special revolver--with the possible exceptions of the S&W N-frames or the Ruger Service-Six--will accelerate wear. On a small level, even those examples might wear down--though the owner's lifespan might be the red herring within that equation. :)

I would add that your explanation above your most recent post of the Colt V-spring lockwork is a succinct and direct description that conforms to the info given by my mentor the late Leo Reyes, who was a master of Colt lockwork and did his best to impart his knowledge to me. I can't hold a candle to his skill set, but he did give me a good understanding of what goes on when a Colt D/A trigger gets cycled.

[FergusonTO35]

FYI, there is a very nice looking nickel Official Police with pearl grips at Dan's Discount Pawn in Frankfort, KY. If I remember they are asking $600 for it but I know that shop frequently takes low offers. Their number is 502-875-2899.

[onceabull]

To probably my everlasting regret, a good friend temporarily left in charge of my treasures at a gun show,let my 5" O.P. in 32/20 (one of the last ones made),a 95% revolver,go bye-bye for $6xx.xx... the buyer tries to act all innocent when passing my goods nowadays.. Onceabull

[MtGun44]

Char-Gar basically reiterated my views, and he has been at it far longer than I have, and
I'm sure has more experience than I have with them. In only have a few. Perhaps fragile
isn't perfect word, they don't just shatter, but they do wear. My Cobra is my absolutely
favorite snubby .38.

Char-Gar's description of the short hand is exactly what my Pol *** had, in addition to enough
end shake to lock up when the cyl front face jammed against the rear of the bbl.

The basic design takes a pounding and the hand gets shortened, apparently in proproportion to
the degree of misalignment that the particular cylinder hole has. Another issue is that
there isn't an easy way to correct cylinder end play, unlike the S&W design which can be
easily "stretched" to tighten end shake in the cylinder. I fixed my Police Positive with a shim, which
worked very well, unfortunately, I had to make it - could not find a source of them. One very
advanced amateur gunsmith posts online his method of fixing Python end shake, which involves
machining off the "snout" at the front of the cylinder on the centerline, then counterboring and
pressing in a custom made replacement "snout", and finally machining that replacement to
and exact fit, eliminating the end shake. A bit scary, given that Python replacement cylinders
are a bit thin on the ground these days if something goes wrong.

I LIKE Colts, but do recognize their design limitations and durability issues. It does sound like
a Diamondback .22 would be a really fun gun.

Bill

[Char-Gar]

Being a venal sort, here are a few of my favorite things..... (whistle along if you wish)

[rintinglen]

Darn you, Char-Gar, now I'll have to buy another one.

[Uncle R.]

Char-Gar, Bill, Al - thanks to all of you for your explanations and contributions to this thread. My knowledge of Colt revolvers is much thinner than I'd like and I learned a thing or two from this discussion. Those opportunities to learn are one of the best things about this place and I really appreciate it when you guys share your experiences and knowledge.
<
And Char-Gar...
I am flat-out green with envy when I see the pictures you posted.
A most impressive herd of prancing ponies sir!
<
Uncle R.

[enfieldphile]

Char-Gar, Thank you for your in-depth explanation of the Colt lock-works. I was aware that checking an older Colt required cycling the very action s-l-o-w-y to see if it was in time. This applies to any revolver, but especially a Colt.

When my friend had the gun shop, I helped save him a few $$ when customers would bring in a older Colt to sell / trade and I would show Randy the gun was out of time prior to him making an offer on the gun.

[Char-Gar]

There was a time when most communites had a bicycle repair shop, a gunsmith and a number of other craftsmen that keep things running. We were not such a disposable society back in the day. Every gunsmith knew how to work on old Colts as they and Smith and Wesson sixguns rode in the holsters of every lawman in the country. In those days, the "service revolver" was king and Colt and Smith were slugging it out for market share. They matched each other model for model and stood toe to toe on the Bulleye match circuit and slugged it out there as well. The rivalry and competition was a strong as Ford vs. Chevrolet, with each having their fans and true believers.

Knowing how to work on Colt DA sixguns was common knowledge back in the day, but seems to be passing away in these times.

Colt was using antiquated equipment and was having long standing union problem which eventually caused them to try and simplify their lockwork with disastrous results. What happened to them is similar to what happened to Winchester in 1964, i.e. the shooters/buyers quit them in droves.

Neither Colt nor Winchester every truly recovered from their attempts change their products to simplify and lower the cost of production. Winchester is long dead, but the brand continues with rifles being made in Japan. Colt is a ghost of what it once way, with a much smaller plant and a much reduced work force.

Bill Ruger came on the scene at the right time and was positioned to take advantage of the situation when Colt and Winchester shot themselves in their collective feet. Ruger already was using the newest and latest technology and didn't have to revamp and retool. The rest as they say is history....

[9.3X62AL]

There is a lesson to be gained from Colt's and Winchester's experiences as detailed above by Char-Gar. Customers express loyalty for a design through their pocketbooks. If you cheapen or change something they feel strongly about, those same customers will drop you like a bad habit. The Marlin-to-Remington absorption has a lot of the same characteristics, if comments about Marlin quality decline during the transition are any clue.

The more practical way to view post-64 Winchesters, post-69 Colts, or post-Cerberus Marlins is on their own merits--and to not compare the two very closely. To do so may foster disappointment, some of which is unjustified. I own and have owned many post-64 Winchester arms, as well as some pre-64s. Are the later editions "bad" rifles and shotguns? Generally, not at all. They differ from their earlier counterparts in varying ways, but if they survive my constant assessment-and-culling process afield and at the range the tools are genuinely useful. A firearm is NOT entitled to space in the gun safe by virtue of caliber--pedigree--brand--or reputation. Retention is EARNED, and I am a harsh assessor. With all of the corporate shenanigans under way in the firearms industry as it strives to survive in the hostile legal and commercial environments that exist today, the method given above is a realistic route to enjoyment of the several firearms hobbies.

[FergusonTO35]

Well put! I encountered a late model Winchester 94 at a shop the other day. After examining it I was reminded of why I got rid of mine. It's an example of what happens when you try to cheapen an old design that requires alot of hand fitting.

I hope the new Colt is a strong and simple modern design that doesn't require a book of spells and conjuring to repair. I can't afford, nor do I need, a pretty retro revolver that costs close to a grand when I'm actually going to shoot and carry the thing. Give me a modern DS style revolver with a real world price under $600.00 and I'll be more than happy to buy one.

[Char-Gar]

Give me a modern DS style revolver with a real world price under $600.00 and I'll be more than happy to buy one.

Look for "Ruger" on the barrel. They have been meeting your specs for a long time now.

[MtGun44]

Well said, Al. I have an Anaconda, but it is as much a curiosity as a working tool, Colt FINALLY
made a .44 Mag. . . . . . a few, for a while, with OK quality. One of my many retirement projects
will be to find out how well the Big Snake can be made to shoot. So far, pretty mediocre, but I
have not worked with it in a decade and have learned huge amounts (mostly here!) about how
to make a revolver shoot well.

Bill

[9.3X62AL]

With the late-series Troopers and the Anaconda, it's mostly a matter of polishing and smoothing, then a very light coat of RIG +P or similar high-stress lubricant. The action won't be that of a V-spring Colt, but it will be improved. Accuracy with my examples wasn't bad, once the crunchy triggers got civilized.

[Mal Paso]

Well said, Al. I have an Anaconda, but it is as much a curiosity as a working tool, Colt FINALLY
made a .44 Mag. . . . . . a few, for a while, with OK quality. One of my many retirement projects
will be to find out how well the Big Snake can be made to shoot. So far, pretty mediocre, but I
have not worked with it in a decade and have learned huge amounts (mostly here!) about how
to make a revolver shoot well.

Bill


Mine wasn't finished at the factory.

Trigger and lockup were perfect. Cylinder gap was tight and crooked, the most beautiful mirror smooth bore with .430+" groove (originally .429 throats), Oh, and less than .02" firing pin extension with a less than powerful mainspring.

Very accurate now. Miha's 503 clones chamber with the front band just in the cylinder throats (.431" now)

Anacondas are Strong, Elmer's load ejects like specials, excellent out of the box trigger, worth the effort.

[Mal Paso]

I was snooping on the Colt site. They brought back the 1877 Bulldog in 45/70. http://www.coltsmfg.com/Catalog/SpecialEditions/1877BulldogGatlingGun.aspx

[Budda]

I would do a new Python!!! Heaven knows I will never get an original!!!!

[MtGun44]

Wow. I have a friend that has one of those. Very fun to shoot! I think is a replica from
a few decades back, never actually asked about the source.

Bill

[9.3X62AL]

Just what I need......a revolver that puts out 45-70 rounds at 600 RPM. You would need a fleet of Dillons and a lead mine & refinery to keep the thing running.

[lawboy]

I have an old Colt Agent that lives in my pocket when I am running about town. I shoot it a couple times a year and run 50 rounds through it every other year at CCW qualification time. It is pictured in my avatar, although I have put replacement grips on it since that photo was taken. The timing is perfect as is the lockup. If Colt reintroduces an alloy D frame revolver such as the Agent or Cobra, in 38spl. with 2-inch barrel, I will buy two.

[rintinglen]

I have an old Colt Agent that lives in my pocket when I am running about town. I shoot it a couple times a year and run 50 rounds through it every other year at CCW qualification time. It is pictured in my avatar, although I have put replacement grips on it since that photo was taken. The timing is perfect as is the lockup. If Colt reintroduces an alloy D frame revolver such as the Agent or Cobra, in 38spl. with 2-inch barrel, I will buy two.
+1.
My Cobra is a favorite, but I have to baby it, because their ain't no more where that came from, at least, not yet!

[MtGun44]

+1 on Cobra is a great one. I bought a whole demil'ed Cobra to have the spares
to keep mine running until I am not.

Bill

[Wayne Smith]

I guess my Agent is older than yours because it has the long grip frame and I can't find replacement grips. I got a Tyler T grip instead and it is on my belt as I type this.

[Dframe]

I've collected (accumulated) D-Backs, Cobras, Detectives, and agents for years now. Love them all. Any "new" colt revolver would most likely be based on their most recent DA revolvers. That being the Magnum Carry, the Anaconda, and the King Cobra. All stainless steel and all excellent revolvers. They would most assuredly use whatever the most cost efficient manufacturing techinques available to them, such as mim parts etc. No new gun will be a V spring with forged parts. They're just too costly and labor intensive to produce.

[9.3X62AL]

I've collected (accumulated) D-Backs, Cobras, Detectives, and agents for years now. Love them all. Any "new" colt revolver would most likely be based on their most recent DA revolvers. That being the Magnum Carry, the Anaconda, and the King Cobra. All stainless steel and all excellent revolvers. They would most assuredly use whatever the most cost efficient manufacturing techinques available to them, such as mim parts etc. No new gun will be a V spring with forged parts. They're just too costly and labor intensive to produce.

I suspect you are correct, D-Frame. The LEO revolver market (excepting pocket rollers) is dead like DeLorean's Mastercard, and the market is saturated with with pocket rockets already, all chasing the CCW market share. Hunting and field revolvers of medium caliber and medium-to-long barrel length would be a good bet. Heck, a 6-shot New Frontier in 327 Federal and a 7.5" barrel would make me spend money--so would a King Cobra x 6" in that same chambering.

[MtGun44]

HOLY COW! I went to GB and checked on .22 Diamondbacks. . . . . . . :shock:

They are typically $1500 and UP, way up.

Bill

[IridiumRed]

What would REALLY make me feel better about Colt, is if they would do a run of critical parts for the older revolvers.

I don't want to get into a debate about how tough, or fragile the Colt revolvers are (I'm speaking mainly of the V spring DA revolvers). I remember reading Grant Cunningham's page on Pythons, and he was saying, -if I understood him correctly- that he didn't think that the Pythons were "fragile", but that they DID require more "maintenance" long term. And that maintenance requires some parts that are no longer made and are getting in short supply. Like hands - instead of being able to pull out a brand new, slightly oversize part & then carefully fitting it to the gun, now they are having to resort to reworking the old parts (like building up the surfaces via TIG welding).

This is just my personal opinion, but I'd have a lot more faith and confidence in Colt if they would do even a limited run of some of these critical parts, to help support the older revolvers currently out there. I don't think it would even be THAT hard to do - make the parts slightly oversize, allow the gunsmiths to do the fitting. I have a strong feeling that they wont do this, because from a financial standpoint, it would be best to make all of a particular part in one run, and then that inventory would sit on their shelves and it might take a year or two to sell all of it. So the cash cycle of that project wouldn't allow for immediate payback.

From a big picture view, if Colt came out with a new DA revolver, I'd worry a little bit about buying one because what happens if they only do this for a period of time, and then stop making them? Will parts be available? if Colt isn't going to make parts for the revolvers they built for over 100 years, do you think they'll care about making spares for a gun they only made for a couple of years?

I like buying guns that, if I want them to, will last my lifetime and the lifetime of the next person that it ends up with (I don't have children). I'm not expecting that it will last forever without maintenance, but I like knowing the parts will be available to rebuild it if need be to keep it going.

PS. Colt is not the only one who is guilty of this, its a common trend anymore, its just Colt was the subject of this thread. But along with that subject, I'm saddened that I hear that S&W doesn't have 357 K frame barrels to repair the Model 19's & 66's out there with cracked forcing cones.

In fact, when I read on another thread that S&W was going to restart production of model 66's, my first thought, literally, was "oh man, that means parts should be able to repair the older K frames.... esp barrels" But then I read that S&W is using their new "two piece" barrel design, which I think would be great if they just used the Dan Wesson barrel system where the parts could be replaced & changed by the user. But oh no, the S&W method is crush fit / not user replaceable..... *shakes head*

[Mal Paso]

The Anaconda has MIM parts.

At least the cylinder turns the Right way.

[Dframe]

Mim parts are here to stay. It's a reasonable way for manufacturers to make quality parts at a reasonable cost with a minumum of machining.

[Mal Paso]

Just checked the CZ site. The Dan Wesson 715 Revolver Press Release, Nov 2010, is still there for download. Lots of posts on the Dan Wesson page pleading for revolvers. Don't see a one for sale.

Guess I'll be checking the colt site too now.

[Leadmelter]

Jerry Moran was the master pistolsmith of the Python.
Leadmelter
MI