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Colt stops making long guns for civilians.

14K views 148 replies 48 participants last post by  recklessdriver 
#1 ·
#5 ·
I just bought a Colt 1911 and I'd buy another one tomorrow.

For a floundering company this move makes sense. The AR market is saturated and by announcing this they just sold every one they had in inventory.

They'll focus on defense contracts for a few years, then bring their ARs back out to the public for a "limited time" and sell them like hot cakes.

In the meantime they can continue to focus on refining their handgun line for the civilian market.
 
#10 ·
No, this makes zero sense. They’re abandoning the American gun community, and I hope they close their ****ing doors.
I don’t know anyone who buys from cheaper than dirt anymore, are they still in business, yes. Are they making what they used to make, not a chance.
If they bring back their AR for a limited time I hope people remember this move and tell them to **** off.
They make a good rifle but that means nothing today. There are manufacturers that make them better and there are manufacturers that make them cheaper.
**** colt
 
#30 ·
Agreed, I just think they need better marketing and communications. They would have fared better if they said they were going to "shift focus" on military contracts but would return to civilian sales or limited runs in the mean time. Colt still gets premium prices, with a solid reputation of an excellent product. It very much is likely just a temporary situation. We need more manufacturers staying open and healthy rather than less.

ROCK6
 
#26 ·
They lost their M4 contract to FN years ago. Havent made pistols for .mil in ages either. Abandoning the long gun civilian market is a serious sign that theyre lost in the sauce and dont know the way out.

They need new management and to hire innovators. This is showing they cant hack it in a competive market, and dont have the intestinal fortitude to cut the dead weight and keep moving forward.

Theyll go bankrupt again and someone will snap them up eventually, because the brand inspires nostalgia.
 
#31 ·
Anything that Colt makes can be had from other makers for the same or better quality for the same or a better price.

The only thing Colt has “going for it” is that goofy little pony on their goods that people pay a premium for.
They make nothing spectacular, nothing unique and they are just blah.

Fanbois will disagree and it’s great to see brand loyalty but if Colt were so great people would be still paying the Pony Premium even in a sea of other similar weapons.

Their time has passed.
Time to close up shop.
Maybe the Remolt is on the horizon...
 
#33 ·
Eh, my Dad has a Colt 6724. That gun is flat out amazing in all the ways.
The colt 6920 is a fair priced "glock". Nothing special, but it runs. Colt actually hoods the TDP, and that is meaningful.
I do not personally own a Colt firearm (my dad has a few), but some of their AR offerings are just bread and butter good and effective. No, they dont come with syrup and cinnamon. But they will feed ya.
 
#38 ·
Colt has to move out of this nanny state to a free state like most of the other firearms manufacturers have. Way too much baggage can be shed and a new business plan will enable them to lower their prices. Then their name and quality could possibly make them profitable.
 
#39 ·
This is funny for all the fan boys bragging about their colt rifles and how it was hand crafted by sam himself.

I mentioned before that colts ar15s where nothing special and over paying for a name was stupid. But you the fan boys still believed that colt made m16s and m4s for the army

Good riddance
 
#44 ·
I'm sure this will help get them out of bankruptcy. :rolleyes: Glad the only colt stuff I have are mags & a few odd parts. :thumb:
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https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/colt-halts-sales-of-long-guns-to-the-retail-market/
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Colt Stops Production of Long Guns for Retail Market - YouTube

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I think, perhaps, a lot of people in this thread are taking a business decision as though it were a personal attack. All Colt has done is decided that the AR market is now too competitive for them to make any money in, so they are leaving it to other, more agile competitors.

Imagine that you were the first to produce a particular product, but when it could no longer be patent protected, everybody and their uncle started making generic copies, but without the sunk costs that you had in the process. Would you try to outcompete every newcomer, or simply fo us on other products that make you money?
 
#59 ·
This is a business decision not a second amendment decision. Clearly Colt sees better more reliable sales via the defense industry. I do not know the variable cost for converting production lines from full-auto to semi-auto and back or carrying two separate production lines. There is some cost there. There is also big cost in the ups and downs of the retail market. Even my pawn shop friend says the AK business both on price and demand has went to nothing. That overhead cost to manufacturers continues. Then there is import competition. Add to that the growing risk and cost of AGs nation wide and litigation.

Anyone that does not give some thought to the liabilities of what they do in their life is a fool. For a gun manufacturer this is a growing risk and cost. This is being done t them not something they can choose.

As disappointing as this may be one cannot fault Colt. It is a choice be profitable or be out of business.

As for me I always thought of Colt as a hand gun company who also makes long guns. So this does not bother me as much as some.

Things like this do not have a large impact on which brand of gun I buy. However all other things being equal because of this I will look at Colt for my next new handgun.

What ever you think of this decision we will be worse off with one less gun manufactured especially US manufacturer. As you should know from history the easiest thing for the anti-gun people to pass is a ban on imports.
 
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