Colt going out of business?

[Porter Rockwell]

Wish I had that kind cash to buy Colt. I'd move all of their operations to the South, save on taxes, better gun climate, and better and cheaper workforce. Re-start their revolver line with some fresh guns and some old classics. I'd hire some designers and engineers from Kimber, Wilson Combat etc and refresh the Colt 1911 line. Then I'd introduce a few new CC pistols. Next, I would try and reclaim the Law Enforcment Market by introducing a line of semi- auto pistols that share magazines with pistol caliber patrol rifles based on the AR design.

This is is all dreaming here, but it would be fun to try and rebuild the Colt reputation. I'd change the name too... Sam Colt Industries.

 

[albatros43]

People are buying more guns than ever before . They are just not buying colts. The gun market is an ever changing market. People want the newest and the coolest. Colt has not really came out with anything new or ground breaking in a while. Plus there are tons of ar-15 manufacturers these days. So you have to give your gun an edge. The only edge they have is their name. Which is not going to cut it .

Very well put.

 

[loadnplenty]

JMO. Big business's often file bankruptcy. Depending on how they do it will decide if they stay or go. Also this would give them leverage with unions to negotiate new employment contracts and benifits. After all unions and employee benefits are what drive a lot of items prices through the roof!

I would at least like to get my hands on a Colt single action Army before they go through the roof again.

 

[Retread]

1. Go bankrupt, dump the debt, dump the union, re-organize and drive on.
2. Go belly up, somebody else buys the name and makes iconic American guns in Turkey.
3. Puts out propaganda causing a surge to buy the surplus guns they have in stock from the panic.

Maybe they will do an Elmer Keith #5 special run with real ivory steer head grips.

 

[hikingthehills]

Thats what happens when you quit producing the best revolvers out there lol

When did Ruger quit making revolvers?

 

[01coltcolt]

Yup its not looking good!
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-13/colt-defense-searches-for-financing-as-default-looms.html

 

[01coltcolt]

When did Ruger quit making revolvers?

They didn't, as a matter of fact they have a lot of new stuff on the market.
http://www.ruger.com/products/gp100MatchChampion/models.html

 

[Flashover16]

I don't know that we should go down that Union road as the main problem!
old outdated factory and buildings, discontinuing of revolvers that required way to much hand fitting, depending on Government contracts, failure to do any modernization of revamping existing weapons, or developing new weapons outside the 1911 and AR, terrible management, costly weapons.
Sure union contacts caused some of it, but Colt is simply way out dated in todays world of firearms.
OH yea well the newly reintroduced COLT MUSTANG will bring the company back!
OH wait though, Sig has taken that weapon, improved it and stills sales it 100-150 bucks cheaper than the new Mustang!
way to go Colt!

 

[jwhit]

This article seems to be heavy on the Bloomberg anti-gun spin. Firearm sales are down from last year, but 2013 was a panic year, so that's to be expected. IMO, several years ago, Colt made a conscious decision to turn their back on the consumer market and focus on gov contracts. They no longer innovate and have been too reliant on brand recognition alone. That's not gonna cut it these days with informed consumers and a ton of alternative, better options out there. That said, I still really need to get a Python for the collection.

 

[captdave77]

Union contracts and the number one customer (US government) reducing demand make for a problematic business environment. They probably should have moved to The South, dumped the unions, and put out some tacticool products. As they say, hindsight is 20/20.