James Tarr - Standard Catalog of Colt Firearms

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In trying to edit a book about Colt firearms, you feel the weight of history pressing down upon you.

The history of the Colt company is a vast thing, and there are people far more knowledgeable than I when it comes to the minutiae of the production models, or Sam Colts early struggles.

Like baseball box scores, the Colt numbers most people think of are there for anyone to look update of the company founding, how many of this model or that model have been produced, the average auction price of a New Police Cop & Thug revolverbut those numbers are really only the tiniest bit of what has gotten Colt as a company to where it is today.

How many people have worked for Colt since Sam Colt first founded the company? How many employees married or celebrated the birth of children, or grandchildren, while working under the rampant horse? How many dreams and ideas took shape under the Colt roof? How many lunches were skipped just so a gunsmith could finish putting together a Single Action Army, or engraving a commemorative 1911? How many American servicemens lives were saved by their Coltsand how many children and grandchildren have those men had? Those are the questions whose answers are impossible to find or catalogue, and yet they, much more than model numbers and profit and loss sheets, are Colts legacy.

The great thing about history, though, is that its being made new every day.

Six years. Thats how long it has been since publication of the last Standard Catalog of Colt Firearms. How much time six years actually is depends on your perspectivefor a human, six years could be birth to first grade, or your first driving test to graduating from college. Six years could seem like ten lifetimes.

For a company like Colt, six years is a blink of an eye. Founded in 1836 by Samuel Colt, that makes it 177 years old as I write this, so the normal reaction would be to assume that not much has happened with the company in the last six years. That would be a mistake.

After virtually ignoring the commercial market for the better part of two decades, in the past few years Colt decided that was an error, and has made a huge push to once again get their products into the cases of gun stores all across the country, their guns into the hands of American citizens. No matter how old and storied your company name is, however, no matter how amazing your print ads look, sales are helped by new product.

Since the 2007 edition of this volume, Colt has introduced an amazing number of new models, and new variations of existing models, that are sure to become collectors items. The Colt Rail Gun addresses the tactically-minded crowd, allowing users to clamp on the weaponlight or laser of their choice. A version of the Rail Gun has been chosen by the U.S. Marines as their Close Quarter Battle Pistol. With 49 out of 50 states now allowing some form of concealed carry, small guns are big. Colts New Agent is aimed directly at that market segment, and has attracted a whole lot of attention. Colts LE901-16S, an AR-pattern .308 rifle easily convertible to 5.56, made huge news for its ingenious design. Also, in the past few years 3-gun shooting has become a huge sport, spawning cable TV shows, and Colt has licensed a whole new line of competition rifles. They have joined with famous gunwriters and successful industry distributors to bring out a surprising number of special editions.

These are just a few of the jewels bringing experienced Colt collectors and new shooters to (or back to) the rampant horse logo. As so many of Colts models are so new, youre likely to only find current MSRP or NIB prices listed for them in these pages.

Colt, like every other firearms and ammunition company in America, has had to endure severe fluctuations in the marketplace due to political events. Since 2007 there have been two huge gun-buying panics in the American market. These panics havent really affected the prices of most Colt collectibles, as people are looking to purchase guns they intend to shoot, but they have affected new gun sales, prices, and availability. Any manufacturer making AR-15-type rifles has seen periods where they couldnt make and ship firearms fast enough to fill the demand, and Colt is no different. Colt-marked AR-15 magazines demand a premium because of their qualitywhen you can find them.

Take the prices listed herein for new and almost-new Colt AR-15s with a grain of salt, as guessing their actual street price in the current political climate is a bit like predicting the weather.

In updating the prices of Colt antique and collectible guns for this new edition, its become clear that they are one of the few good investments out there. With one exception, the prices of every type of Colt firearm have gone up over the last six yearssome just a little bit, some a whole lot. In an era where the stock market looks like a roller coaster, and real estate is no longer a sure thing, finding an investment that not just holds it value but goes up is a rare thing.

Whats the exception to this? Most of the Colt Custom Shop 1911 commemoratives put out in the last twenty years aimed at the tactical or competition crowd have dropped in price slightly since our last catalog. Since the competition/tactical market has sizably grown in that time, this was curious to me. I think I might have an explanation.

The 1911 playing field has grown more crowded, and limited editions and competition models are to be found everywhere. It used to be that if you wanted one of those types of 1911s to pass down to your children, a legacy gun, Colt was the only game, the only name in town. Such is not the case anymore. That said, in fifty years, when we look at which guns from today will be worth the most money, I wouldnt bet against Colt.

As always, if you are thinking of investing in a Colt, you would only be wise to research that specific guns history as well as the model.

If you are the proud owner of a (new) old Colt, and are curious as to its history, and whether or not it is in original form, Colt offers their Archive Letter. The Colt Archive Department will search their records to provide you with accurate and documented details confirming the original specifications and delivery of your specific firearm.

With the internet, we all have access to immediate, unlimited information, some of which may be accurate. When doing your research, check and double-check whatever information you find. Online auction results may correspond to the prices weve put in this catalog, or they may notthere are no guarantees, other than the old saw: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.