Colt to bolt? Gun maker's boss says company feels unwelcome in Connecticut

[dan_bgblue]

Linkage (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/03/21/colt-ceo-says-no-definite-plans-to-stay-or-flee-connecticut-amid-gun/)

Veilleux, who wrote an op-ed that appeared in The Hartford Courant this week in which he raised the prospect of leaving the state, said the company doesn’t have any such “definite plans.” But if Malloy follows through on his promise to ban the purchase and sale of AR-15 rifles, the centerpiece of the company’s business, he said leaving could become an option.

A little Mapgul info at the end of the article

[CitizenBBN]

With Magpul leaving, and as the story indicates they will leave and do so swiftly and as publicly as possible, the others will feel the pressure in the marketplace. Buyers will see it as a "stand with us" move once one of them does it.

Wish I had the money, I'd buy Colt outright and return it to making truly fine firearms in categories they left as well as some new ventures. Of all the great names, Colt is the greatest and one of the more affordable in comparison to S&W, Remington, Winchester.

Regardless I hope Colt and Mossberg both pull out, and IMO they should do so for both political and economic reasons. Connecticut no longer deserves to be the home of the US firearms industry, or any other industry for that matter. The days of Yankee Ingenuity and individuals building companies from better mousetraps have long since passed in that part of the country.

[dan_bgblue]

When you get Colt, please bring back the Targetsman, Challenger, Woodsman, and Huntsman series. Best shooting, handling, 22 rim fire, semi auto ever made.

[suncat05]

Dear Colt Firearms Company -
Please move to Florida. I am sure your employees that choose to move here with you will find Florida is a great place to live & work, and your company will find its business atmosphere much improved along with the good tax incentives that the state of Florida offers.
Sincerely & respectfully,
Citizens of the great State of Florida

[CitizenBBN]

The Woodsman is at the top of my list. I just sold one for $800 and they go higher depending on condition. They wouldn't be cheap, but we'd make the finest gun in every category where we have a product. I wouldn't try to make mass market semiautos and such unless there was a unique design that fit with Colt's quality, but we'd make some of the truly fine guns from their past and a few special pieces of the more modern era.

Too many gun companies try to be something they aren't or make something when they don't really bring anything to the table. The S&W Sigma is a good example, whereas their sa M&P is the right way to go about it.

[CitizenBBN]

Dear Colt Firearms Company -
Please move to Florida. I am sure your employees that choose to move here with you will find Florida is a great place to live & work, and your company will find its business atmosphere much improved along with the good tax incentives that the state of Florida offers.
Sincerely & respectfully,
Citizens of the great State of Florida

Forget it dude, they're ours.

Signed,

The home of the Kentucky Long Rifle, the first fine gun in American history

:tongue08:

[suncat05]

Forget it dude, they're ours.

Signed,

The home of the Kentucky Long Rifle, the first fine gun in American history

:tongue08:


:sign0141:

[dan_bgblue]

What is really a shame is that for folks that would want a gun like we are talking about, they have to pay an inflated price cause Colt does not make them anymore and the collectors will pay more for them than they are worth as an everyday weapon. I bought my Woodsman and Huntsman in 1977 from old stock at a local dealer's for $125.00 apiece, and that was a little high compared to the price before the shutdown. I paid it because they were the guns I grew up with from my Dad's gun cabinet. I still love shooting them.

You can also bring back the military version of the M-1911 if you want to.:trink40: Damn things are priced like they are made of silver for good condition used ones and I m not paying that price, but I would love to have one. Get them down to a reasonable $500.00 to $600.00 and you would not be able to make enough of them to meet demand.

[suncat05]

Taurus makes a new version of the 1911 .45 ACP that may be in the price range you're looking for. Check it out on their website.
I have not personally seen or gotten my hands on one to look at it or test fire it, but some of the gun reviews I've read give it decent marks.

[dan_bgblue]

Thanks suncat. As silly as it may seem, I have a hankering for the original colt that I do not believe any other will satisfy. I will take a look at it though.

[suncat05]

Not a thing wrong with that, dan. I understand completely. I do believe you'll like the prices you see though.

Oh, one other thing.........what I read and saw price - wise was about a year ago or so.........with some of the garbage that's happened lately some of the prices may have changed. So be aware...........

[KeithKSR]

Taurus makes a new version of the 1911 .45 ACP that may be in the price range you're looking for. Check it out on their website.
I have not personally seen or gotten my hands on one to look at it or test fire it, but some of the gun reviews I've read give it decent marks.

The Rock Island is another good Colt 1911 clone. I really like mine, and they are inexpensive enough out of the box to leave some money for customization. I changed the recoil spring in mine to an 18 lb and added a full length guide. I plan to do a trigger job and go with a tactical hammer.

[CitizenBBN]

Dan I'd love to have a company like Colt and we'd definitely make our own guns. No outsourcing, no slapping our name on some other gun or gun safe or key chain like Remington and Winchester have done.

i'd envision maybe a 2 tier product line for something like a 1911. One high end with all the spit and polish, one a more "straight from WWII" level of finish, parkerized but with better grips probably. Definitely selling the 380 model too, those things are like the Woodsman, crazy expensive b/c of demand.

The companies that have transacted haven't really been that expensive. Remington of course was massive, but overall gun companies don't sell for a premium b/c fund investors stay away from gun companies. If each of you guys would put in just $500K to $1mil each I could get this project off the ground. :)

[DanISSELisdaman]

I'm still kicking myself for trading my Colt Woodsman and the Gold Cup 45, with interchangeable 22 cal. barrel.

[dan_bgblue]

Dan, where are you keeping the gold bar?

[CitizenBBN]

Dan, where are you keeping the gold bar?


I assumed he'd traded it for a house.

[DanISSELisdaman]

Lol, Actually I traded them several years ago. That was before they became so expensive. That's why I'm still kicking myself.

[suncat05]

The Rock Island is another good Colt 1911 clone. I really like mine, and they are inexpensive enough out of the box to leave some money for customization. I changed the recoil spring in mine to an 18 lb and added a full length guide. I plan to do a trigger job and go with a tactical hammer.

Those Rock Island Armory .45's are made in the Philippines. Take a guess as to what one of my first major purchases is going to be once my bride and I retire there?
I have actually seen and handled one of them, very nice handgun that comes with good accessories and can easily be worked up into an extra fine carry gun. And, as a bonus.......they're more economical in the Philippines. Win-win! :fing11:

[KeithKSR]

Those Rock Island Armory .45's are made in the Philippines. Take a guess as to what one of my first major purchases is going to be once my bride and I retire there?
I have actually seen and handled one of them, very nice handgun that comes with good accessories and can easily be worked up into an extra fine carry gun. And, as a bonus.......they're more economical in the Philippines. Win-win! :fing11:

The guy that owned the shop I bought my RIA .45 from said he had a Rock Island .38 super in the 1911, said it was one of the best semi-automatics he had ever owned. Wished he hadn't sold it after it was gone.

[CitizenBBN]

Seller's remorse over guns is tough. I sold a S&W 60-9 357 I should have kept. I try to not hang onto expensive guns b/c it can be a bad habit, but should have probably kept that one for carry. Going to try a Ruger SP101 2" that came my way. Been carrying SAs but I think i'm going to go back to a revolver. I like 357 over 9mm and you almost never read a discussion of revolvers where "FTF" get mentioned. The tradeoff is 2 less rounds. Maybe I need to carry 2 of them..... ;)

[suncat05]

Or as Clint Smith would say: "Two is one and one is none."
Even with a revolver. JMHO.

[CitizenBBN]

When I do a class I wear 4-5 using different holster systems, to demonstrate them. Not sure I'd want to do it every day. I'll just open carry a SKS or AK. Would weigh less. :)

Not sure I fully accept his view to the point of carrying 2, but the point is quite valid. Thus the return to the revolver to increase reliability. I can also carry a more powerful round in my case. I do agree with the axiom that any gun you have with you is better than the one you left in the safe, so carry something.

[dan_bgblue]

PTR says bye bye Connecticut (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/04/11/connecticut-gun-maker-declares-intention-to-leave-state/)

[CitizenBBN]

Jonathan Scalise, owner of Ammunition Storage Components, also of New Britain, said he's received offers from Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota and Texas. He said he will carefully evaluate the impact of a move on his business and its 150 employees.

Notice which state isn't in that list? Sad.

One of those companies mentioned getting emails encouraging them to leave.

[dan_bgblue]

Yup. Where is the leadership of a Martha Layne type when we need it?

[CitizenBBN]

Beretta has said it will leave Maryland if the law there is signed by the Governor. NSSF says they pay $31 million a year in state taxes and has 400 employees. Think Kentucky could use that business?