​COLT STRUGGLES: THE END OF AN ERA?

Okay, today it's only a rumor but we hear on good authority that the historical Colt may soon be just that; history. It saddens me to think about this considering the critical place Colt has had in our numerous overseas conflicts, in our movies and TV shows, in blazing the trail for generations of subsequent gunmakers and in establishing our States, our borders and our security within them. But am I surprised? No. At ShotShow 2012 I had a decidedly unpleasant experience at the Colt booth with an curmudgeonly guy (representing the company) who was extremely reluctant to offer assistance on their displayed products and was much more interested in shooting the breeze with someone from a neighboring booth. All well and good but for me he embodied the company's seeming reluctance to evolve with the times (also evident on their website...er...where are their products?) and the demands of the modern market. Even if Colt had simply revived their 6" Python (Walking Dead-generated sales alone would be HUGE), and their classic Agent, and a couple of variants of their most beautiful 1911's they'd at least have gratified the loyalists! But with a marque like theirs they could have R&D'd an entirely new pistol of their own, renovated their customer service and won the hearts of the new, fussier generation of shooters. There may be a thousand new firearms on the market but only a handful have the love of the people, the credibility and the heritage of this iconic brand. So, I hope these rumors are only that, and that someone of financial means is planning to buy-in or inject the funds required to save and revive this beloved moniker with a line of classics, a beautiful new pistol and a new rifle that'll be the next generation's classics, and a revamped Ruger-esque customer service that welcomes novice and experienced buyers alike. Today, Colt has all the kudos and none of requisite imagination; bring in the right team and dinero and it'll be right back on top.  HH