Colt Recall: Six 1911 models are affected

AmericanRifleman.org ^ | August 2009 | NRA Staff

[Stonewall Jackson]

Colt Manufacturing Company has announced a recall of six 1911-styled pistol models because parts were not manufactured to Colt specifications and could break, causing safety issues with the handguns.

The following models sold after March 2007 are affected by the recall, which will require replacement of the Slide Lock Safety, the Recoil Spring Guide Pad or both:

• 1911 WWI Replica (O1911) - 4597WMK to 5414WMK (safety)
• 1918 WWI Replica (O1918) – 1001WWI to 3431WWI (safety)
• Combat Elite (O7810D) – CG10000E to CG11293E (safety)
• Defender (O7000D) – DR33036 to DR35948 (guide pad)
• Talo Night Defender (O7000NDF) – NDF0001 to NDF0400 (guide pad)
• New Agent (O7810D) – GT01001 to GT04505 both parts require replacing

Customers owning models in the listed serial number range should stop using the handgun immediately, and contact Colt Customer Service for instructions. The models requiring the Slide Lock Safety replacement must be returned to Colt for repair, while the Defender models can be repaired at home with a replacement part.

Customers can contact Colt Manufacturing Company LLC by phone, mail or online at:
• (800) 962-2658 (Option 2)
• 545 New Park Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06110
• www.coltsmfg.com
• Recall@colt.com

Colt determined that the parts for the models listed above were of improper hardness, and could wear, bend or crack, causing safety issues or rendering the pistol inoperable. While there has been no reports of injuries or property damage, Colt advises owners to immediately stop using the affected firearms, and contact Colt to learn how to have the handguns repaired at no cost.

[EGPWS]

My new agent is affected however has been flawless.

My XSE is not part of it has been flawless too.

[Squantos]

Wilson will work norincos ? That is good to know but I like it as is for showing folks what the chicoms can do with old bumpers an springs etc

We are good here but just got trashed by a major hail storm in the panhandle. Flooding is bad here. White faced herefords are doing the backstroke.

You ?

[EGPWS]

Any gun porn available? ; )

[saganite]

Lucky for me I have a Springfield 1911. I always wanted a Gold Cup though.

[hiredhand]

I just forwarded this info to our Hammer Monkey up the road! Thanks!

[hiredhand]

I have a Series 80 that had that problem. I took a Dremel tool and a polishing wheel to it and that was the end of that problem!

[JimC214]

The UAW is the union that represents Colt workers. Killing the auto and fire arms industry at the same time.

[MileHi]

Been good. We got pounded pretty good here as well. Beat up the house and truck. Think a small twister touched in the night about a mile from here, pushed over cotton woods that we both couldn’t reach around. Have to get the roof done before winter now. Some of them down the road need new houses so I ain’t complaining.

Laptop crashed a while back so I haven’t been here much but got up and running again.

Stay safe amigo!

[Lurker]

Same series as mine, same issue. A quick trip to the gunsmith solved it.

About the only reason I'd pick the Colt over the Springfield in a SHTF scenario is the far greater availability of spare parts.

I just remembered I did have to replace a firing pin after about 10,000 rounds or so. Now I just keep a spare pin or two and a couple of sets of springs around along with a spare Wilson slide release.

That should cover 95% of the field problems I could have.

L

[hiredhand]

A buddy of mine bought a Springfield 1911 back around 2002 or so, and recently had the ejector fail...wear out...WHATEVER it is that ejectors DO when they don't work anymore.

He was shooting a big batch of ammo that we had just loaded for him, and he said that the pistol stopped ejecting correctly. He brought me some of the rounds and they functioned flawlessly from my Series 80 and another Taurus 1911 clone.

He examined it closely and sent me photos of what he discovered, and it actually looks like the ejector is bent AWAY from the case! He bent it BACK and it started ejecting 100% of the time again. But he ordered another (and a spare!) anyway.

Have either of you two ever heard of this happening?

[yarddog]

I have never heard of that happening tho ejection problems are probably about the third most common problem with 1911’s. It couldn’t get bent too far or the slide would not move. It used to be fairly common to replace the full sized model’s ejector with one from a Commander which has a tip.

Extractor problems are probably more common and usually either a broken claw or not enough tension as the part fits in a tunnel and must be shaped to create it’s own tension.

The most common problem I have seen is the safety/slide hold open spring and plunger holder becomes unstaked. It takes a special tool to restake or stake in a new one. Star corrected this problem on their models by having it held on by two screws.

[Stonewall Jackson]

The first 1911A1 I ever bought was one made by the Essex Arms Corporation for the Brazilian Army in 1961. A previous owner had a gunsmith work it over, including installing a new trigger assembly and low-light sights.

Fortunately for me, it had the ugliest white plastic handgrips (I guess that they were attempting to mimic Patton), so I was able to get it for $300. On the way home, I stopped at the local gunshop and picked up a set of Pachmayr handgrips and it looks great.

It isn't quite as accurate as my Colt Govt. model, but it is pretty close, and the price was hard to beat.

[Stonewall Jackson]

My dad just found some pictures he took at the Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot about ten years ago. They were taken with a 35mm film camera, so I’ll have to scan them before I can post them, but I’ll work on that later on this week.

[hiredhand]

Now that you mention it...your right about the ejector being inside a tube. I didn't think about that. I'm looking at a Colt Series 80 here and it seems as though perhaps it might be possible to somehow bend the ejector outwards and still get the pistol to lock into battery, but not permit the ejector to get a good grip on the groove. I don't think it was the ammo...NOT simply because we loaded it, but more because he supplied us with brand NEW components.

The Series 80 I mentioned had to have the plunger tube restaked, as well as the front sight! That was almost 10 years ago now though and I've put several thousand rounds through it...and it's all still tight....er, well...the front sight and plunger tube at least! :-)

[yarddog]

No, it is not in a tube, is rides inside a narrow groove cut in the slide. It is the extractor which fits in a tube. That might be the part which is bent tho I have managed to break everyone I tried to rebend.

[ExpatGator]

I know you were kidding. Any Freeper is smarter than that. Well, most Freepers. ;)

[yarddog]

Once when trying to bend the ejector on an Auto Ordinance in which the extractor was literally loose in a new gun, I broke it in two with the first hammer strike. I braised the two parts back together at a slight angle. To my surprise it worked perfectly.

I bought a new Colt extractor and kept it in case of breakage. I then later sold it and the new owner kept it in too. He told me it never gave any more trouble. I later had another Auto Ordinance it 10mm and it was clear to me that they had done a better job on it. Fit, function and looks were better that the .45

[Spktyr]

I have been paying attention. Colt is not where it’s at. For the amount of money you have to spend on a Colt to buy it, then get a smith to fix the “oopsies” in manufacture these days, the Springfield Loaded models look like the screaming deal they are.

[Spktyr]

Ejector breakage or failure is one of the more common failures on 1911s of all types, no matter who made them.

[hiredhand]

I think you might have just hit on the problem. He TOLD me that he bent it BACK. But you say you’ve broken every one you’ve tried to do this with?! Maybe he had a bad one?...”soft” perhaps? I’ve had mine out when COMPLETELY cleaning the pistol, but I’ve never tried to bend one.