What the general quality looking like on the new production 1911’s?

I ordered a stainless Defender .45 that will be in tomorrow…

I bought the above Competition .38 Super about a month ago. I added the Chen SI magwell and macassar ebony grips, otherwise it is stock.

ETA: build date is Feb 2024

The good: it has about 200 rounds through it with zero malfunctions of any kind. It is a blast to shoot, and super flat with the recoil impulse, the dual recoil spring setup makes it impossible to get the slide hung up on the disconnector and provides plenty of power to close the slide while also being easy to rack. The barrel feet are fit well as is the barrel to bushing interface. The rear of the slide is blended, unlike Springfield.

I've seen people comment on their Colts saying the edges were sharp enough to draw blood; this gun isn't beveled like my Alchemy or Dan Wesson (wouldn't expect it to be at this price point) but the edges are cut well and don't seem to be particularly sharp.

The bad: the trigger pull was gritty at first, I tore it down during the initial cleaning and cleaned some machining residue (metal granules) out of the trigger channel. That smoothed it out, but the reset is still long and the pull weight is 6.5 lbs on my scale. The grip safety is a bit rattly, as is the slide to frame fit. There are some fitting marks on the chamber end of the barrel that are pretty looking, they aren't on any critical surfaces though.

Plans: I'm looking for someone to checker the front strap, and will likely rebuild the FCG with a Harrison true radius kit. I may also replace the grip safety, and will replace the thumb safety with an EGW. None of these things are really necessary, but I've been sort of spoiled lately with the Alchemy.

Great review, thanks!
I remember having Colt’s in the early 2000’s with the edges along the bottom of the slide that were razor sharp…

I have a 2014 made LW Commander XSE with the infamous Colt mushy- overtravel-able thumb safety- they just can’t seem to get those right.

I’ll get some pics and a review whenI get it.

I just picked it up. First impression is great. Sights are centered, barrel is centered in the slide at the muzzle, no sharp edges and no gritty trigger feel.
They still can’t get a crisp thumb safety engagement, though . The beaver tail sits a little proud in the tangs, but it doesn’t rattle at all unlike many others, including my Commander.

Feed ramp and barrel look good.

Trigger breaks nicely but has a loooong take up. This trigger has no preset screw.
Mag release is nice, not the 10 pounder like others I’ve had.

They’ve cheaped out though and only send one magazine. Come on, Colt, it’s a 1k retailing gun!

The ‘Hi-Power’ cut on the slide, carried over from the New Agent is nice on these newer ones ( my suggestion to Colt, btw!)

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I meant to include this in my "bad" column lol.

I bet it runs perfectly

I finally had time to go shoot it today. I put about 150 rounds through it, a mixture of WWB, Monarch brand ball, and a couple mags of Winchester Silver Tips.

All using the supplied Colt 7 round mag, 6 more Colt stainless 8 round mags, and two vintage 90’s Colt mags with Shooting Star followers.
No failures to feed, fire or ejection with everything.

I did get three casings to the forehead, and ejection otherwise was either almost straight up out at a slight up and out angle.

I cleaned the gun before shooting, but I didn’t remove the extractor and clean the hole out- I know some manufacturing goop could be in there. I’ll pull that, clean it up again and reshoot it soon.

Overall I’m pleased.

Nice OP!

Mine has roughly 350 rds though it now, breaking in nicely. 0 malfunctions and it shoots straight. Factory grip screws have backed off when shooting, I need to thread lock them.

Mine is a competition model in 45 acp.

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How’s the engraving on the new ones? Is it still raised?

Slightly, but no where near as bad as they used to be.
My 2014 made LW Commander almost looks blurry from the raised edges.

Take it for what it's worth, but Dean Caputo (who is a pretty highly respected 1911 authority) was my instructor in the Colt 1911 Armorer's Course last month. He has been on the factory floor and knows the current production pretty well, and when that question came up, his position was that the currently produced Colts are the best they've ever made. I know the training Gov't model I had in class was tight. The slide to frame fit was excellent, and this was on a training pistol that has probably been disassembled and reassembled a hundred times by knuckleheads like me. The barrel locked up tight, and the perceptible side-to-side and up & down play in the slide to frame fit was seriously minimal. Way better than my old Series 80 and 1970's production Series 70. And a world of difference from my old 1945 production year M1911A1. I was a bit concerned when CZ took over a controlling interest, but I think they are good to go. The only real bitch I had was they are still using the plastic mainspring housing, but that is easily remedied with one of a dozen aftermarket MSHs.

My experience with a new Colt:
https://www.ar15.com/forums/handguns/Colt-Gold-Cup-9mm/49-213923/

It's back at Colt now.

Damn man. That grip safety alone would have pissed me off. I haven't ever seen any production year O-Model that has left the factory with chatter marks like that inside the slide. I hope Colt redeems themselves with that one.

Bought a new one last June = it should have never left the factory.

They must not QC inspect anything at all.

It was one of those Limited Editions.

I really wanted the gun and just fixed it myself because I figured they just don't give a crap anymore.

And the engraving was raised like braille on the frame - I hate it - would have been easy to buff it down before blueing.

Now I am considering having the braille letters buffed and the gun refinished to fix that = still undecided.

That’s a Friday afternoon gun! Ridiculous.