Colt: a buyer's guide
Colt has made guns in Hartford, Connecticut since the 1800s. The Single Action Army, the 1911 and the M16 all carry its name, and the reborn Python and Anaconda revolvers have made Colt hot again.
A short history
Samuel Colt started making revolvers in 1836 and founded Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company in Hartford, Connecticut in 1855. Over the next century and a half Colt's name went on some of the most important guns in American history.
In 2021 the Czech gun maker CZ bought Colt, and the combined company is now the Colt CZ Group (see our CZ guide). In 2024 Colt built 194,957 firearms in the U.S., tenth among American makers and fourth in revolvers (see the full ranking).
The guns that made Colt
- Single Action Army (1873): the "Peacemaker" of the Old West. Colt still makes it.
- M1911: John Browning's .45 ACP design served the U.S. military for most of the 20th century and is still built by dozens of companies.
- M16 and M4: Colt didn't design the AR-15, but for decades it was the main maker of the M16, the M4 carbine and their civilian AR-15 cousins.
The revolver comeback
Colt brought back its "snake" revolvers: a new King Cobra in 2019, the stainless Python in 2020 and the Anaconda in 2021. The new Python keeps the classic look with modern internals and is one of the most popular revolvers on the market.
Buying a Colt
- Old vs. new Pythons. Original Pythons (made until the early 2000s) are collector items priced by condition and finish. New Pythons are shooters. Make sure you know which you're looking at.
- Collector condition. On older Colts, original finish matters a lot. Refinished guns are worth far less, so ask before you pay a collector price.
- 1911s and ARs: check the markings. Colt-marked guns command a premium over clones, so the roll marks and serial ranges matter.
Colt at Trademark Guns
We don't have any Colt items on the rack right now. Ask us about the model you want, or buy it online and have it shipped to us for a $25 FFL transfer.
Common questions
- Who owns Colt now?
- The Colt CZ Group. CZ bought Colt in 2021.
- Is the new Colt Python as good as the old one?
- They're different guns: the 2020 Python is redesigned inside for durability, while original Pythons are prized for their hand-fitted actions and collector value.
- Does Colt still make the Single Action Army?
- Yes. Colt has produced versions of the 1873 Single Action Army for most of its history and still makes it.
Sources
More guides
CZ (Česká zbrojovka): a buyer's guide
CZ has made guns in Uherský Brod, Czech Republic since 1936. Shooters know it for the CZ 75 and its competition offspring, and for the Scorpion EVO 3 pistol-caliber carbine. CZ now owns Colt, too.
Glock: a buyer's guide
Glock turned a simple polymer pistol into the most common handgun in American holsters. Here is how the company started, how to make sense of the model numbers, and what to check when you buy one new or used.
Heckler & Koch: a buyer's guide to HK
Heckler & Koch has built military and police guns in Oberndorf, Germany since 1949. Its roller-delayed G3 and MP5 made the name, and today HK sells pistols like the VP9 and rifles like the MR556 to civilian shooters.