Connecticut-based Colt Firearms last week reportedly signaled they are exiting the consumer rifle market in coming days.

The company, originally founded in 1855 by inventor Samuel Colt to make handguns, will stop making rifles for retail sales channels. The news came from The Truth About Guns who confirmed it with Paul Spitale, senior VP of Colt’s commercial business line and was verified by Shooting Illustrated.

“We’re going to focus on the products that our consumers are asking for. We’ve expanded our 1911s and our revolver line, and that market has been very positive for us,” Spitale said. Shooting Illustrated reported that Colt’s rifle line production is occupied, at least for the time being, with outstanding contracts which include orders through police and defense channels.

According to records from the ATF for 2017, the most current available, Colt produced some 31,987 pistols and 7,342 revolvers at their West Hartford, Connecticut factory that year. This compares with 13,942 rifles, of which 2,097 were exported. Since 2017, the company has been aggressively expanding its long-dormant revolver line, introducing several Cobra and King Cobra wheel guns, to an eager audience.

Historically, Colt has been perhaps best known for handguns, but rifles have never been absent from their catalog for long. At the same time, their famous black powder revolvers were making the company a household name, Colt was also producing Ring Lever and Revolving carbines and muskets.

By the end of the 19th Century, their Lightning series of pump-action rifles were extremely popular among shooting galleries and in the hands of sportsmen across the world. Fast forward to the 1950s and the company began marketing bolt-action hunting rifles such as their Alaskan series as well as a line of semi-auto rimfires like the Stagecoach.

Finally, Colt became a huge driving force in modern sporting rifles with the AR-15, a design acquired from then California-based Armalite in 1959. Colt went on to produce the rifle in select-fire models for military and LE contracts as well as semi-auto consumer versions over the past 70 years.

Current new semi-auto Colt ARs still available as of Monday include the M4 Carbine, Modular Carbine, and retro XM177E2.

https://www.guns.com/news/2019/09/1...2WPyrLd3XrXsBU-FgZcOldwi7ezIdJaUQH5FVF3c

Colt AR's were way over priced. Rock Rivers are better made and more affordable.

Oh well they (Sam Colt) screwed the South during the Civil War anyhow, so piss on 'em 😀

That's racist.

Colt is a hasbeen company that goes bankrupt seemingly every leap year.
An informed buyer wanting quality and value wouldn't buy a Colt. Are they a bad gun? No but you're paying A LOT of premium for that pony.

I wonder if it might be because of any government pressure on them to do so since Colt , LMT and a handful of others make M4s for our military. Only thing colt makes thats worth buying is a bolt carrier group Id rather have an LMT any day.

Time will tell, a lot of Leftists corporations have stakes/money in gun companies

t
there are enough players in the game that it wont matter, if anything it will be better for other companies that produce higher quality rifles. on another note has anyone heard whats gonna happen to the militaries old Beretta M9s when they start phasing them out with the Sigs can they be sold to the public like 1911s were or will they be destroyed?

I got one. 223, Bought it at Reno Guns and Range in Reno, NV...they let me put 20 rounds through it before I bought it...well, not the exact one but they had one of the same model in their range rental inventory. I think I paid $649 and they gave me 3 free range visits ($60 value) and half off a carrying case ($50), I thought it was a good deal and It's been a great weapon, no issues. Only 1 upper rail but for me that works.

I have never had any problems with any Colt firearm!

Did they stop selling their Malt Liquor?

I hope not.

Colt 45 and 2 zig-zags

If i owned a colt...maybe it’d make it more valuable. IF i owned a colt.

Hello ladies

Good riddance....last good gun from the, was the python

Don't know,but I have a 6720 that has never malfunctioned and a rock River will never be as valuable,for whatever reason,as a Colt.

Gave all my guns to perch, the rest got lost to fire.

Is the 6720 a bad gun? Nope but that pony premium is stout.
Is a Springfield Saint + a case of 1,000 rounds a WAY better value? Without a doubt.

Colt is playing the market guys