Colt going out of business?

[Sgt Nambu]

I love my colts but back when they kraped all over American gun buyers I deeply resented it! I haven't purchased a colt since! Don't plan too in the future! You've made your bed Colt, now you get to lay in it!

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

Do you run a business?

I have run/owned multiple businesses. From construction to restaurants/bars.

 

[The Heretic]

It looks like Colt might have to go through bankruptcy proceedings and be reorganized.

Let's hope they go the way of some other venerable US gun makers (e.g., Winchester), who sell at least part of their brand to someone who cares to continue making some of their products in a quality fashion.

Or someone could buy the whole company for "cheap" and turn it around under new management, continuing to make some of the products they are known for, while coming out with some new products.

It would be a shame if Colt faded away to nothing, and such companies, known for their brand, usually resurface somewhere somehow.

I have shot some Colts, but never really cared for their revolvers, so I never owned any.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

Let's hope they go the way of some other venerable US gun makers (e.g., Winchester), who sell at least part of their brand to someone who cares to continue making some of their products in a quality fashion.

Or someone could buy the whole company for "cheap" and turn it around under new management, continuing to make some of the products they are known for, while coming out with some new products.

It would be a shame if Colt faded away to nothing, and such companies, known for their brand, usually resurface somewhere somehow.

I have shot some Colts, but never really cared for their revolvers, so I never owned any.

I am hoping this will give them a kick in the pants to reinvent their civilian line.

 

[Just Jim]

I have run/owned multiple businesses. From construction to restaurants/bars.

How many were union?

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

How many were union?

I paid union wages to contractors all the time...and I paid my bartenders over minimum wage. That is not an argument in your favor. That is just a diversion from the fact that not one thing in our economy supports the idea that people being paid too much is effecting business growth...nor that it is even happening. We have one of the lowest paid workforces of any industrialized nation.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Your ridiculously sheepish desire to side with corporate entities that blame a fair living wage for the demise of their poorly run and mismanaged companies aside, the gun industry as a whole is declining right now. The massive buys of two years ago were not new shooters like people pretended. They were from old shooters mass buying. Now the market is diminished. Ask any gun distributer how much product they are moving now. They will tell you they are moving guns at 1/2-1/3 the rate of five years ago before the boom.

Ha!
Ok union crony..
"Fair living wage"
.. All the examples I see of unionized work forces dont produce as much as they demand.
Clearly we've seen what unions do.

They are parasites, great for the employee, Terrible for the business. They served a purpose before workers had rights..
Do some succeed with a unionized workforce, sure but at the same time for that to happen the production or product outweighs the demand of the union by and far.

However when a business tapers down, unions do not cease when it comes to petty demand and contracts this is what ruins companies in America, it is foolish to blame the failure of a company on capitalistic greed..

It makes no sense!

In a rising tide, all boats float.
With unions, its like firing round after round in the hull of your boat regardless of the tide.. Its bound to sink the ship at some point.. The question is when.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

Ha!
Ok union crony..
"Fair living wage"
.. All the examples I see of unionized work forces dont produce as much as they demand.
Clearly we've seen what unions do.

They are parasites, great for the employee, Terrible for the business. They served a purpose before workers had rights..
Do some succeed with a unionized workforce, sure but at the same time for that to happen the production or product outweighs the demand of the union by and far.

However when a business tapers down, unions do not cease when it comes to petty demand and contracts this is what ruins companies in America, it is foolish to blame the failure of a company on capitalistic greed..

It makes no sense!

In a rising tide, all boats float.
With unions, its like firing round after round in the hull of your boat regardless of the tide.. Its bound to sink the ship at some point.. The question is when.

All clap trap regurgitated from nonsense sources. Cite some economic data that indicates the pay rates in the US contribute to decline in sales, production, or longevity of a business. You won't find any. All you will find is multi-billion dollar corporations claiming they are going under because of workers wages when in reality the wages the pay their workers seldom even equals the bonuses and stock payouts they give. Like when the people that make Twinkies tried to blame wages on their collapse...then it turns out the wages had nothing to do with it. it was pure mismanagement and corporate greed. The CEO used the company as a piggy bank.

 

[The Heretic]

At one time unions did a LOT of good, but today, in my experience, and that of others I know, unions are usually parasites on employees - more than they are on corporations. They take union dues whether you want their representation or not, and give little or nothing in return.

When a strike does happen and a better contract is negotiated, it is almost always negated by the money lost (by the employees) while they are off work. The unions keep the "deadwood" in their jobs, and don't let those who deserve to advance from advancing while the cronies of the shop steward get advanced simply due to time in place instead of merit.

I do prefer to let the "market" decide what I get paid based on my merit and worth to the employer, not what some union guy decides I should be paid purely based on the fact that I have been hired and pay my dues and my time "in grade".

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

At one time unions did a LOT of good, but today, in my experience, and that of others I know, unions are usually parasites on employees - more than they are on corporations. They take union dues whether you want their representation or not, and give little or nothing in return.

When a strike does happen and a better contract is negotiated, it is almost always negated by the money lost (by the employees) while they are off work. The unions keep the "deadwood" in their jobs, and don't let those who deserve to advance from advancing while the cronies of the shop steward get advanced simply due to time in place instead of merit.

I do prefer to let the "market" decide what I get paid based on my merit and worth to the employer, not what some union guy decides I should be paid purely based on the fact that I have been hired and pay my dues and my time "in grade".

When in history has the market EVER decided that? Where in the world does the market EVER decide that in fair way for employees?

 

[Medic!]

I'm gona run out and buy a couple more SAA revolvers and a couple more pythons!

What you say? They don't make them any more. Or only in there custom shop? But there $1200-$2500! They wouldn't stop making guns that are so popular. That would be stupid!

So. A company that doesn't sell me anything I want is going out of business?
I really wish them no ill will. I just don't care.

 

[The Heretic]

When in history has the market EVER decided that? Where in the world does the market EVER decide that in fair way for employees?

It has worked that way for me most of the time.

If I didn't think I was getting a fair wage for my work, I usually went somewhere else where I thought I would get paid fairly for what I do.

I want to decide what that wage is, not some union. I also don't want the union deciding what I should be working on or how I do it or who should be doing it.

 

[jrprich]

Where is the "lack of quality in Colt firearms?

I have several and not one has ever had an issue or a part break. Wish I could say the same for my Sig.
I feel that Colt got too comfortable with their military contracts and they let their retail side suffer. But many famous firearm companies have failed in the past and come back. Some succeeded and went on making great arms, others not so much.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

It has worked that way for me most of the time.

If I didn't think I was getting a fair wage for my work, I usually went somewhere else where I thought I would get paid fairly for what I do.

I want to decide what that wage is, not some union. I also don't want the union deciding what I should be working on or how I do it or who should be doing it.

No, it hasn't. You have not worked in a country where the market was not influenced by unionized labor.

 

[The Heretic]

No, it hasn't.

yes it has.

You have not worked in a country where the market was not influenced by unionized labor.

Correct.

However, that does not mean that the union decides what my wage is.

In my profession, there isn't a union representing any members of my profession, and there never has been (at least in this country, to my knowledge), so regardless of the impact of the union on other professions, it is still up to myself and my employer how much they pay me for my work, what work I do, when I do it, how long I work, and where I work.

There are indirect effects; OSHA and other labor laws, historically were brought about by unions, and this is what I referred to when I said that unions at one time in the past did good things.

However, my assertion was not about those laws, but rather solely about what I am paid and whether I am qualified for the job. In that respect, I and my employer do not involve any union in any manner.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

yes it has.


Correct.

However, that does not mean that the union decides what my wage is.

In my profession, there isn't a union representing any members of my profession, and there never has been (at least in this country, to my knowledge), so regardless of the impact of the union on other professions, it is still up to myself and my employer how much they pay me for my work, what work I do, when I do it, how long I work, and where I work.

There are indirect effects; OSHA and other labor laws, historically were brought about by unions, and this is what I referred to when I said that unions at one time in the past did good things.

However, my assertion was not about those laws, but rather solely about what I am paid and whether I am qualified for the job. In that respect, I and my employer do not involve any union in any manner.

ANY job you get in the US is greatly affected by unionized/organized labor. You cannot seperate it at all. Minimum wage, 40 hour work weeks, weekends, holidays, etc. All of it is because of unionized labor. Once again, show me one single nation where the market place works to the benefit of worker with no unionized workers.

 

[Doc In UPlace]

I''ve had a number of Colt guns, the best of which was my dad's 1950's Python, followed by the 1984 bead-blast nickel Combat Commander .45, and a honey of a 60's 2" Diamondback, even the 1988 Colt Cobra was a good piece.

Even the (newer) 6920 LEO carbine has been a champ, aside from the awful trigger, now replaced by a Geissele. The M1991A1 .45 is OK but needed work to fix the trigger. Hmm, about the triggers. Hmmm.

I agree that having too many eggs in one basket can be a risky policy. If they do go buns up, they will join a bunch of companies who were run into the ground by poor management. It's almost always the management, they steer the decisions and they decide what is "good enough".

Too bad they weren't a Wall Street company (casino), they'd be "too big to fail" and could get bailed out, then whine about being bailed out, while paying their crooked executives millions in bonuses, like AIG has done. But I digress.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

I''ve had a number of Colt guns, the best of which was my dad's 1950's Python, followed by the 1984 bead-blast nickel Combat Commander .45, and a honey of a 60's 2" Diamondback, even the 1988 Colt Cobra was a good piece.

Some of the new Colts are made far better than old ones. About a decade ago they replaced worn out machinery with modern CNC machines and the build quality noticeable improved. I love my Colts, both new and old.

 

[MountainBear]

Chances are they will go into bankruptcy and reorganize. No big deal, its happened to many companies before. Maybe its the shake-up they need to ramp up quality and innovation in their civilian line. Ruger was stagnant for years with Bill at the helm, but with his passing, their line has greatly expanded, although not all the products have proven to be winners.

All I can say is please God, don't let Freedom Group/Cerberus buy them...

 

[BAMCIS]

Penguin, I respectfully disagree with you regarding unions, but damn those are perty! And you know how to take really nice pictures.