We all know that the legendary Colt brand has had a rough journey, but this is not a surprising story. A similar story could be told for nearly all legacy U.S. firearms brands, and internationally, the list and story could grow very long.

At one time, Colt was the leader in revolver, 1911, hunting firearms and AR-platform innovation and quality. It was the brand that generations of military members took to the battlefield, sportsmen and hunters kept the family fed with, collectors sought after, and marksmen and competitors preferred. Since its start, Colt was challenged by aggressive competitors that were pushing innovation, machining and technology to the limits to overtake their lead. 

Colt has faced financial and management challenges a few times throughout its history, centered primarily around its dependence on military contracts. In 1854, they closed due to lack of military contracts; from 1940-1950 they were in financial bankruptcy after WWII; and the brand went through a 2015 bankruptcy when the Pentagon’s M4 contracts were changed to FN. The industry really didn’t know whether Colt would survive after the last restructure, but it has. What is a bit unique is that a legendary U.S. firearms brand was sold to a European company in May 2021 when Colt holdings was acquired by CZ Group. 

The fear for most Colt fans was that CZ would follow the same strip-and-gut investment banker strategy we have seen occur with predictable regularity in the firearms industry. Over three years later, all agree that the strategic support, deep pockets and bold innovation CZ brings to the relationship are what Colt needs for stability and the next phase of growth.

Thoughtful Steps

In talking with Colt and CZ leadership, the emphasis was not on making sweeping changes at Colt, but concentrating on thoughtful steps that would lead to predictable and solid growth for Colt and CZ. One of those decisions was to keep Colt operating with its own management team under CEO Dennis Veilleux instead of having CZ leadership run Colt as a sub-brand. The management team is pushing to fully restore the excitement around the brand, and it was clear that CZ wants the Colt brand to thrive. 

Though CZ is well known for its high level of product innovation, they are making strategic moves jointly with Colt management on how to best leverage the two brands. Some of the strategies will be independent design, production and marketing, but there are areas where joint design and product collaboration will deliver something unique to the market. Both companies offer unique products and expertise the other does not have.

With investment and engineering support from CZ, Colt is again stable and making cautious, thoughtful steps. The first major step was creating a modern production environment for the Colt revolver line. Colt’s snake-themed Anaconda, Python and Cobra revolver lines are back and upgraded, with cutting-edge machining delivering higher-quality tolerances, strength and finishes than legacy models. 

Most also feel that the trigger has been significantly improved thanks to better machining and updated manufacturing methods. We are also seeing a large diversity within the revolver line emerge, including .22LR, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, and .44 Magnum in stainless polished, matte and now blued steel versions. Even more encouraging is seeing laser engravers using Colt stainless revolvers again as the canvas for exceptionally beautiful firearm art. It is exciting to see a resurgence of factory-new engraved Colt revolvers growing as collector items.

Building Strength

The long-term strength of Colt’s 1911 sales have supported the company even through difficult times, but production volumes have always been relatively low. In a recent discussion with Colt, officials noted that goals include ramping up 1911 production to reduce backorders. The plan is to follow a similar strategy to improve manufacturing and production as done with the revolver line. Some of this strategy includes leveraging more advanced machining capabilities and increased tolerances to reduce the high percentage of hand-fitting of each of the 1911’s roughly 58 parts. 

Colt could have just started pumping out a stream of new models that ultimately would have led to even more backorders. Instead, it’s another example of where Colt is focused on taking careful steps to streamline production with an eye on increasing volumes and quality.

Colt’s rifle platforms are also getting updated beyond the legacy models. The new M5 model was added, which includes a more modern update to the M4 with some ambi controls and styling, along with a monolithic upper. The M5 represented Colt’s first new AR platform in decades and a good first step in offering updates to the classic AR line. 

In collaboration with CZ, the Colt CBX 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 bolt-action rifle line is an exciting addition to the Colt lineup, including MDT chassis on the CBX Precision models. This is a big step for Colt, as this is the first civilian .308 since the now-discontinued AR10. The CBX rifles offer Colt customers already-proven accurate and reliable rifles based on the CZ 600 actions. Additions like the CBX Precision models with MDT chassis are extremely accurate.

Customers I spoke with during several local gun shows were excited over what crossover collaborations might include, with speculations that ranged from high-capacity polymer 1911s that combined Dan Wesson, CZ and Colt designs, to AR-based Colt PCCs that accept Scorpion magazines. There were also some simpler hopes that the legendary Colt brand would deliver a series of affordable retro rifles that echoed back to their first models. There are many natural collaboration synergies between CZ and Colt we can hope materialize into unique products.

For CZ, there is a natural opportunity to leverage Colt’s deep military relationships, and for Colt, there’s the opportunity to take advantage of the forward-leaning engineering innovation of the CZ catalog. CZ has a lot of polymer and alloy pistol engineering that Colt could leverage as a new market. Though Colt has offered some 9mm AR platform PCCs, they have not embraced the exponential PCC market growth like CZ has with their Bren and Scorpion lines. We are all hoping that PCCs and AR pistols become a push within Colt’s product development cycle. 

Obviously, CZ has also developed the epically reliable short-stroke Bren platform, which has possibilities within Colt to potentially rejuvenate military contracts with something unique. 

Although we like to believe that legacy brands could survive on their own and have the capital to adapt, the reality is that the competitive market in firearms has radically changed in just the last 20 years. The most important piece of CZ Group purchasing Colt is that they are not approaching Colt with an investment banker acquisition mindset, which would have certainly gutted Colt. Instead, CZ is bringing well-respected design and operations support to Colt and helping them rebuild to be competitive with new engineering, processes and manufacturing methods. The investment from CZ is allowing Colt to reset, retool, skill up, and update decades-old methods that are no longer competitive. 

The CZ Group acquired Colt and has made noticeable moves forward in only three short years, with new models and innovations already in customer hands. We will all be following this legendary brand as they evolve during this exciting new chapter of Colt.