Which is your Colt manufacturer of choice?

[Captainkirk]

Which is your Colt of choice? In other words, which is the one you: a) own the most of, or: b) prefer, and WHY?
Be specific, as in quality, price, availability,  "just happened to stumble across it", inherited it, like the bluing, etc. Your answers might help someone choose their next Colt or Colt repro based on your comments, so be specific and don't spare the details!

[Damol]

Pietta - just what I have the most of, out of my seven BP pistols five are Piettas, one Uberti and one ASM.

[Kaboom]

Pietta, it is what the big C seems to sell the most of, and is therefore what I have. Now, if money were "no object" change that to COLT, by George. 

[StrawHat]

Pretty much whatever is priced right.

If I am specificcaly looking for a revolver, I am looking for one imported by Replica Arms of Marietta, Ohio.  I like the stuff they imported.  Mostly I have replicas now, I sold off the origianls quite a while ago, when they were still fairly inexpensive.

[mike116]

Right now at this point in time ASM is my prefered manufacturer.  Not for any of the usual reasons but because I have a Walker made by them in 1986.   It is my favorite Colt because it has the Colt address and 1847 stamped on the barrel similar to the originals.  It's also fun to shoot and look at.   I own 2 other Colts built by ASM (2nd Dragoon and an 1860) and all 3 are excellent revolvers.  A lot of the time I seem to find the ASMs priced just a little less than Piettas. 

[Electric Miner]

I own a Pietta 1851, and I own a 2nd Gen Colt 1851. For those of you who have never handled a 2nd Gen Colt, there is absolutely no comparison in fit finish and functionality between the two. The Colt is the clear winner in attention to detail. You can tell that just by looking at the deep blue Colt finish and silver hardware. Pulling the hammer back, the polished internal workins' put the Pietta to shame, and I like Pietta.

Of course, you're gonna pay for that kind of quality...

[Captainkirk]

I don't (unfortunately) own any Colt Colt's (huh?) or even a Centaure. My Dragoon is a Uberti, and I can tell the difference between it and my other imports (Pietta included). If I could own all Colt Colt's I probably would, but finances being the way they are, that's all fantasy. Rather own a bunch of 'almost-rans' than one winner, I guess.....

[Electric Miner]

Of the one's I have handled/shot, I rank them thus...

Colt 2nd gen
Uberti
Pietta
ASP
ASM

Although ASP and ASM are pretty mush the same, quality-wise, ASP seems to stick a little closer to the original specs of the guns.

[Rigmarol]

So far I'm the lone vote for the Colt Sig Series.

My reason is when I had a choice between a Pietta and the Colt Sig, I held both and worked the action of both and the Colt Sig was just a massive difference. Smooth and welcoming. Like it was meant to be going home with me. Both had good fit and finish, the Colt Sig was used but well cared for, the Pietta was new so probably needed some smoothing up.

2 months later I found another Colt Sig and snatched it up as a sign from the gun gods that I had done well... LOL.

I also own Uberti and ASM and like them just fine, wouldn't get rid of any of them for now.

[Don]

I like Piettas because that's what I have and I find them reliable. I own one Uberti 1849 Pocket and it has been a PITA with broken hand springs and main springs that go weak after a few months. I'd love to sell or trade it for another Pietta navy in .36. The signature series are out of my price range and I own one ASM 1851 brasser in .44. Its ok but finding spare parts for ASM guns is dang near impossible these days.

Don

[brazosdave]

I dig Pietta, because it's what i own the most of, and I like em.  I have a Uberti Leech & Rigdon,and it's a super pistol, but most of the rest are Piettas and ASM's.  I would love to own an actual Colt, I have heard about the difference in quality, but I'm on a blue collar budget, and I like to have a lot of different guns, so instead of one expensive pistol, I own quite a few nice Italian repros.  I win the lottery, that changes things, lol!

[mike116]

I also own more guns made by Pietta than any other manufacturer.  The reason I have Piettas is that they were the best deal I could find at the time.  I still like my ASM guns the best. The ones made in the mid 1980s seem to me to be better than the Piettas of the same time period.   All the Italian manufacturers have gone through periods of reduced quality.  You just need to evaluate each gun on it's own and determine if it is a good value or not.

[dc7x64]

I could not in good conscious vote before now, but my vote goes to Uberti. Don't take me wrong, I love my 1851 Sheriff .44 no doubt. But the attention to detail and lack of markings all over the gun in conspicuous areas is the Uberti's strongpoint. I am glad both companies are around though because I will choose Pietta for guns I wish Colt had made and Uberti for guns they actually made. Nuff said.

[jaxenro]

Cimarron/Uberti I have 8 of them. Affordable yet shooting them doesn't seriously lower the price like a 2nd Gen but not too cheap

[mazo kid]

I voted 2nd Generation, just because of fit and finish. A very close 2nd is my USFA '73 in 44-40....a thing of beauty but no longer being made. As far as shoot-ability, price, etc, I think Uberti followed by Pietta. I really haven't handled many of the others so can't voice an opinion.