#Colt

I recently returned from black bear hunting in the northern woods of Minnesota (sadly, unsuccessfully). A recurring question I get from non-bear hunters who are scared of those fur-balls is, “what do I carry as a sidearm for protection?” It is an Echelon with 9mm +P+ ammo in it (insert your favorite XYZ full-size 9mm handgun of choice). Black bears simply don’t have the same fiery temperament as their brown bear brethren. I am more scared of a pack of timberwolves picking me off in the dark or a moose curb-stomping my butt into the forest floor. If you live in griz country, you have entirely different concerns than I. You need authentic, red-blooded American, STOPPING POW-AH! So, if you are hunting, hiking, camping, or bird-watching where grizzly bears are present, here are 3 wheelguns that could save your life. 

Colt has brought back the Viper, this time in .357 Magnum, based on what is perhaps the rarest Colt D-frame double-action revolver ever made. This wheelgun was only produced for one year, which may be why you’re scratching your head wondering where it came from in the first place. Let’s take a short trip down memory lane and look at the origins of the Colt Viper.

Welcome everyone to the  TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb below, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article, I decided to do some much-needed and desired maintenance on a gun that was once dubbed “the gunsmith’s best friend” or “gunsmith’s nightmare” depending on where you read. I of course am talking about the contentious Colt 1877 otherwise known as the Lightning (Thunderer for 41 cal or Rainmaker for 32 cal). I have talked about all the little issues, controversies, and real-world happenings of this controversial Colt in a separate Commentary article. Today we are taking it apart, taking a peek, and seeing if we can get this thing closer to the like new condition it deserves. Let’s dive right into Diagnosing and Assessing a Colt 1877 Lightning!

Luke C is back on the floor at NRAAM 20204 talking with Jess from Colt about some of their new revolvers. In addition to a new 8″ long variant of the ever-popular Python line of revolvers, Colt is also re-releasing and updating the compact Viper, and introducing two new Bear-themed revolvers with the new Kodiak and Grizzly magnum revolvers.

The Colt King Cobra is one of the more recent additions to the highly popular lineup of Colt Double Action revolvers. Like all of the other snakes on the plane, the Colt King Cobra features high-quality construction, impeccable mechanical reliability, and all of the sleek lines of the Python, just without the vent rib. While revolvers may not be my most frequently used handguns, I still have a lot of fun shooting them at the range because they’re just cool and very fun to reload and operate. XS Sights has been constantly adding new types of sights and sighting accessories for virtually every platform out there, including Colt’s entire line of revolvers. Today we’ll be discussing some of my recent experiences after getting a chance to test out a Colt King Cobra that featured XS Sights’ Standard Dot Tritium Revolver Night Sights.

There were some snakes in the weeds at SHOT Show 2024, but you had to be looking for them to find one. What we’re metaphorically speaking to is the unveiling of NEW Colt Blued Python offerings in .357 Magnum after a 28-year hiatus. While some people adore the sight of a bright, stainless revolver, I am of the contrarian group that loves me a deep, blued revolver. So, I was quite giddy to see that Blued Python models are now a part of Colt’s portfolio of arms again.

Almost a year after announcing a new series of bolt-action rifles, Colt is growing the lineup with the new CBX Tac Hunter. The new series of CBX bolt-action rifles debuted in January of 2023, and as we told you then, these rifles are directly related to the CZ 600 action. No surprise there, since CZ now owns Colt. Back then, the CBX Precision rifle system paired the CZ 600 action with an MDT chassis, available in either .308 Winchester or 6.5 Creedmoor for your precision shooting pleasure.

Welcome back to another week of Wheelgun Wednesday, and before we jump into it, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone visiting TFB! For those who might be familiar with my participation in Wheelgun Wednesday, I’m addicted to double-action revolvers from Colt and Smith & Wesson like a straight-up junkie. I can’t get enough. Moreover, like a bloodhound on a trail, I am always hunting for more. Colt is definitely a company that you need to “hunt up” their new offerings because they don’t do a great job of updating what is for sale within their portfolio and what appears on their website. They have multiple models of revolvers that have been on the market for years yet are still not displayed on their website. All that being said, Colt has sneakily and rather quietly (yet again) released a new revolver that will likely be more readily available in 2024 than it will be this year. Their newest, soft launch offering is the Colt Python Combat Elite .357 Magnum in a 3″ Stainless Steel barrel.

One of the firearms I have been wanting to own is an affordable belt-fed. Unfortunately, the Fightlite MCR and the FN M249S are out of my price range. However, a Ciener Belt-Fed AR went up for sale last November by Sven of Manticore Arms so I bought it. In this article we will take a close look at Ciener’s Belt-Fed AR and of course, some modifications and upgrades I made to the system.

New Colt Pythons are officially out in the wild as Colt has created 3 new offerings by adding in Hogue grips along with a bead blast stainless finish. The common barrel lengths of 3″, 4.25″, and 6″ are still available in these new Python offerings with a more comfortable choice of a rubber grip as opposed to their walnut grips.

The Slovak Republic has announced plans to procure 5,000 M4A1 carbines from the US. The $17 million procurement will be financed through Foreign Military Financing (FMF), which ‘enables eligible partner nations to purchase US defense articles, services, and training’ through either a US government loan or a grant. The Slovakian Ministry of Defense also shared the announcement in their social media, explaining the benefits of the M4A1. Announcements also noted the carbines would be procured from Colt.

Welcome everyone to the 189th edition of ‘Hot Gat or Fudd Crap?’, one of our many series here on TFB. If you’re new to the series, this is where we look at the most obscure firearms that are actually for sale and ask the question – is this Gat a sweet deal or only has a Fudd appeal?  Each week the TFB staff weighs in with their thoughts, but readers get the final say in the poll at the bottom of each article.

In a surprising move, it appears that Singapore’s Army may have selected the Colt IAR as its new squad/section automatic weapon, replacing the ST Kinetics Ultimax 100. The news comes from a 10-minute video shared on the Singapore Army’s ‘OurSingaporeArmy’ YouTube channel, an official social media outlet for Singapore’s Army.

Looking to add some variety to your gun collection? Well, look no further than the Colt All American 2000 – the gun that’s more American than apple pie and bald eagles combined! Okay, maybe not quite, but this quirky little pistol is definitely worth taking a closer look at. From its unconventional design to its reputation as one of the biggest commercial flops in firearm history, the Colt All American 2000 is an interesting piece from a time when the idea of carrying a polymer-framed handgun was just starting to get a foot in the door. At first glance, the All American 2000 might seem like just another polymer-framed 9mm, but it’s the unique features and story behind the gun’s development and release that really set it apart. For “The Curious Case of the Colt All American 2000 Part 1”, we’ll be taking a look at its history before we dive into a field review after I’ve had some more time to really test the handgun at the range.

Welcome everyone to the 186th edition of ‘Hot Gat or Fudd Crap?’, one of our many series here on TFB. If you’re new to the series, this is where we look at the most obscure firearms that are actually for sale and ask the question – is this Gat a sweet deal or only has a Fudd appeal?  Each week the TFB staff weighs in with their thoughts, but readers get the final say in the poll at the bottom of each article.