Robinson
08-10-2019, 05:17 PM
I recently purchased a brand new Colt Special Combat Government pistol, one of which I have been wanting for some time, and wanted to post my impressions so far.
The SCG is a Colt Custom Shop gun, produced in smaller batches throughout each year. It is a Series 80 gun, and at some point it may be replaced by the Custom Competition which is a Series 70 gun. But for now the SCG is still being made although the variants have been reduced. They are available in .45ACP and .38 Super. Mine is a .45 and I bought it from a local dealer for $1565 -- an excellent price for this model.
My example is all stainless, finished with Ion Bond and looks close to a hard chrome finish. If features a Bomar-style adjustable rear sight, 25 LPI checkered front strap and main spring housing, a beavertail grip safety, ambidextrous thumb safety, and a mag well. The grip safety and mag well are nicely fit and both safeties are tuned perfectly for function. The grip panels are G10 VZ Grips. The overall appearance is tasteful and elegant, the fit and finish are superb, and there are no blemishes or imperfections I have found.
I haven't measured yet, but I would guess the trigger at about 4 lbs. The checkered front strap gives nice purchase and it's easy to get a good firing grip. I like Bomar-style rear sights and this one works well, though the plain black front sight can be hard to pick up against a dark background. The slide to frame fit is tighter than many Colts but not so tight as to move away from Colt's build philosophy.
As for what the Custom Shop does in the building of the SCG -- the barrel is hand fit to the pistol, the safeties are also hand fit, and the grip safety looks to be blended to the frame. The mag well and bottom of the grip frame are nicely beveled. Colt's front strap checkering is done by machine, but is some of the best in the business. I like the border they use at the top and bottom of the checkered area.
I have a lot more shooting to do before I can provide a meaningful appraisal of the gun's reliability. So far I have made only one range trip with it, firing a couple hundred rounds of FMJ. There were no malfunctions, as should be expected. Spent cases ejected smartly to the right. The gun is easy to shoot well, and I am likely not a good enough shooter to really take advantage of its accuracy potential.
I will post an update on reliability once I've reached 1000 rounds or so and will try to post some pics in the Gallery section. So far I am quite pleased with the SCG and it is perhaps the best shooting pistol I've owned to date.
The SCG is a Colt Custom Shop gun, produced in smaller batches throughout each year. It is a Series 80 gun, and at some point it may be replaced by the Custom Competition which is a Series 70 gun. But for now the SCG is still being made although the variants have been reduced. They are available in .45ACP and .38 Super. Mine is a .45 and I bought it from a local dealer for $1565 -- an excellent price for this model.
My example is all stainless, finished with Ion Bond and looks close to a hard chrome finish. If features a Bomar-style adjustable rear sight, 25 LPI checkered front strap and main spring housing, a beavertail grip safety, ambidextrous thumb safety, and a mag well. The grip safety and mag well are nicely fit and both safeties are tuned perfectly for function. The grip panels are G10 VZ Grips. The overall appearance is tasteful and elegant, the fit and finish are superb, and there are no blemishes or imperfections I have found.
I haven't measured yet, but I would guess the trigger at about 4 lbs. The checkered front strap gives nice purchase and it's easy to get a good firing grip. I like Bomar-style rear sights and this one works well, though the plain black front sight can be hard to pick up against a dark background. The slide to frame fit is tighter than many Colts but not so tight as to move away from Colt's build philosophy.
As for what the Custom Shop does in the building of the SCG -- the barrel is hand fit to the pistol, the safeties are also hand fit, and the grip safety looks to be blended to the frame. The mag well and bottom of the grip frame are nicely beveled. Colt's front strap checkering is done by machine, but is some of the best in the business. I like the border they use at the top and bottom of the checkered area.
I have a lot more shooting to do before I can provide a meaningful appraisal of the gun's reliability. So far I have made only one range trip with it, firing a couple hundred rounds of FMJ. There were no malfunctions, as should be expected. Spent cases ejected smartly to the right. The gun is easy to shoot well, and I am likely not a good enough shooter to really take advantage of its accuracy potential.
I will post an update on reliability once I've reached 1000 rounds or so and will try to post some pics in the Gallery section. So far I am quite pleased with the SCG and it is perhaps the best shooting pistol I've owned to date.