Colt Facts

  1814   Samuel Colt was born on July 19 to Christopher and Sarah Caldwell Colt.
  1836   Sam Colt issued U.S. Patent #138 on February 25; Patent Arms Manufacturing Company established, Paterson, New Jersey.
  1842   Patent Arms Manufacturing Company closed.
  1847   Colt resumed manufacture of firearms and the .44 caliber, 6-shot Walker is introduced. Colt started his own factory on Pearl Street.
  1851   Colt exhibition at London’s Crystal Palace Exposition
  1853   Colt’s London factory established.
  1855   New Hartford factory completed.
  1856   Col. Colt married Elizabeth Hart Jarvis on June 5.
  1858   Colt’s only surviving heir, Caldwell Hart Colt, Born November 24.
  1862   Samuel Colt died January 10; Elisha Root elected President to succeed Colt.
  1864   Major part of the Armory destroyed by fire February 4.
  1865   R.W.H. Jarvis (Colt’s brother-in-law) elected President after Root’s death.
  1866   Publication by Mrs. Colt of “Armsmear.”
  1873   Introduction of the Single-Action revolver.
  1876   Colt firearms displayed at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition.
  1889   Colt entered the modern era with it’s first double-action with a swing-out cylinder, the Model 1889.
  1894   Caldwell Hart Colt died on Jauary 21.
  1897   John M. Browning issued Patent #580924 - the basis for most of Colt’s automatic pistols.
  1901   Mrs. Colt sold the Armory.
  1905   Elizabeth Colt died on August 21.
  1936   The Great Flood - Robert Courtney and other employees saved the shipping ledgers, dating back to the 1860’s, by moving them to an upper floor.
  1947   Name changed to Colt’s Manufacturing Company; 1861 Colt building torn down.
  1955   Penn-Texas Corporation takes over and the name is changed to Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company.
  1961   Commemorative firearms series introduced.
  1964   Corporation name changed to Colt Industries. The Rampant Colt logo is dropped and a circular device representing a machine tool gear was adopted for the corporation.
  1976   Custom Gun Shop established.
  1981   East Armory vacated and offices moved to West Hartford.
  1986   Colt’s 150th Anniversary; Colt Historian M.S. “Marty” Huber celebrated his 50th Anniversary with Colt Firearms.
  1986   Union employees’ strike lasts almost three years.
  1988   Loss of government contract for the M-16 rifle.
  1989   The Firearms Division of Colt Industries sold to new investors - C.F.Holdings Corporation; name changed to Colt’s Manufacturing Company, Inc.
  1990   Company sold to a coalition of private investors, the state of Connecticut and the union employees. Company renamed Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC. The 4 year UAW strike ends. New product line introduced; Double Eagle double action pistol, Anaconda .44 Magnum double action and a redesigned Sporter rifle.
  1992   Colt enters Chapter 11. Litigation commences between Colt's Manufacturing Company, Inc. and C. F. Intellectual Properties.
  1993   Colt .22 Automatic introduced; along with the M-4 rifle.
  1994   In May, the Hartford Armory closes and the entire company relocates to their West Hartford facility. Colt is awarded sole contract to supply nearly 19,000 of the new M-4 carbines to the U. S. Army and to joint Special Forces personnel. In September, a new group of investors purchases the company and Colt emerges from bankruptcy.
  1995   Colt unveils "The Last Gun," which is a Single Action Army produced in the Hartford Armory. The commercial product line adds the new .22 Target pistol, the Colt Match Target rifle and the Colt .38 SF-VI revolver. The Colt Target .22 pistol is named "Handgun of the Year" by the Shooting Industry Academy. The military side of the company wins another contract to produce in excess of 16,000 M-4 rifles. Colt begins work with the National Institute of Justice on the development of "Smart Gun" technology.
  1996   Colt teams with the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association and introduces a single action revolver named "The Legend" to the market.
  1997   Colt wins a new government contract for 6,000 M-4 carbines. New introductions to the commercial product line are: the Pony double action pistol, 3” Defender Carry pistol, and the DS II revolver. The Colt Custom Gun Shop introduces the Python Elite revolver and the Gold Cup Trophy pistol.
  1998   Colt wins a new government contract in excess of 32,000 M-16 rifles. Complimenting this is a contract to update 88,000 M-16A1 rifles to the A2 configuration for the U. S. Air Force. Colt acquires Saco Defense, a Maine-based company specializing in automatic weapons for the military.
  1999   Colt begins the year with a backlog of military/carbine orders amounting to approximately 59,000 units. This includes orders for exclusive production of the M-4 carbine extending through the year 2010. Commercial acquires Ultra Light Arms, Inc. that puts Colt back in the sporting rifle business. The Colt Custom Gun Shop completes a pair of highly engraved and gold inlaid Dragoon revolvers.