[Euclidean]

I saw something a little different today. I woke up at 6 AM and treated myself to a lumberjack breakfast at the nearest place I could find that was open and serving pancakes. Hours later, figuring I should excercise but not up to lifting weights or doing pushups, I elected to take a walk to Ye Olde Pawn Shoppe and back.

What I saw that I thought was interesting was a Colt Double Eagle. And to be honest I didn't like it; the trigger was poor and I bet it needs $200 worth of gunsmithing to be truly serviceable. I'll admit it did look pretty good save for the grips and sights needing replacement.

But it intrigued me greatly. It was a single stack .45 ACP and at first I thought it was built on a 1911 frame, but it was a decocker. Think something like the SIG 220 for lack of a better comparison. It looked like a 1911 but it obviously was not.

I will admit it was a very well fitted gun. The controls at least were glassy smooth and the slide glided on the frame like it was greased.

Does anyone know when this was made? I had no idea Colt ever made such a thing.

Does anyone make a similar kind of pistol? I think the SIG 220 is about the closest thing I can think of. Ruger KP345 seems like the modern polymer version and an overall refinement if the same concept.

I have to admit I like the idea of a single stack .45 ACP that's decock only. I guess I'm weird.

 

[The Tourist]

Yeah, it's a Colt Double Eagle. I owned three of them. A .45 ACP, a 10mm Auto, and a Commander version in .40 SW.

Run, do not walk from this gun.

 

[acparmed]

I agree with Tourist This gun was a huge flop from Colt. They wanted to get into the double action market with a 1911 style firearm... and to put it simply their design sucked.

IMHO

 

[Euclidean]

That makes it all the more curious to me. While I think the idea is basically sound, interesting even, I find it strange Colt would be one to approach it. I find it even curiouser that Colt of all companies would screw the pooch.

What did they do? Build a double action pistol on thier 1911 frame instead of starting from the ground up?

 

[The Tourist]

This was Colt's answer to the SOCOM bid for the new .45 ACP pistol. The idea here was that the 'upper end,' being the slide, the lugs and the firing pin et al, could be the same.

It was a Franken-gun when finished. The armed forces wanted the ability to hang silencers, lasers, lights, scopes, etc. on a beast that was invented for the calvary. One picture of the pistol fully loaded with all of the toys made it look like a satire of "The Man From UNCLE" weapons.

They tried to regain the investment cost in marketing a pistol to the public.

They must have made four firearms in total. As I said, I bought three.

http://securityarms.com/20010315/galleryfiles/0200/273.htm

 

[Bumper]

Here's a couple of pictures. There seems to be quite a bit of information when you do a Google search on it. I have to admit I have never heard of this gun.....

 

[rfurtkamp]

One of the other guys at the gun shop carries one. It's an odd bird - I'm not personally very enamored of it as it's apparently VERY picky about ammo.

It's also generally IMO not worth the price shops charge for 'em when they appear.

 

[Euclidean]

Hmmm. What an odd pistol. A failure to be sure but an interesting footnote. I guess if S&W can put the Sigma 380 out on the market then Colt can have the Double Eagle attributed to them in the annals of history.

If anyone else ever finds the concept interesting, for the same cash I looked and you could have yourself either a used Double Eagle or a brand new Sig 220. I'd encourage anyone to pick up the latter.

It seems your only option beyond that is to look at various Ruger models. Functionally, Glocks and the USP might be the same but these generally aren't single stacks or decockers.

 

[rocky]

I think the double eagle was introduced in the early 90's. As said, it was a crappy gun.

 

[Zach S]

I've heard numerous times that the design sucked.

Personally, I think its ugly. Looks too "S&W" to me. Not that I have a problem with smith autoloaders, other than the fact they have crappy triggers, backwards safeties, and of course I think they're ugly.

Based on my limited experiance with the Double Eagle, Para did much better with the LDA. I met a diehard Colt fan you couldnt give one too.

 

[CLASS3NH]

I've heard numerous times that the design sucked.

Personally, I think its ugly. Looks too "S&W" to me. Not that I have a problem with smith autoloaders, other than the fact they have crappy triggers, backwards safeties, and of course I think they're ugly.

Euc? I attempted to divert people from buying that Colt Double Eagle line, due to the poor machining, and fit to finish. I also found that I very good friend of mine, bought one from another Dealer, and afterwards, couldn't get rid of it fast enough. Colt attempted to try their hand at a double action semi-auto, similar to the Smith lines..They (Colt) attempted to make it look like the Seecamp Special 45. It was a disaster. One suggestion is, that if it ever came with a box and all paperwork, and you got it for REAL cheap, then you could do some fine tuning to in on the inside..and try your luck. Place it on Gunbroker or another auction and try your luck if it didn't work out.. BUT.I'd personally stay away from it.
Just my 2 cents :smile:

 

[CLASS3NH]

Guys
If you want one,, here's the link to Kittery trading Post in Maine WWW.KTP.Com .......they have 2 of them 99% finsh....stainless steel.. 695.00 each...one for each side LOL :biggrin:

 

[CLASS3NH]

BTW....One double Eagle is a 4inch bb other is a Officer's 3.25 in BBl 695.00 each at Kittery trading post

 

[KenW.]

Gotta tell you guys, I carried the double eagle as my duty weapon for around 8 years: from academy to the purchase of my kimber. I really did like it. Absolutely 100% reliable, fed and fired everything I could chamber, everytime. All I did to it was put on a slip on grip.

The one thing I did not care for was the transition from the first (long double action) trigger pull to the second (single action).

I'll have it forever. I learned long ago to never, ever get rid of any gun. I've come regret letting some of them go...