Store has a Series 90 that came in a couple days ago. A couple of small scratches by the slide stop. Grips have no chips or cracks. Mechanically appears to be lightly used.

Opinions please. I’m thinking about trading in a Glock 19 Gen 3 circa 2007 and a Springfield Armory WWII model circa 2005 that I haven’t fired in probably a long time. The Springfield was a learning tool for 1911’s that received some internal polishing, a few Wilson Combat parts and a set of Novak low mount sights.

Does anybody have some real world experience with one of these Double Eagles?

quote:

Originally posted by shovelhead:
Store has a Series 90 that came in a couple days ago. A couple of small scratches by the slide stop. Grips have no chips or cracks. Mechanically appears to be lightly used.

Opinions please. I’m thinking about trading in a Glock 19 Gen 3 circa 2007 and a Springfield Armory WWII model circa 2005 that I haven’t fired in probably a long time. The Springfield was a learning tool for 1911’s that received some internal polishing, a few Wilson Combat parts and a set of Novak low mount sights.

Does anybody have some real world experience with one of these Double Eagles?

Kind of a “C” level collectible and a pretty bad gun. Had a couple back in the day.

Don’t waste your time. Colts of that day weren’t any good to begin with and the Double Eagle was no exception

Not sure what interests you about the Double Eagle, but by all reports they're fairly terrible.

There's a reason that production barely lasted 8 years.

They're not common, but that's because they're bad, not because they're desirable collectibles.

If you want a single stack DA/SA .45 from that era, keep an eye out for a S&W 4506 instead.

quote:

Originally posted by bac1023:
Don’t waste your time. Colts of that day weren’t any good to begin with and the Double Eagle was no exception

Still, not quite as bad as the Colt All American from that same era...

*shudder*

Agree. I had a stainless Double Eagle. I don’t recall any particular problems with mine but I grew to dislike it quickly. Kind of a half-assed Rube Goldberg design. I’d say your upgraded Springfield is by odds a better gun, unless you’re just looking for an oddity.

Keep the Springfield.

quote:

Kind of a half-assed Rube Goldberg design.

The trigger linkage, with an E-clip visible and moving even with the grips - which are supposed to cover the linkage - in place never inspired confidence.

Have you held it, or better yet, dry-fired (if permissible) it? The trigger's odd angle looks like a finger-pincher.

Traded for one when they first came out. Horrendous trigger. Had it for about a month, then traded it for a 4506. Unless you are looking for an oddball, keep the Springfield.

If you think the trigger reach of the CZ75 was long, wait until you get a hold of this POS.

Well the SA/DA did intrigue me….

Its a single stack stainless frame DA/SA 45 with a decocker.

When I first started working annual qualifications, there were a few around. It was an awful gun, mediocre reliability, an awful triggerand the trigger bar is held in (or protected) by a weird extended grip.

The Sig P220 was a similar description(8 shot 45 DA/SA with a decocker), except that it was lighter, more accurate, absolutely reliable and cheaper.

Whenever anyone looks at your gun and says "throw away that POS and get a Ruger P90" you should reflect on your choices.

I like the idea of a Smith & Wesson for a "big ol' hunka steel" DA/SA .45. A "second generation" 645 for that Sonny Crockett/Miami Vice feel, or a 4506. For a "funky-looking" vibe, the 645's "old-fashioned" wood grips and the right side safety lever held on with an obvious Phillips screw, fits the bill. There were some odd and somewhat rare variations of the full-size .45 as well.

Like others have said, I would pass on it. They are neat but that's about it. I agree with getting a S&W 4506 or 645 if you want a da/sa .45 as they run great and am sorry I sold my 4506. The Colt had some issues and trying to find parts for it can be a challenge.

quote:

posted by RogueJSK: [picture of All-American 2000]

The way gun scribblers played it up when it first came out, you'd think it was the Second Coming of Christ. It was a departure for the time, especially coming from Colt. IIRC it had a rotating barrel lockup, still not common even today.

I see them turn up from time to time at gun shows, much more so than the Double Eagle in fact. I imagine the sellers have had them for a while. In the second or third Naked Gun movie, there was a restaurant decorated in a "disaster" theme, with paintings on the wall depicting the Titanic sinking, the Hindenburg explosion ... and Michael Dukakis in his tanker helmet. This is the only kind of Colt collector I could see it appealing to. The prices they were asking (mid fives to mid sixes) would at least take it out of play for the "newbie" gun buyer.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:

quote:

posted by RogueJSK: [picture of All-American 2000]

The way gun scribblers played it up when it first came out, you'd think it was the Second Coming of Christ.

Sure. Pay the gun rags enough, and they'd say whatever you want. But the truth about how terrible the pistol was would come out eventually, once it hit the hands of actual buyers.

Ok, talked out of it.

Probably just as well. I only know of two in my circle of acquaintances.
One was a jewel, reliable with a DA as light and smooth as any SIG. Its only fault was the 3.6" OACP barrel that the owner did not like.
I have not shot the other, all I know is that the owner has amassed a lot of stuff for it, including 10mm parts. He was reconverting it to stock condition recently.

Until Colt made some fixes and started selling the Double Eagle Mark II, some vital springs were only retained by one of the fragile grip panels. Colt didn't pick up any law enforcement market share with that honker.

Double Eagle pretty bad, Double Eagle II pretty good. Several very positive changes made in the upgrade. Plus the II's where chambered in 45, 10mm ,40, 38, and 9mm, and in government, commander, and officer sizes. Would lover to find one of the "never seen by many" 10mm commanders. I think the fanfare before the original release and its terrible failure doomed the model from then on.

I had two, the full size and the Commander size. Didn't have either long, and Novak's worked on the Commander, but I still disliked it. It was gonna be on the cover of one of the Gun Mags, Novak's told me, but the discontinuance of the Double Eagle stopped that.

Sold it to a guy locally and never saw it again. My late FFL labeled it the "Double Turkey."

Bob

It was so bad that Colt turned to CZ to design their next SA/DA pistol, which was the Colt Z40