Variant 1 Blued – a standard blued Delta Elite.
A Delta Elite on display at the National Firearms Museum. This was quickly addressed by removing the section of the rail above the slide-stop cutout. Some of the very first Delta Elites had a tendency to suffer flex-induced slide rail stress cracks. Many gunsmiths have their own modifications which they feel adjust the level of felt recoil of the Delta Elite. Unlike the, the 10mm can easily exceed the pressure levels of the, thus stressing the original design's limitations, unless care is given. However, the Delta Elite carries a stiffer double recoil spring to handle the increased recoil of the 10mm round. It carries the rowel ' type hammer of that pistol and the same overall features of the 1911 that have made it so popular with users.
The new Delta Elite pistol was released March 31, 2009.ĭesign The Delta Elite is a standard M1911 design, with a few minor differences from the latest Series 80 derivative of that pistol. That was the cause of the delay in the Delta Elite's production schedule. Colt Customer Service stated they had a lack of acceptable accuracy problem with the 'bull' bushingless barrel setup. The 'new' Delta Elites will be manufactured with the traditional barrel/bushing arrangement. This new generation is generally similar to the previous version. The ill-fated sparked a genuine interest in the round with outdoorsmen and as a defense round.The pistol was dropped from production in 1996 due to lackluster sales and the availability of smaller pistols with higher magazine capacities chambered in.Colt announced the re-introduction of the Delta Elite at the 2008 SHOT Show. Contents.History The Delta Elite is credited as being the first firearm produced by a major manufacturer to chamber the 10mm. The stainless steel Government Model version has recently been reintroduced.Released in 1987, it was the second commercial pistol chambered in the 10mm cartridge, following the manufactured pistol, which was released in 1983 and pioneered the 10mm Auto chambering. A Delta Gold Cup model was also offered for target competition. Colt manufactured both stainless steel and blued versions with eight-round magazines. It is similar to the M1911 in design and operation. Effective)Feed system8+1 detachable-box magazineSightsFixed ironThe Colt Delta Elite is a modified, Series 80 configuration, chambered for the. The new Bruin would be a very nice hunting sidearm, with a longslide buying you an extra 25-50 fps and an inch less drop at 100 yards.Colt Delta EliteTypePlace of originUnited StatesService historyIn serviceVarious Sheriffs and Law Enforcement on the United States borderProduction historyDesignerbased on a designDesigned1987No. builtUnknownVariantsBlued, Stainless, Enhanced, 10/40, Bright StainlessSpecificationsMass2.437 lb (1,105 g) empty, w/ magazineLength8.25 in (210 mm)length5.03 in (127 mm),Approximately 405 m/s (1330 ft/s)Effective firing range60 m, 100 m (max. If not, save some money on a RIA, or look hard at a Dan Wesson. If you gotta have a Colt, then buy what your heart desires. If I aim at the top of a milk jug at 100 yards I get consistent center hits on the jug. I have found this to be very true with my 10's. This is with a 200 grain XTP moving 1250 fps at the muzzle.
At 50 yards you would be down 1", at 100 yards down 8". Especially since the factory sites will likely be regulated to 25 yards. In the 1500 range you can get into a Dan Wesson or STI, both of which are far better guns than the Delta Elite.Įvery 1911 10mm on the market but Colt offers a fully ramped barrel with adequate chamber support for the hottest 10mm loads.Īs far as the need for adjustable sites for shooting out to 30 yards. They have worked with every single member to correct any issue they have had, and one very capable forum member (gunsmith) said his Rock has "bullseye type" accuracy. In addition, the experience of forum members here is that Rock Island is working very hard to showcase the capability of their guns. In fact, several of the boutique makers put warnings on their ammo that it is not safe in the Delta Elite. The Delta Elite lacks the barrel support to safely shoot the hottest 10mm ammo on the market. Unless there is a very big reason you have to have the Colt brand, there are far better options in a 10mm 1911 than a Delta Elite.