At the time you tried to contact Colt, they could have been having another money crisis and staff turnover, or a huge contract, or who knows with those folk. A VERY small outfit unknown to most, and everything done in batches, this year it is the railed commander, and try to get ARs, parts, or a full sized 1911, good luck.

Yes, the Mini 14 is my end of the world rifle, for sure. But otherwise, the 6lb CAR or .45-70 short rifle. The Mini is sluggish with 20rd mag as mag well is balance point and very butt heavy when grabbed just fwd. Truthfully the .45-70 the favorite, but the CAR is plastic/aluminum/parkerized and shrugs off daily car bonks and chafing, and no anal wipe down required daily to prevent a rusty fingerprint. The CAR gets a drop of CLP on bolt shank, in carrier vent port, on retracted charging handle, and two on carrier exterior through port, every shooting session or 500rds, cleaned every 3000rds, and has never even slowed, much less bobbled. A sandstorm a different story entire, but a fine civvy world gun.

I love my 1911s as well, they are as reliable or more so than anything else owned, Glock included, but they often suffer same fate as the Mini 14 for same reason. Am getting older and tired of being a pack mule for things owned, a snail with its shell, and as if they own me, and can hardly wait to be shed of stuff when getting home. So, today, lighter and smaller is better, and these daily drivers not intended for passing down, but only to keep me from throwing them out the window of passing car.