By Maestro On 01/25/2009

I believed that I would be getting a great hand gun with the name behind it. When I go to the range it has become common to have it jam up, once every 14 rounds. It jamps so bad that I have to use the range table to disenlodge the bullet. Not sure what I would do in a situation were I would not have a table handy and time to fix the problem.

By Madman On 12/15/2008

Well I got my Defender back in "06. It was a display model, but since the average handler working the pistol is in no way near the stress from actual fire, no biggy. Here's an honest scoop: 1st 150 rounds: flawless 2nd 100 rounds: Firing pin stayed in engaged position. Changed out to Wilson Bullet proof - problem solved. 3rd 100 rounds: Nightmare city. Function was about 3 jams every 10 rounds!! Took it in, Smith throated it, adjusted the extractor tension, and lightly polished the feed ramp. Function: next 100 rounds with three failure to feed. Changed out recoil spring and recoil spring assembly. Back to range. failure agin from a mixture of failure to feed, no extraction, stove pipe, and magazine stickying occurred. Some problems can be attributable to over oiling. Nevertheless, problems. All from a mixture of 230 ball and some 185g HP. All good quality factory loads. Defender back to Colt. Colt informs me frame and barrel need replacement. That the smith screwed up. I agree. Remember, no matter what you read in these reviews, DONT POLISH THE FEED RAMP!! you can't do this on aluminum frame, period according to the Colt factory smith. Period!!! Back to range with the new frame and barrel. 100 rounds produced 3-4 early slide stop engagments. Also, ambidextrous safety I had Colt install became "loose." Back to Colt. Currently: Flawless function. But it took so much effort to get to this point. I love the little bastard and carry it as my CCW in California. But was it worth all the effort? I'd say no. Get a 4 inch barrel Kimber. My CDP Pro II is FLAWLESS in function, right out of the box. Period. I don't know where all these great reviews of the Defender are coming from. Maybe I just had a screwed up one. I don't know. But I do like the little powerhouse and trust it . . . now anyway.

By Independent(R)ealist On 11/19/2008

I owned a Colt Defender afew years ago. I liked the pistol but I ended up parting out with it. Only because I thought after awhile that the full size 1911 seems to function alittle better as far as reliability is concerned.