Fusion Firearms Fusion Machining Tolerances

[KS95B40]

Pictured below are my new Colt 1991 Government (L) and my Fusion Govenment GI. I like my new Colt but the tolerances are definitely tighter on the Fusion.

 

[ThePlumber]

Man, that extractor on the Colt leaves a lot to be desired. Disappointing.

 

[KS95B40]

I agree however it is a pretty good shooter.

 

[Fred_G]

Mass production verses custom work...

 

[KS95B40]

Mass production verses custom work...

Except that this Fusion is their most basic offering, a Freedom model Government GI. Hardly a custom.

 

[Fred_G]

Sorry, was not really familiar with Fusion guns. They do offer a "precision gunsmith fitted slide". I have to say they certainly seem to deliver that!

Not to derail your thread, but I think that many of the old gun companies have gotten a bit complacent about quality control.

Did a bit of looking around on their website, they certainly offer a variety of guns at every price level. Interesting.

 

[KS95B40]

Fred, I certainly do agree with you about quality control. I have three Colts, two SAs and a Kimber. This base model Fusion is as good or better than the others, If not in finish (dull matte) then certainly in fit.

 

[WWB]

Colt leave a lot to be desired all around.. This isnt surprising at all to me there are much better values out there then Colt..

 

[Bender]

The Colt 1991 is and always has been Colt’s no frills model. It has zero fitted parts. I feel it is of absolutely no example of anything that can be considered quality.

Fusion has stepped up their game a bit, but I’m still not a fan.

 

[azpoolguy]

That’s an interesting comparison. I always like this stuff as I’ve been exposed to a very small sample of 1911s.

 

[KS95B40]

The Colt 1991 is and always has been Colt’s no frills model. It has zero fitted parts. I feel it is of absolutely no example of anything that can be considered quality.
Fusion has stepped up their game a bit, but I’m still not a fan.

This Colt is a good shooting handgun though. No doubt nowhere near the fit and finish of some, I do think that it is a good gun for the money. Street price around $700.

I have to admit, I do like Colts and have a Commander and a stainless Gov’t. Plus a Challenger, a Police Positive Special, and an Officers Model Target 22.

I like them all.

 

[Bender]

This Colt is a good shooting handgun though. No doubt nowhere near the fit and finish of some, I do think that it is a good gun for the money. Street price around $700.

I have to admit, I do like Colts and have a Commander and a stainless Gov’t. Plus a Challenger, a Police Positive Special, and an Officers Model Target 22.

I like them all.

Oh, I wasn’t trying to say they are crap. Poorly worded. They simply lack the exterior attention that other models get.

 

[KS95B40]

Oh, I wasn’t trying to say they are crap. Poorly worded. They simply lack the exterior attention that other models get.

I will say that my stainless Series 80 (from the mid 80s) looks great, polished flats... however I could not keep a full 7 shot mag on a 12” pie plate at 15 yards. About 10 years ago I fitted an oversized Ed Brown bushing to it. Completely different pistol.

Still not a target gun but 3-4” group at 15 yards.

 

[boatdoc]

I have 2 fusions-- freedom series guns. my gold in 45 aCP is flawless and has similar quality to a DW..honestly

my government in 9mm would be a winner--except no matter how many times I have sent it back+1 trip to alocal gunsmith,...the darn gun still ejects shells at my head. it is better than it was before the work was done... and Tyler Serva has tried 3 x to fix this problem . yet it still ejects some shells at me --thus ruining the fun of shooting it. without the ejection problem..it would be another Fusion winner. I am not sure what to do next to fix the problem...maybe a wilson combat extractor

 

[fieldgrade]

I have 2 fusions-- freedom series guns. my gold in 45 aCP is flawless and has similar quality to a DW..honestly

my government in 9mm would be a winner--except no matter how many times I have sent it back+1 trip to alocal gunsmith,...the darn gun still ejects shells at my head. it is better than it was before the work was done... and Tyler Serva has tried 3 x to fix this problem . yet it still ejects some shells at me --thus ruining the fun of shooting it. without the ejection problem..it would be another Fusion winner. I am not sure what to do next to fix the problem...maybe a wilson combat extractor

My Fusion Freedom series 9mm extractor decided to completely stop extracting after the first two hundred rounds. I mean, leaving brass in the chamber. A friend and I re-tentioned it and that solved the problem, but rather than ask Fusion for another extractor I fit a Wilson Bulletproof and it has run perfectly ever sense. Ejects almost as neat a pile of brass as my Valor. In fact, the Valor is back up to the Fusion for matches.

 

[Babboonbobo]

Never tried a Fusion but my one and only Colt (competition 9mm) is a little loosy goosey but shoots and functions well! No beauty queen but does it’s job.

 

[1986s4]

I have a late 2012 Colt 1991 series .38 Super Auto. Thus far it has at least 8000 rounds down the pipe. it has successfully made it through two 2000 round no new lube, no cleaning tests. The first with factory ammo the 2nd with my reloads, it is on it's 3rd run currently. No issues to speak of, no breakages. The only parts I've replaced are the manual safety and mag release, the rest is still stock. During it's third run I had a blown case head that had to be pounded out. This happened during a match and once cleared I returned to competition, no new lube was applied.
It is accurate enough with the right ammo and extremely reliable despite my abuse. The Colt is a service pistol and made as such and not a custom or semi-custom. I admire customs as much as the next guy but hesitate to compare a mass produced service pistol to a semi or full custom pistol.

 

[KS95B40]

I have a late 2012 Colt 1991 series .38 Super Auto. Thus far it has at least 8000 rounds down the pipe. it has successfully made it through two 2000 round no new lube, no cleaning tests. The first with factory ammo the 2nd with my reloads, it is on it's 3rd run currently. No issues to speak of, no breakages. The only parts I've replaced are the manual safety and mag release, the rest is still stock. During it's third run I had a blown case head that had to be pounded out. This happened during a match and once cleared I returned to competition, no new lube was applied.
It is accurate enough with the right ammo and extremely reliable despite my abuse. The Colt is a service pistol and made as such and not a custom or semi-custom. I admire customs as much as the next guy but hesitate to compare a mass produced service pistol to a semi or full custom pistol.

I’m not comparing my 1991 to a custom 1911. I am just comparing the tolerances between my Colt and the bottom of the line Fusion Freedom Series 1911 that I bought new for $527 OTD at my local FFL’s shop.

 

[KS95B40]

By the way, I currently have six Colts, four semi-autos and two revolvers. And I do like them all

 

[Fotomaniac]

Folks keep comparing apples to oranges when it comes to Colts...as the original manufacturer of the 1911 platform, they have this down to a science. They were designed to function under stressfull dramatic situations...i.e. war. Also one needs to be reminded that the slide has minimal impact on accuracy as long as it locks up correctly when in battery. I have a few loosely goosey Colts that shoot as well or even some better than some of my Uber tight fitted customs. That being said, others out there may have tighter tolerances, but in my experience they also tend to have issues related to same. If you are looking for a good deal, and decent accuracy, then the basic 1991 Colts are great, then if you require more, either pony up for a custom shop variety, or send it out to your fave Smith! YMMV