# Colt's Manufacturing Company

> American firearms manufacturer

**Wikidata**: [Q745019](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q745019)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt's_Manufacturing_Company)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/colt-s-manufacturing-company

## Summary
Colt's Manufacturing Company is an American firearms manufacturer founded in 1855 by Samuel Colt. Headquartered in West Hartford, Connecticut, it is renowned for its revolvers, pistols, and military weapons, notably including the iconic M1911 pistol.  

## Key Facts  
- **Founded**: 1855 (inception date: +1855-00-00T00:00:00Z).  
- **Founder**: Samuel Colt (1814–1862), 19th-century American industrialist and inventor.  
- **Location**: West Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, United States (coordinates: lat 41.7385145, lon -72.722959).  
- **Current Ownership**: Operated by and subsidiary of Colt CZ Group, a Czech holding company established in 2013.  
- **Website**: https://www.colt.com/.  
- **Aliases**: Colt Firearms, Colt Manufacturing, Colt, Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company.  
- **Industry**: Classified under business, enterprise, and weapons industry.  
- **Sitelink Count**: 34 Wikipedia/Wikidata entries.  

## FAQs  
**What organizations is Colt's Manufacturing Company affiliated with?**  
It is affiliated with Benjamin B. Hotchkiss, an American engineer (1826–1885), and owned/operated by the Czech holding company Colt CZ Group.  

**Where is Colt's Manufacturing Company based?**  
Headquartered in West Hartford, Connecticut, within the United States.  

**What is the company's primary industry?**  
It operates within the weapons industry, specializing in the manufacture of firearms, revolvers, pistols, and military technology.  

**Who founded the company?**  
Samuel Colt, a 19th-century American industrialist and inventor (1814–1862), established the company.  

## Why It Matters  
Colt's Manufacturing Company revolutionized the firearms industry through Samuel Colt's innovations in revolvers and interchangeable parts, enabling mass production. Its M1911 pistol served as the U.S. Army's standard service weapon for 74 years (1911–1985), influencing modern handgun design. The company's legacy persists in its iconic models (e.g., Python, Walker) and continued military contracts, underscoring its enduring impact on global weapon development and industrial history.  

## Notable For  
- Pioneering mass-produced revolvers like the Colt Walker (1847) and Colt Single Action Army (1872).  
- Designing the M1911 pistol, the U.S. Army’s longest-serving standard sidearm.  
- Creating specialized models such as the Colt Buntline (long-barreled revolver variant) and Colt Python (.357 Magnum revolver).  
- Innovating military technology, including the M1895 Colt-Browning machine gun and M203 grenade launcher.  
- Developing cartridges like the .38 Super and .41 Long Colt.  
- Affiliations with historical figures like Samuel Colt and Benjamin B. Hotchkiss.  

## Body  
### History  
Founded in 1855 by Samuel Colt, Colt's Manufacturing Company originated in West Hartford, Connecticut. Colt (1814–1862), a key industrialist and inventor, established the enterprise to commercialize his revolver designs. The company evolved through ownership transitions, including its current incorporation under the Czech holding company Colt CZ Group (established 2013).  

### Founders and Key People  
- **Samuel Colt**: Primary founder, 19th-century American industrialist and inventor (1814–1862). He held occupations including industrialist, inventor, and entrepreneur.  
- **Benjamin B. Hotchkiss**: Affiliated engineer (1826–1885), contributing to firearm design and industrial collaborations.  

### Product Lineup  
Colt's portfolio includes hundreds of firearm models, categorized as follows:  
#### Revolvers  
- **Historical Models**: Colt Paterson (first commercial revolver, 1836), Colt Walker (1847), Colt Dragoon Revolver, Colt 1851 Navy Revolver, Colt M1877, Colt M1878, Colt M1889, Colt Open Top, Colt Army Model 1860, Colt M1861 Navy, Colt Single Action Army (1872), Colt New Service, Colt Detective Special (1927), Colt Buntline (variant of Single Action Army), Police Positive, New Police Revolver, Trooper (1953), King Cobra.  
- **Modern Models**: Python (.357 Magnum), Diamondback, CM901.  

#### Pistols  
- **Semi-automatic**: M1911 (standard U.S. Army pistol 1911–1985), Model 1908 Vest Pocket, Double Eagle, Delta Elite, Commander, M1902, 2000.  
- **Competitor Relations**: Luger pistol (German semi-automatic pistol, 1898) and Smith & Wesson Model 10 (service pistol, 1899) are noted as related entities.  

#### Rifles and Carbines  
- **Assault Rifles**: M16, M231 Firing Port Weapon, AR-15–style rifle (based on Colt AR-15 design).  
- **Battle Rifles**: Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle, CM901.  
- **Light Rifles/Carbines**: M4 (carbine), Colt Commando, Colt Lightning Carbine.  
- **Semiautomatic Rifles**: Armalite AR-15.  
- **Repeating Rifles**: Colt revolving rifle.  

#### Machine Guns and Automatic Weapons  
- **Machine Guns**: M1895 Colt-Browning, M1918 Browning automatic rifle, MG 34 (general-purpose machine gun).  
- **Submachine Guns**: Colt 9mm SMG.  

#### Grenade Launchers  
- M203 (40 mm under-barrel grenade launcher), XM148 (1964).  

#### Ammunition  
- **Designed Cartridges**: .38 Super, .41 Long Colt.  
- **Related Cartridges**: .380 ACP (designed by John Moses Browning).  

### Location and Operations  
- **Headquarters**: West Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. (inception: 1854).  
- **Coordinates**: 41.7385145°N, -72.722959°W.  
- **Operational Scope**: Manufactures personal firearms (revolvers, pistols, rifles) and military equipment, contributing to the global weapons industry.  

### Ownership and Subsidiaries  
- **Parent Company**: Colt CZ Group (Czech holding company, founded 2013).  
- **Subsidiary Status**: Colt's Manufacturing is listed as a subsidiary of Colt CZ Group.  
- **Employee Data**: Colt CZ Group employs 1,619–2,181 personnel across its operations.  

### Affiliations and Industry Context  
- **Industry**: Weapons industry (manufacturing weapons and military technology).  
- **Affiliations**: Benjamin B. Hotchkiss (engineer).  
- **Classifications**: Business, enterprise, subsidiary company.  

### Related Products and Entities  
- **Competitor Products**: Smith & Wesson Model 10 (service pistol), Luger pistol.  
- **Military Standards**: M1911 pistol (U.S. Army service 1911–1985), M4 carbine.  
- **Prototype Models**: Colt ACR.  
- **Legacy Models**: Colt Walker (1847), M1917 revolver (1917), Mk 12 (20 mm autocannon).  
- **Key Dates**: Colt Walker (1847), M1918 Browning (1917), M1917 revolver (1917), Detective Special (1927), XM148 (1964), Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle (2001).  

### Technical Innovations  
- **Revolutionary Designs**: Interchangeable parts, revolving cylinder mechanisms.  
- **Caliber Variants**: Specialized cartridges like .38 Super and .41 Long Colt.  
- **Military Adaptations**: M203 under-barrel grenade launcher, M231 Firing Port Weapon for armored vehicles.  

### Global Reach  
- **Operations**: U.S.-based with subsidiaries under Czech ownership (Colt CZ Group).  
- **Market Impact**: Models like the M1911 and Python remain globally recognized, influencing firearm design and military procurement.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.coltczgroup.com/en/media-press-releases/czg-ceska-zbrojovka-group-se-announces-closing-of-the-acquisition-of-colt)
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013