GUN TESTS GRADE: A-

$1134

We won’t call the look two-tone, but the Colt Delta Elite 10mm is a beautiful contrast of finishes. Flat surfaces on the pistol are a smooth, brushed finish with all curved or cast parts showing a bead-blasted look. The lines on the frame and slide delineating the two are sharp and just about perfect.

Action Type	Single action, hammer fired
Overall Length	8.7 in.
Overall Height	5.5 in.
Maximum Width	1.28 in.
Weight Unloaded	35.7 oz.
Weight Loaded	44.3 oz. with 9 rounds 180 grain
Slide Material	Stainless steel
Slide Retraction Effort	28.4 lbs.
Receiver Material	Stainless steel
Finish	Brushed or glass-beaded
Front Strap Height	2.75 in.
Back Strap Height	3.25 in.
Barrel Length	5.0 in.
Grip Thickness (Maximum)	1.28 in.
Grip Circumference	5.3 in.
Magazine	One 8-round
Rear Sight	2-dot Novak low mount
Front Sight	1-dot Novak low mount
Sight Radius	6.4 in.
Trigger-Pull Weight	4.6 lbs.
Trigger Span	3.1 in.
Safety	Thumb, grip, and 80 Series firing pin
Warranty	Non-transferable limited lifetime service
Telephone	(800) 962-2658
Website	Colt.com
Made In	U.S.A., Connecticut

The slide is the standard Government Model profile and should fit just about any normal holster. Sights are black three-dot Novaks, mounted in dovetails. The front sight on our sample measured 0.125 inch wide. That is just a bit narrower than some we have seen lately. We liked the extra light visible around the sight. Seven slanted grooves have been milled into the rear of the slide as cocking serrations. They appear to be angled at about the same 11 degrees John Moses Browning decided on for his grip. The ejection port has been opened and lowered (as compared to earlier models) with a teardrop cut near the extractor, all of which is done to assist in the ejection of loaded rounds and empty brass.

This is an 80-Series 1911, so the firing-pin safety and all the levers that go with that are present. Those parts tend to heavy up the trigger pull and make the movement feel a bit less crisp. They are easy to remove, but we absolutely do not recommend removing or disabling safeties on a firearm. The parts also tend to mate in with usage and the trigger improves. We call it a “1000-round trigger job.”

The barrel has been well fitted and displays no movement when we pressed on the hood of the barrel. The bushing is tight enough that a bushing wrench comes in very handy. The feed ramp on the barrel sports an interesting profile in that it is not symmetric. The ramp is actually relieved a bit higher on the left side than the right. The edge of the chamber throat is a bit sharp but has been opened just a hair at the 6 o’clock position to help ease in the nose of the bullet. The slide returns to battery using a pair of heavy, nested recoil springs. The recoil-spring guide rod was unique to us in that it appeared to be two metal pieces sandwiching a polymer buffer. The interior of the slide was very clean with no visible tool marks. Slide-to-frame fit was excellent with very little lateral movement possible. The extractor hook is internal, as per the original design.

The frame is an example of enough without too much. The beavertail grip safety sits high, is well-rounded and is built up with a good memory pad. The thumb safety is big enough to operate well without being obtrusive. The grip frame was cut up high behind the trigger guard to allow the shooter’s hand to grip as high as possible. The magazine well shows a nice bevel job to help with magazine changes. The front strap is smooth. The mainspring housing is a vertically-serrated polymer unit. The trigger is matte black and made of aluminum. Take up and overtravel were only about 0.125 inch, and required compression averaged 4.6 pounds, with about 0.3-pound standard deviation. The black composite grip panels displayed the black, silver and red Delta medallion. As with the slide, machine work on the frame was very good.

The Delta Elite shot everything we tried to feed it and did so pretty consistently, with all groups averaging less than 2 inches at 15 yards. We think this would be a great handgun to carry on a hunt into the mountains or the brush.

Our Team Said: The Delta Elite did not have all the bells and whistles that the SIG Tacops did. But when we were firing several hundreds of rounds in a day and then finishing with the Buffalo Bore stompers, we were just fine with the Elite’s smooth front strap.

Range Data

Remington 155-grain Hog Hunter	Colt Delta Elite	SIG Sauer Tacops	S&W Model 610	Springfield XD-M 10
Average Velocity	1212 fps	1200 fps	1250 fps	1228 fps
Muzzle Energy	506 ft.-lbs.	495 ft.-lbs.	538 ft.-lbs.	519 ft.-lbs.
Best Group	1.68 in.	1.36 in.	1.65 in.	1.33 in.
Average Group	1.94 in.	1.75 in.	1.85 in.	2.03 in.
MagTech 180-grain FMJ	Colt Delta Elite	SIG Sauer Tacops	S&W Model 610	Springfield XD-M 10
Average Velocity	1214 fps	1193 fps	1231 fps	1210 fps
Muzzle Energy	589 ft.-lbs.	569 ft.-lbs.	606 ft.-lbs.	585 ft.-lbs.
Best Group	1.61 in.	1.49 in.	1.07 in.	1.49 in.
Average Group	1.93 in.	1.80 in.	1.49 in.	1.78 in.
PMC 200-grain FMJ	Colt Delta Elite	SIG Sauer Tacops	S&W Model 610	Springfield XD-M 10
Average Velocity	1011 fps	997 fps	1019 fps	1017 fps
Muzzle Energy	454 ft.-lbs.	441 ft.-lbs.	461 ft.-lbs.	459 ft.-lbs.
Best Group	1.37 in.	0.95 in.	0.57 in.	0.97 in.
Average Group	1.83 in.	1.30 in.	0.77 in.	1.17 in.
Buffalo Bore 220-grain Hard Cast	Colt Delta Elite	SIG Sauer Tacops	S&W Model 610	Springfield XD-M 10
Average Velocity	1189 fps	1166 fps	1236 fps	1200 fps
Muzzle Energy	691 ft.-lbs.	664 ft.-lbs.	747 ft.-lbs.	704 ft.-lbs.
Best Group	1.80 in.	0.95 in.	0.77 in.	1.27 in.
Average Group	1.94 in.	1.19 in.	1.25 in.	1.85 in.

Related Articles

Springfield Armory XD-M 5.25 XDM952510BHCE 10mm Auto
Smith & Wesson Model 610 12462 10mm Auto
SIG Sauer Tacops 1911R-10-TACOPS 10mm Auto