Colt Delta Elite Government 10mm 5″ Semi Auto Pistol MFD 1988
SOLD FOR: $1,124.00
LSB#: LSB260627TM040
Make: Colt
Model: Delta Elite, Government Model
Serial Number: DE31085
Year of Manufacture: 1988 / Modern
Caliber: 10mm Auto
Action Type: Single Action, Semi-Automatic with a Detachable Magazine
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “DELTA ELITE” and “COLT AUTO”, with a triangle containing the 10mm designation and a Rampant Colt. The right side is marked “GOVERNMENT MODEL”. The right side of the frame bears Colt’s Hartford address and the serial number “DE31085”. The barrel chamber is marked “CAL. 10MM AUTO”. The grips have red Delta medallions. The magazine floorplate is marked “COLT / 10 MM / AUTO” with the Delta emblem.
Barrel Length: 5″
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a fixed blade with a white dot. The rear sight is a square-notch sight with two white dots, dovetailed into the slide and drift-adjustable for windage.
Grip Configuration & Condition: The grip is black textured wraparound rubber with red Delta medallions on the sides. It has scattered light handling marks and minor wear along the edges. There are no tears or major damage. Overall, the grip is in Very Good condition.
Magazine Quantity & Condition: One blued Colt Delta Elite eight-round magazine is included. It has insertion wear, scattered scratches, and light discoloration on the body. Overall, the magazine is in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original. The beavertail grip safety is aftermarket.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore, but there is a little stubborn fouling. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 96% of its metal finish. There are scattered light scratches and handling marks, with minor edge and contact wear. There are a few spots of minor oxidation and some stubborn dried grease under the grip. An aftermarket beavertail grip safety is installed. The markings are legible. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly.
We did not fire this pistol.
As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: One magazine, described above.
Our Assessment: Colt introduced the Delta Elite in 1987 at a crucial moment for the 10mm Auto. The cartridge had arrived with the ambitious Bren Ten pistol, but that pistol’s manufacturer, Dornaus & Dixon, ceased production in 1986. Its disappearance left the new cartridge with an uncertain commercial future. Colt’s response was to chamber the established Government Model for the 10mm, giving the round the support of a major manufacturer and a pistol design already familiar to generations of Americans. Contemporary reporting captured the significance before the outcome was settled: American Handgunner noted the new Delta Elite in its May/June 1987 issue and anticipated that an American pistol would encourage American ammunition production. Colt was making a consequential commitment to a cartridge still trying to establish itself.
Manufactured in 1988, this example comes from that formative period, just one year after the Delta Elite’s introduction. The “GOVERNMENT MODEL” slide marking and single-column eight-round magazine show how directly Colt tied the new chambering to its longstanding automatic-pistol family. The Delta name and red triangular grip medallions gave the 10mm version a distinct place within that family while its basic layout remained familiar. By late 1989, contemporary accounts were describing a much broader supply of 10mm ammunition and components, with Hornady and other American firms entering a field initially served by Sweden’s Norma. This early Delta therefore represents more than another chambering of the Government Model: it belongs to the period when Colt’s production decision helped turn an uncertain new cartridge into an offering supported across the American firearms industry.