Quick History
The FBI wanted a more potent round for its agents after the famous 1986 shootout in Miami. While the bureau eventually concluded that the recoil of the 10mm was too excessive for widespread issue to its agents, many in the shooting community were keenly interested in the new round.
The 10mm’s 180-grain bullet provides around 700 foot-pounds of energy while still remaining slimmer and lighter than .45 ACP. Famously designed by Col. Jeff Cooper, it combined a heavy bullet and high velocity with a slimmer cartridge to add capacity.
Related: Why 10mm Refuses to Go Away … and We’re Glad
The usual, well-covered FBI history aside, the 10mm really grew its roots in law enforcement and hunting. The cartridge is still used for hunting hogs and deer, but it’s also generally considered to be one of the few semi-auto handgun calibers capable of taking on an angry bear in the woods. All that naturally translates into potent man-stopping power for law enforcement and self-defense needs.
The Delta Elite 1911 harnesses the capacity potential and power of 10mm into a firearm with a manageable size and weight. Other than its 10mm chambering, the gun is virtually identical to its .45 ACP and 9mm counterparts.
Specs & Features
The Delta Elite offers familiar features and controls for fans of 1911s, with an extended beavertail, skeletonized hammer and trigger, polished flats, matte rounded edges, Gold Cup wide serrations, and a Series 80 trigger.
The pistol is as classy as any other Colt and wears its distinctive Delta Elite engraving on the slide and red triangles on the grips.
Over the years, it has seen a few changes, most notably the departure from my beloved Commander/ring hammer. However, there was also the welcome upgrade to an extended beavertail. Frankly, the only thing missing from this one is front strap checkering, which would really be helpful on a gun that has a little more zip to it.
An eight-round magazine keeps the pistol’s dimensions nice and slim. It does so while still providing an additional round when compared to a standard 1911 with a flush-fit magazine in .45 ACP. The gun is not ambidextrous, but the extended beavertail eliminates the hot spot on the GI-type models, making it much more comfortable.
I found this model in the Guns.com Certified Used Collection. Overall, the gun came in very good shape, with some minor cosmetic wear from past use. It included three magazines and the original Colt blue box.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the basic specs:
Caliber: 10mm
Capacity: 8+1
Weight: 2.2 pounds (empty)
Height: 5.1 inches
Length: 8.25 inches
Trigger Pull: 4.6 pounds
At 2.2 pounds empty, the extra weight of the Delta Elite reduces the felt recoil and helps you remain on target. The 10mm round has historically been tough on parts, regardless of the platform. Thus, additional maintenance may be required with any 10mm 1911, which is just something to be aware of as a 10mm shooter.
Personally, I love the 1911 design, so having one with a greater capacity and the power to stop a grizzly is exceptional. The gun doesn’t feel or handle any differently than my other 1911 pistols.
Range Report
To get a few different data points, I started with 50 rounds at 7 yards to help understand my hits and get used to the gun a bit. I then moved to 50 rounds at 10 yards and 50 rounds up close at 5 yards for a few “Bill Drills” and faster shooting. To finish off the day, I pushed to 15 yards for two mags and a total of 18 rounds. Finally, I brought it back to 10 yards to see if I had learned the pistol and how it shot for me.
Some argue that the Series 80 trigger system ruins the crisp, clean trigger that makes a 1911 great. They suggest the extra parts and safety mechanism create a little extra heft and creep. I would have to agree, especially since my normal 1911s are mostly custom-tuned guns. That meant I had to get accustomed to the trigger.
You can see a few of my shots spreading wide left and high. That was caused by me squeezing a bit too hard in anticipation of additional kick – which wasn’t really there – and a little extra poundage in the trigger weight. I ran one mag in about 3.5 seconds, and all but one of the shots landed in the black ring. The single flier was caused when I overcompensated for recoil.
It’s been about 2 years since I’ve shot 10mm, but I recall how accurate my last 10mm handgun shot. That gun has an integrated comp, but the Delta eats up recoil just the same, which made it quite pleasant to shoot. I felt myself gripping too tightly in anticipation, rather than managing the recoil and pressing the trigger. That said, the accuracy was on display at times, with some groups being quite tight. For my first two mags at distance, I landed six out of 18 shots in the bullseye at 15 yards.
This particular Delta Elite seemed to be zeroed for a point of impact at about 15-20 yards. It took a few boxes before I realized that. The Novak’s three-dot white sights work, but they aren’t as intuitive as the blackout rear with a hi-vis front sight that I prefer.
I experienced five malfunctions, two of which were cartridges that jammed at an angle with the feed ramp and required quite a bit of force to clear. I think a little cleaning and different magazines would go a long way to prevent that since I took this used gun straight to the range.
When I did get into a rhythm while shooting, I was putting up decent self-defense groups. That included a few 2-inch groups at 10 yards while shooting moderately fast. Interestingly, things tightened up when I shot faster. It left less time to think, and my shooting fundamentals took over. I performed four simple “Bill Drills” by firing six rounds quickly into a standard IDPA target. At 5 yards, most of these shots were in about a 6-inch circle. As far as self-defense shooting goes, I was quite satisfied with that performance.
Honestly, I wanted to keep shooting because I liked the improvement I was seeing. For many, 200 rounds of 10mm would cause fatigue, but I realized by the end that my hands felt fine. This gun is a well-balanced 1911 that absorbs recoil and is inherently accurate, even while shooting a round that packs a major punch.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Familiar 1911 design
- Heavy, in a good way
- Low felt recoil
- Accurate
- Trigger can be tuned and is still better than most striker-fired pistols
- Classic and historic firearm
Cons:
- Heavier than normal trigger
- Some ammo pickiness and feeding issues at times
- No front serrations
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Not my preferred sights
Final Thoughts
The Colt Delta Elite is a 1911 that has become synonymous with the 10mm cartridge. It combines a beautiful and timeless design with raw power. The design tames recoil, offers a decent capacity, and provides fine accuracy. It’s a rare combination for a gun that is also handsome.
The Delta Elite will need a little TLC, but it is still one of the classics if you are looking to hop into a 10mm platform. After this experience, it just moved up the list for me and will eventually be the 10mm pistol I add to my collection.
Nearly 40 years later, the Delta still stands as one of the premier 10mm options on the market.
