Team Colt Spotlight – Mark Redl, Team Captain

Team Colt’s Captain, Mark Redl, is a top-tier pro shooter, consistently winning local, state, and national championships. For the past 15 years, Redl has proudly represented Team Colt. More recently, he became the team’s captain, and together, the group of four action pistol shooters promotes Colt at competitions and training events nationwide. Redl also works as Colt’s manager of R&D Product Testing. He provides valuable product feedback from prototyping through endurance testing—a position that allows lots of trigger time with the next generation of Colt firearms. 

Redl’s shooting disciplines include USPSA (United States Practical Shooting Association), IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association), Steel Challenge, and NRA Action Shooting/ Bianchi Cup, where he competes in 14-16 major (plus several local matches) each year. “I travel a lot as a pro shooter, and I’m fortunate to have a wife who helps me balance my shooting, work, and family life,” added Redl.

In 2022, Redl’s USPSA wins included Florida Open, Limited 10 Champion, Area 6 Championship, Limited 10 Champion, and Battle at the Beach, Single Stack Champion. His IDPA accolades included Rust Belt Regional, Enhanced Service Pistol (ESP) Champion, Potomac Grail, Custom Defense Pistol (CDP) Champion, and New England Regional, Custom Defense Pistol (CDP) High. The 2023 season is underway, and Redl is gunning for more titles this year. 

“I started my competitive shooting with a Colt Combat Elite 1911. Over the years, this pistol has severed me well. It now has over 180,000 rounds through it. I still use it for the occasional match,” Redl said, noting a championship win with it in 2022, “but in the last two years, with the release of the Colt Competition series guns, I’ve switched to the 1911 Gold Cup Trophy as my primary pistol.” Colt competition guns are ready to win right out of the box. “I don’t use aftermarket parts. Colt features high-performance National Match Barrels and American-made parts in its Competition Series pistols.” 

Redl has two pieces of advice for new action pistol shooters. “Buy top quality; you won’t regret it! My Combat Elite is a testament to Colt’s durability. A competition pistol is an investment; with care and regular maintenance, these pistols will last a lifetime.” For a shooter who wants to win, “Learn and practice the fundamentals. The difference between a pro and a novice is the amount of time learning the basics. In competition, you need to focus on the stage, not the mechanics of shooting.” 

Mark Redl loves shooting sports and shares his passion and pro tips with fellow shooters as a member and captain of Team Colt.

Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC (www.colt.com) is among the world’s leading designers, developers and manufacturers of firearms. Founded by Samuel Colt in 1836, Colt’s Manufacturing has supplied civilian, military and law enforcement customers in the United States and abroad for over 185 years. Colt operates its manufacturing facility in West Hartford, Conn.

For more information, please visit 
WWW.COLT.COM