70 series vs 80 colt 1911

Also, there are no series 70 colt commanders, just commanders made in the 70s. Colt no longer manufactures 1911s with the swartz safety. Numrich has been supplying new and used parts since 1950, and has the experience that you need when ordering your 1911 series 70 parts or schematic. Colt brought this back a while back along with a lot of people referring to any 1911 that did not have the anti lawyer pin block as 70 series. The series 80 iswas the term used to refer to a number of modifications made to the firing mechanism of the colt 1911 pistol. I prefer the 70 myself but still own a series 80 colt.

Some claim that this addition makes for a heavier trigger pull. Colt s manufacturing company firearms, handguns, pistols, rifles, revolvers. The term commander came about in late 1949early 1950 and all had an alloy aluminum frame. The series 70 and pre series 70 pistols barrel, are not compatible with the series 80 pistol s barrel. The colt 1911 has 2 types of manual safety standard and ambidextrous. That 100 year rollstamp is gonna add another hundred or so. What firearm manufacturers other than colt make a 1911 with. Story time with jerry miculek the worthless 1911 guide rod and being tacticool duration. We put some research into this video and put it together for you. Jancguns comparison of the colt series 70 vs the series 80 1911 s. Feb 25, 2009 what this means is that designwise most of them share commonality with the pre series 70 guns, using neither the firing pin block nor the collet bushing. Tjs 1911 series 80 to series 70 conversion shims frame slot filler replace the gap used by the colt series 80 firing pin block actuating levers when removed by gunsmiths for crisper trigger pulls. Colt released an updated design of their fullsize 1911 pistol in the 1970s hence the name which consisted of a.

Series 80 on left, series 70 collet on right first a small bit of history. Your 80 series is every bit as good as a 70 series. What this means is that designwise most of them share commonality with the pre series 70 guns, using neither the firing pin block nor the collet bushing. Nov 29, 2015 series 80 on left, series 70 collet on right. However, the colt and the ruger are the two 1911 s that i have chosen. Some earnestly look specifically only for a series 70 1911 and want to avoid the series 80 firing pin safety system and modifications at all costs. Its a major difference to 1911 fans, with many preferring the older 70 series for competition guns. This was years ago so the remorse is mostly passed but as i look toward my next 1911 im trying to decide if i really even care between series 70 and series 80. Ive since repeated my experiment see video below on sidebyside comparisons between probably half a dozen new series 70 colts and the current line of series 80. Find the colt 1911 series 70 parts that youve been looking for to complete your repair project. Ive wanted a colt 1911 for a long long time, now i wonder if i need to look for. The video uses the description to distinguish between the 1911 before and after the extra parts were added.

My colt is a series 80 and of course the ruger a series 70. The biggest change in the series 80 is the firing pin block. Should you buy or modify a series 80 or series 70 1911 pistol. Mar 28, 2017 the markings between the two pistols are also obviously different, although they both sport the colt name and logo. The 1911 i have with the stiffest trigger that i currently own is a colt series 80. Usa hellomy name is don, and i have a 1911 problem. Colt merely used the series 70 designation with the new guns as a means of identifying all pistols not using the firing pin safety system. With the previous paragraph in mind, it is important to know that from 1983 until 1988 the early government model and gold cup series 80 pistols used the series 70 type barrel and bushing as well.

The collet bushing was replaced with the solid bushing and the phase out was completed around 1988. Money talks and other manufacturers started offering what the buyer wanted. It did not take long after the 80 series hit for many to dislike it. Because of this it is important to remember that only colt series 80 models, and a couple of clone 1911 makers use a firing pin block. Tell us if we missed anything or if you would like. Sell your colt 1911 series 70 for free today on gunsamerica. In an attempt to improve the accuracy of the standardissue weapons. Alpo is correct in that, colt came out with the series 70 and series 80. It features fixed sights, all metal frame, singleaction only trigger. My prized colt is a 80 series built by paul liebenberg when he ran pachmayr gun works. Series 80 i noted that the trigger was not all it was cracked up to be my colt 1911 enthusiasts. Some complain that it is harder to put together but i do not think it is a big deal. First 1911 colt competition 70 series the leading glock.

This gun is in excellent condition and is covered by durys lifetime warranty. As stated above changing a 80 series to a 70 series isnt a big deal if you really feel the need. In effect, the return to the pre series 80 system at colt is a return to the series 70 style guns and earlier m1911a1s. As was noted a good gunsmith can give you an excellent trigger. Autoloaders started by combatarmsusaf, jan 27, 2010. Colt s series 70 trigger put to the test series 70 vs. Colt series 70 model o the firearms forum the buying. Jan 29, 2018 in my second article on the current series 70 see. Thankfully colt chose to use the small slide legend of the late 70 searly 80 s guns, and not the huge, ugly billboardsized rollmarks of the first series 70 pistols. Series 80 extractor can be used in both 70 or 80, the same cant be said for a 70 extractor.

Are springfield 1911s series 70 or series 80 clones. Dont drink the kool aid about them there is a lot of bad information about these pistols being unreliable and having terrible triggers. Its a 9mm so i know the purists will argue if its a 1911, but its a 1911 to me. So a 70 is gonna be at least a hundred more than an 80.

These updates were added in 1983 and were dubbed the series 80 since the previous revision to the base model gun was similarly dubbed the series 70. Initially the 1911 had a half cock feature that incorporated hooks on the hammer. What do i want to get if there are still series 70. The series 70 is just about a 1911a1, which was just a product improvement of brownings 1911 design.

Colt national match pistol is this the best 1911 colt. Originally, only 1911 government frames had the series 70 collet. Series 70 vs 80, the difference is more than you think. You may have heard about the series 80 1911 pistols, and heard people. Colt 1911 mk iv series 70 chambered in 45 acp with a 5 inch barrel bright bore and good grooves. This was the out cry of the traditional series 70 crowd in the early days of internet who were just.

Most 1911 fans dont like the series 80 series ii safties as it is one more thing that can break, and requires the gun to be disassemnled a little differently. All models have a manual slide safety lock and a grip safety to ensure that the gun is safe until it is fired. At a glance, it looks pretty much just like any other colt 1911. Are springfield 1911 s series 70 or series 80 clones.

Ive since repeated my experiment see video below on sidebyside comparisons between probably half a dozen new series 70 colts and. The m1911, also known as the colt government or government, is a singleaction. They all have about the same round count and are completely stock. Colt in the early 1970s introduced a new variation of the 1911a1 pistol called the series 70 model, which incorporated a major change designed to improve accuracy. The series 70 is also different from the series 80 1911, which are far more popular today, as well. Sep 21, 2012 series 70 is a better gun than a series 80. What the hell is the difference between series 70 and 80 1911s. If you have the money, you can have the series 80 worked to be almost as good as the series 70.

Colt series 708090 firearms talk the community for. Others do not find the triggers to be as good as a 70. Colt series 70 government 1911 handgun shooters report. In series 80 the ejection port is not only lowered and beveled, but also moved to right approximately 1 mm. Springfield firing pin is an odd size slightly larger than colt. Colt the main difference between a series 70 vs 80. After much back and forth at the gun show today i decided on the colt competition series 70. Colts series 70 trigger put to the test series 70 vs. They never looked like they would be as durable as the standard collet.

Series 70 vs series 80 has no impact on my decision to purchase a particular gun. Colt eventually changed the collet bushing, and the series 70 pistol became the iconic m1911a1. Oct 30, 2015 the series 70 lacks a firing pin block. On a pistol that has been around for 108 years, there are a bunch of generations, and here is the difference between the 70 and 80 series.

Although the people who hate on series 80 are not wrong and i would slightly prefer series 70, in general, i wouldnt pass on a good series 80, especially if the individual one has a nicefeeling trigger to you. Most highend pistol makers ed brown, wilson, dan wesson only make 1911s without a firing pin block. Colt released an updated design of their fullsize 1911 pistol in the 1970s hence the name which consisted of a collet bushing instead of the. The series 70 versus series 80 has nothing much to.

I cant seem to find any new 70 series 1911s, but i see a lot of 80 series 1911s around. It is nessessary to fill this frame gap so the sear will not wander over and lock up the sear trigger mechanism. Series 80 90 pistols with the firing pin safety are cheaper than 70 series and original government models from the same manufacturer without the addons. Colt commander 45 apc series 70 vs 80 series thearmory. Why is a 70 series 1911 better then a 80 series 1911. The series 70 versus series 80 has nothing much to do with reliability or one beingbetter. All of colt s 1911 pattern pistols incorporated the new design change so even the commander and officers acp pistols became known as series 80 guns. Series 70 vs series 80 1911addicts the premiere 1911 forum. Some guns the pin may be too short and not ush up on the button as well as it should. When i discovered it wasnt true to what i used in the service i decided i didnt like it and sold the gun. I posted a few days ago looking for input on my first 1911. The term series 70 originally referred to the springcollet accurizor barrel bushing and matching reversetapered. I do prefer the series 70 myself because i want to see original functional parts in my guns, not politically correct safety devices, or warnings. What were the differences between the series 70 vs series 80.

The colt is a series 80 that individuals complain about. I was wondering about the new ruger 1911 being a 70 series 1911. Series 70 vs series 80 1911addicts the premiere 1911. We have so many 1911 owners on this forum with different views and requirements maybe competitive shooting,conceal carry, home defense, that you will get plenty of opinions.

The serial number was laseretched into the first few batches of pistols, while all later guns now have numbers that are stamped into the frame. The only real difference between the two is that the series 80 has a firing pin lock safety feature that keeps the firing pin locked until the trigger is pulled. My government series 80 has a trigger that needs no work. Colt now making series 70 competition pistols the mag life. If you are not a 1911 enthusiast, you might be confused by the differences between series 70 and series 80 pistols. It adds another level of safety, doesnt really affect trigger pull if done right, and only adds about 4045 seconds in additional reassembly time once you figure out how to do it. Many say it doesnt make a difference, and i suppose it doesnt. Colt 1911 and colt 70 series northwest firearms oregon.

While the 1911 has been around for ages and was officially adopted by the us military in 1911, it stayed pretty much unchanged until the 70s. Kimber did things different from this video when they issued the series ii firearms with firing pin block. This change was a colletstyle barrel bushing with four flexible fingers. I suppose admitting it is part of the solution, but this is a problem i. The series 80 has also been through 3 wars and countless special teams units in the military for decades and they never discontinued them because of the series 80 design. In 1970 colt changed a few things on their government model five inch barrel. I replaced the mainspring housing on the 80 series as it was plastic and with a wilson mainspring housing. Between 1983 and 1988, government and gold cup models of series 80 guns contained series 70 type barrels and bushings. The series 70 made a comeback in 2002 in the new retro line named the mk iv series 70 government model. Colt s entire line of 1911 style pistols were switched to the new design in 1983, so they all bore the series 80 designation even the commander and officers acp models. The series 80 guns have extra protection in case the gun is dropped or the other safeties do not work. The series 80 has a couple of safety features added.

Also, some guns with the series 80 series ii safties are a little more fussy in operation. The 80 series, so called because it was introduced by colt in 1983, is a more modern. In the 70 s colt got rid of the lanyard loop on the main spring housing and increased the size of the shelf for the thumb safety. In fact, at this very moment, i am headed to the range with a newish series 80 colt special combat government. It is nessessary to fill this frame gap so the sear will not wander over and lock up the sear.

Originally posted by rbmcmjr because those arent the only choices and some people still choose to carry in condition 2. I have a colt series 70 new production thats somewhere in the middle. Among the less expensive makers, springfield 1911s lack this as well, although they do include an inte. By hunter elliott on september 20, 2015 in gun talk i see a lot of use and misuse of the terms series 70 and series 80 when talking about government model and commander pistols so i thought i would lay it out for you all. As again, the series 70 is the designator for a full size government model 1911 made by colt only. Should you buy or modify a series 80 or series 70 1911. The series 70 came out in 1970 if you can believe that. The series 80 is simply a 1911 thats has been installed with an internal firing pin block system. Everything from the rollmark to the 70s series firing system. The fit and finish is better than the 70 series production of previous decades.