Colt 70 vs 80 series

Short steel trigger, no firing pin block like the series 80s, arched steel mainspring housing, nonflared mag well, nonlowered ejection port. The fit and finish is better than the 70 series production of previous decades. 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. While it may not be technically correct, its much easier to diagnose a series.

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. A look at the colt mk iv series 70, then you know that the originals. Series 70 vs series 80 1911addicts the premiere 1911. A series 70 1911 left, and a series 80 1911 right oh, and the series 70 was not the original m1911 platform or the m1911a1 it was the result of decades of changes and improvements. The series 80 is simply a 1911 thats has been installed with an internal firing pin block system. Gold cup nm series 70 vs series 80 mk iv 1911forum. Colt 1911 and colt 70 series northwest firearms oregon. Colt government model preseries 70 1911 ammoland gun news. I like the 70 series pistol better just because of the semi polished. Colt series 708090 firearms talk the community for. The series 70 made a comeback in 2002 in the new retro line named the mk iv series 70 government model.

May 30, 2017 the colt competition pistol line will now come outfitted with series 70 firing systems, making the trigger pull that much snappier. The collet bushing was replaced with the solid bushing and the phase out was completed around 1988. Yes, it seems to have very crisp markings on the entire pistol. Colt competition pistol line now uses series 70 firing. Iv series 70 a current version from colts custom shop.

Should you buy or modify a series 80 or series 70 1911. The series 70 system, which this gun sports, is the one originally designed by browning for the 1911 and does not have the passive firing pin block of the later series 80 system. It is nessessary to fill this frame gap so the sear will not wander over and lock up the sear trigger mechanism. Between 1983 and 1988, government and gold cup models of series 80 guns contained series 70 type barrels and bushings. A look at the colt mk iv series 70, then you know that the originals differed from the original in more than just the trigger. 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 pistols 1911 series 70 for sale guns international. The biggest change in the series 80 is the firing pin block. Colt 1911 70 series was another collectible i\\\ve always wanted. Your 80 series is every bit as good as a 70 series. It is nessessary to fill this frame gap so the sear will not wander over and lock up the entire trigger.

The colt is a series 80 that individuals complain about. Tune a series 80 1911 trigger with these 3 easy tricks. Its all a matter of individual needs and tastes, as. Colt competition pistol line now uses series 70 firing system. Language cautioning against pulling the trigger with the second finger was included in the initial m1911 manual, and later manuals up to the 1940s. Aug 07, 2018 the series 80 iswas the term used to refer to a number of modifications made to the firing mechanism of the colt 1911 pistol. Usa in one form or another, i have shot, customized, accessorized, reloaded for, and.

Among the less expensive makers, springfield 1911s lack this as well, although they do include an inte. Its a major difference to 1911 fans, with many preferring the older 70 series for competition guns. Jan 08, 2010 my government series 80 has a trigger that needs no work. In effect, the return to the preseries 80 system at colt is a return to the series 70 style guns and earlier m1911a1s. Oct 30, 2015 the series 70 lacks a firing pin block. This is a commonly debated subject my opinion is series 70 is a superior design and the series 80 is not needed and makes a gun less reliable. Aug 05, 2015 last week i traded for a new colt government model. The colt lightweight commander has been around since the early 1950s and is still a heavy favorite among gun aficionados. Colt made a major change to its competition pistol line of handguns, incorporating a series 70 firing system into all of the new pistol models, which previously featured the companys series 80. Crisper, shorter, more responsive with less wiggle. The series 70 is also different from the series 80 1911, which are far more popular today, as well.

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. Colt series 70 government 1911 handgun shooters report. 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. What firearm manufacturers other than colt make a 1911 with. Colt s series 70 trigger put to the test series 70 vs. In that article i explained how the series 70 came about, how the series 70 firing system differs from the series 80 system used in colt m1911 pistols since 1983, and why colt. 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. It adds another level of safety, doesnt really affect trigger pull if done right, and only adds about 4045.

Mar 28, 2017 the markings between the two pistols are also obviously different, although they both sport the colt name and logo. Most highend pistol makers ed brown, wilson, dan wesson only make 1911s without a firing pin block. My prized colt is a 80 series built by paul liebenberg when he ran pachmayr gun works. 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. Any good gun stores in portland that might stock the colt 1911 and colt 70 series. Many say it doesnt make a difference, and i suppose it doesnt. Because of this it is important to remember that only colt series 80. This is a discussion on colt series 80 gold cup national match within the handguns forums, part of the gun forum category.

This updated configuration is packed with ambidextrous features and includes a 15 mlok compatible rail system that will enable flexibility for. In that article i explained how the series 70 came about, how the series 70 firing. Last week i traded for a new colt government model. Gun ownership in recent years has surged, much to the benefit of shooting competitions.

Colts entire line of 1911style pistols were switched to the new design in 1983, so they all bore the series 80 designation even the commander and officers acp models. I do see a degree difference between manufacturers, however. When i discovered it wasnt true to what i used in the service i decided i didnt like it and sold the gun. 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. It uses the old model sights which i believe are built in the slide.

Colt no longer manufactures 1911s with the swartz safety. Series 70 vs series 80 has no impact on my decision to purchase a particular gun. 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. Series 70 vs series 80 1911addicts the premiere 1911 forum.

Series 8090 pistols with the firing pin safety are cheaper than 70series and original. As was noted a good gunsmith can give you an excellent trigger. Posts about series 70 vs series 80 written by rdoug. The series 80 iswas the term used to refer to a number of modifications made to the firing mechanism of the colt 1911 pistol. Series 70 vs 80, the difference is more than you think.

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. Colts series 70 trigger put to the test series 70 vs. Colt released an updated design of their fullsize 1911 pistol in the 1970s hence the name. This handgun is still in command and rockin even with all the polymer featured firearms of today. I just opened up the box and looked at the owners manual. Gun ownership in recent years has surged, much to the. In fact, at this very moment, i am headed to the range with a newish series 80 colt special combat government.

Jan 04, 2017 colt government model preseries 70 1911 ammoland gun news. The series 70 made a comeback in 2002 in the new retro line named the mk. It is the same reason why we use acronyms like ftf, fte, imho, and others. We can get our point across by using the 70 series 80 series, and people know what we mean without having to describe that we either do or do not have some kind of firing pin block safety, whether it is a colt system, or the kimber schwartz style. The series 80 fp safety does not have to interfere with trigger pull although some do.

That said, how do you make a series 80 1911 trigger more enjoyable. Colt s entire line of 1911style pistols were switched to the new design in 1983, so they all bore the series 80 designation even the commander and officers acp models. It came with the stock rubber grips but managed to find some nice wood ones locally a few days later. These updates were added in 1983 and were dubbed the. As stated above changing a 80 series to a 70 series isnt a big deal if you really feel the need. What were the differences between the series 70 vs 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. Took my 1992 enhanced bright st st gcnm out of the safe today. Jan 27, 2014 this is a commonly debated subject my opinion is series 70 is a superior design and the series 80 is not needed and makes a gun less reliable and more likely to fail, malfunction or break. Colt commander 45 apc series 70 vs 80 series thearmory. When i discovered it wasnt true to what i used in the service i decided i didnt. In the interest of covering the basics, this government is a true spec series 70. Tune a series 80 1911 trigger with these 3 easy tricks usa.

The big news, of course, that makes this gun different from previous government model competition 1911s is the fire control system mentioned earlier. Oct 23, 2017 i have real colt series 70 pistols that i bought way back when the availability of clone 1911s was very limited. Usa in one form or another, i have shot, customized, accessorized, reloaded for, and generally admired this one. As for 70 vs 80, i think people get a little carried away with it and whats right. I replaced the mainspring housing on the 80 series as it was plastic and with a wilson mainspring housing. The 70 series differs from the 80 series model with 70 series short trigger has a much faster firing rate than the 80 series. Its all a matter of individual needs and tastes, as far as im concerned. Jan 29, 2018 posts about series 70 vs series 80 written by rdoug. While the gopedal is the heart of any gun, the truth is you can be accurate with almost any trigger if your fundamentals are sound. Nicholas oetken perhaps the most iconic handgun of all time is the colt m1911a semiautomatic. Series 80 thing is quite overblown amongst 1911 fans.

New posts new classifieds new resources new media latest activity. The colt competition pistol line will now come outfitted with series 70 firing systems, making the trigger pull that much snappier. First the original colt 70 series not the pre70 was introduced in 1970. Series 80 i noted that the trigger was not all it was cracked up to be my colt 1911 enthusiasts. My prized colt is a 80 series built by paul liebenberg when he ran. Nov 29, 2015 series 80 on left, series 70 collet on right. The 80 series, so called because it was introduced by colt in 1983, is a more modern.