Author Topic: Series 70/80? (Read 2273 times)

jpuke · « **on:** January 07, 2009, 01:40:34 AM »

Can someone please explain the series 70 and 80 differences and which variant my Springfield 1911 would be?

Thanks!

Savage · « **Reply #1 on:** January 07, 2009, 06:40:45 AM »

The Colt series 70 was sans the firing pin safety. The Series 80 had the firing pin safety which was deactivated during the trigger pull. Which at least partially accounts for the sad trigger pull on stock Colts of series 80 manufacture. I believe all the Springfield 1911s are the series 70 variety.
Savage

jpuke · « **Reply #2 on:** January 08, 2009, 01:58:37 AM »

Thanks for the help

SharonAnne · « **Reply #3 on:** January 08, 2009, 12:40:56 PM »

Series 70 and Series 80 are Colt model designations. They indicate variations from the 1911 pattern. Although a Springfield may be more similar to a model 70, it is NOT a Model 70.

jpuke · « **Reply #4 on:** January 09, 2009, 03:49:35 AM »

How does this affect the parts I buy? I was looking at firing pins and they made a distinction between the two.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #5 on:** January 09, 2009, 03:56:36 AM »

Brownells has a part to convert a 80 frame to a 70 if you like .
what is the difference in a ser. 90 ?

williamlayton · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2009, 06:27:08 AM »

Is a series 90 a California gun?
After firing you have too put a lock back on it before you can shoot it again??

Blessings

SharonAnne · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2009, 07:45:58 AM »

it looks like the Defender is a series 90 though what makes it a series 90 I cannot tell. It has a series 80 firing pin safety.
Yes there is a difference between a series 70 and series 80 firing pins. The series 80 is cut for the firing pin safety. You CAN use a series 80 firing pin in a series 70 pistol. You CANNOT use a series 80 firing pin in a series 70 pistol.

jimster · « **Reply #8 on:** January 09, 2009, 04:23:41 PM »

If you have a Springfield Armory pistol the firing pin is the 9mm/38 Super size or darn close to it. Springfield uses those in their 45's. Brownells sells an Ed Brown firing pin made for the Springfield. The Colt series 70 had a funny looking barrel bushing on it with fingers on it.

Jim

rbwillnj · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2009, 05:37:26 PM »

jimster, Only the Gold Cup had the collet type barrel bushing. The Government and other models had a normal barrel bushing.

Savage · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2009, 08:53:15 AM »

You CAN use a series 80 firing pin in a series 70 pistol. You CANNOT use a series 80 firing pin in a series 70 pistol.

I think SA meant the series 70 firing pin cannot be used in the series 80.
Savage

SharonAnne · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2009, 11:28:24 AM »

uh thanks Savage. Don't know where my head was at. Yes, no Series 70 firing pin in a Series 80.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #12 on:** January 12, 2009, 02:05:19 AM »

I had a govt. model with a collet bushing , all of the first ser. 80's had them that i saw except some gold cups .

jimster · « **Reply #13 on:** January 12, 2009, 06:19:04 AM »

"jimster, Only the Gold Cup had the collet type barrel bushing. The Government and other models had a normal barrel bushing."

Bought a brand new series 70 gov. model....it had the collet bushing. I figured all series 70's had them?
The repo's that colt makes do not have them.

Jim

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #14 on:** January 12, 2009, 07:09:12 AM »

MY GOVT mod. had the collet bushing . as did most i saw in the early 80's

rbwillnj · « **Reply #15 on:** January 14, 2009, 03:21:45 AM »

OK, I'm surprised and confused. I have several "Original" Mark IV Series 70's, only the Gold Cup came with the collet bushing. So are you guys talking about original Mark IV Series 70's that were made before the Series 80's. Did they come original with Collet bushings? , ....

I guess I've gotta do some checking and ask some questions the next time I get to a gun show. Just to be clear, when I say Collet bushing, I'm talking about the one that has the fingers that squeeze in on the barrel when the slide locks up. Colt referred to it as accruizer bushing. According to the blue book, it was included on the Gold Cup National Match models (both Series 70 and Series 80) but not on Government models.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #16 on:** January 14, 2009, 03:27:56 AM »

my series 80 had the collet bushing

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #17 on:** January 14, 2009, 03:28:50 AM »

also my series 80 was marked govt. model

Mikey · « **Reply #18 on:** January 15, 2009, 12:29:03 AM »

Nope! The Colt Series 70 and Series 80 1911A1 model pistols were equipped with the collet bushing. The thought behind the design was to provide a consistent barrel to bushing lockup through spring tension. The theory worked, until one of the collet 'fingers' would break and jam up the gun and then the pistol became a brick. They eliminated the collet bushing in later models.

I had three Series 70 Colt 1911s and all three wore the collet bushing: A Gold Cup in 45 and two Government Models, one in 38 Super and one in 45 and all came with that bushing. Mikey.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #19 on:** January 15, 2009, 07:17:25 AM »

SO was my govt. model.

rbwillnj · « **Reply #20 on:** January 15, 2009, 06:29:37 PM »

Hey, I believe you guys. ....But I called Colt to see if there was maybe a transition date when they switched. I'm waiting to hear from them.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #21 on:** January 16, 2009, 03:03:46 AM »

don't know when Colt switched but i did about a week after i got it !

rbwillnj · « **Reply #22 on:** January 16, 2009, 03:45:45 AM »

OK, Colt called back, you guys are correct, the collet bushing went on all 70 and 80 series guns except Officer, Commander and Defender models. So I guess the collet was standard on all full size series 70 and 80 Colt 1911s.

I bought my Series 70 Gold Cup new, and it had the collet bushing. The other two Series 70 45s I bought used, and they didn't have the collet bushings, so some one must have switched them out. (I switched out the one on my Gold Cup a while back too). I also have 9mm Series 70 Combat Commander that came with a standard bushing.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #23 on:** January 16, 2009, 03:49:48 AM »

they were about as liked by consumers as new coke was .