[quick68]

Was looking for a 1911 today and ran across a new Colt 1991A1 and was wondering about the differences between them and an older 1911? What about aftermarket parts and interchangability?

[QuarterBoreGunner]

The 1991 series is simply the classic 1911 model with a different name; most if not all parts for all 1911 types (within reason) are compatible with all aftermarket parts makers.

FYI the 1991 is considered an '80s' series gun with the firing pin block.

My $.02

[SouthpawShootr]

I bought a 1991A1 Commander in '94. Basically this gun is a series '80 with a parkerized-type finish. Sort of an economy version of the more expensive guns. Mine's been 100% and all I added was a Wilson drop-in beavertail grip safety. Otherwise I consider this gun among the best values to be had (I got it for $390 new).

[Josey]

Hey If you can find one, buy it! They are great. The plastic trigger and MSH turn some off. Mine has been 100% since new.

[dsk]

Parts interchange with all other full-sized Colt Series 80 pistols. Because of the FPS the affected parts won't interchange with an original 1911, however.

[jercamp45]

I had three, Compact(Officer's), Commander and Government. They all were very reliable and accurate!!
They have the firing pin block, which seems all the rage...but all other accessories, doodads and bells and whistles fit fine!
Hey Colt!!!! How bout a 1991A1 with a Compact/Officer's frame and Commander slide? Sounds nice to me!!
I would buy another in a heartbeat, if I felt the need(um, I have six 1911's, hard to justify a 'need' LOL)
DVC
Jercamp45

[1911Tuner]

Series 80's have 2 levers in the frame, and a plunger and spring in
the slide. Modifications were done to the firing pin, firing pin stop,
extractor, and grip safety.

Series 80 firing pins, stops, and extractors and grip safeties will work in a Series 70 or pre-Series 70 pistol, but not vice versa, unless all parts related
to the Series 80 safety system are removed. Removal of the two levers
in the frame require that a spacer be installed. These are available
from Brownell's for about 3 dollars. In the slide, all that is required is
to remove the plunger and spring...but all four parts must be removed,
and the frame spacer installed, or the pistol will not fire.

All other parts are interchangeable, with an occasional problem with
an aftermarket trigger when installed in a Series 80 with all safety parts
in the gun. The problem occurs if the trigger stirrup is too long or
short, and causes problems with the timing of the firing pin plunger.
This is rare, but still possible. Swapping a Colt trigger for another
Colt trigger hasn't caused a problem in any Series 80 pistol that I've
worked on...I have an 85 year-old 1911 trigger in a Series 80
Lightweight Commander. Function has been perfect for over 10,000
rounds.

Cheers!
Tuner

[Zer000]

Are metal parts available and easily replacable for all the plastic parts?

[1911Tuner]

Howdy Zer,

If you mean the mainspring housing, yep. Brownell's has steel units in
all flavors...Arched or flat...Checkered or serrated. Smith and Alexander
has steel mainspring housings with a lanyard loop, and there's
even a smooth one with a loop. Pricey, but top-grade. A slight step
down in price is Brown and Wilson, but still nice housings. FWIW,
I've never had a Colt synthetic mainspring housing to fail, and heard
of only one from other sources. The pistol with the one that cracked
had been fired over 50,000 rounds, or so I was told.

Plastic triggers have been phased out and replaced with aluminum
units. If you prefer a fitted trigger, King's has some decent ones
for about 25 bucks or so. Be aware that if you leave the Series 80 parts
in the gun, there's a remote possibility of running into a problem. On
these triggers going into a Series 80 w/lawyer parts, I advise removing
the overtravel screw...but I do that on all of them anyway, Series 80 or no,
unless the pistol belongs to somebody else and they want the screw
left intact. On those, once the screw is set, I use epoxy to make sure
it doesn't move.

I can give you part numbers, prices and Brownell's toll-free number if
you need it.

Standin' by...
Tuner

[Zer000]

Thanks for the info, I was just wondering because I've been thinking of picking up a 1991. I'm not really worried about failure, its just that plastic pieces in a 1911 just doesn't seem right to me. :)

[1911Tuner]

Howdy again Zer,

If you should happen to get one of the pistols with a long plastic
trigger and want to swap it out, I'll give 25 bucks for the one you
toss, and 20 for a short one. I like'em.

Cheers!
Tuner

[SouthpawShootr]

Those 2 plastic part don't bother me a bit. I have a Colt Government Model from the early '80s that has a plastic manspring housing. So this part being plastic is nothing new. On one of my guns (Officer's ACP), I put a S&A magwell, so that is a option, if it bothers you that much. As for the plastic trigger, if you replace it with a metal one, you'll need to get a trigger job to make the aftermarket as good or better than the factory.