1911 "Colt Conversion Unit .22lr" - missing parts?

[call1911]

Hi!
Not 100% sure if this is the right forum but "Handguns - Autoloaders" seemed way to general so I thought I'd post it here.

A few days ago I got a "Colt Conversion Unit .22lr" ("CU") and soon realized that some parts are missing.
(I can't tell you from when the conversion unit is because it's one of those without any serial numbers)

The missing parts are the "Recoild Spring Plug" and "Recoil Spring Guide".
I don't think that the Plug would be the problem but I'm not sure about the "Spring Guide".

I already own a "Colt Gold Cup National Match Series 70 MkIV" ("GCNM") from 1972 and thought the conversion unit to be an good addition.
I took the parts that are missing from the CU from my GCNM and before I go to the range I thought it would be clever to ask if that's a good idea.
I don't want to break anything from CU or my GCNM!

On picture "1" you can see all parts I got with the CU and on picture "2" you see the GCNM frame with the parts I used from it (marked with an arrow).

Q1) Will the CU work fine with my GCNM parts or is it a bad idea to use them?

Q2) The missing parts should be fairly easy to get (at least that's what I hope)
Which should I order? Are there special parts for the Conversion Unit?

Q3) I'd also like to order a new "Recoild Spring". As two parts are missing I'm not sure if the spring
that came with the set is the right one.
Which one should I get just to be sure to have the right one?

Thanks a LOT in advance!!

pic #1


pic #2

 

[Jim Watson]

All the parts in the Conversion are .22 specific*. The assumption was that you would use the .45 recoil spring guide and plug with the Conversion. Saves a few bucks. You will be fine.
But everybody I know with a Conversion gets an extra guide and plug to leave with the .22 parts.

Wolff thinks the .22 recoil spring is 14 lbs.
COLT 1911 FACTORY RECOIL SPRING NOTES
1. Factory rating for super .38 & 9mm is 14 Lbs.
2. Factory rating in .40 S&W is 19 Lbs.
3. Factory rating for the Colt .38 Spl. Midrange is 14 Lbs.
4. Factory rating for the Colt Ace .22 conversion is 14 Lbs.

*Note: The slide stop in the kit is .22 specific, don't get them mixed up. There should be a no. 2 on the back.

 

[Cemetery21]

The slide stop in the kit is .22 specific

Treasure it - they are a little hard to find. I set one up for a buddy several years ago and found that a 9mm slide stop would work on his, but I wouldn't bank on it always working.

 

[call1911]

The "Slide Stop" has "2" stamped on the inside (the side touching the frame when mounted), I already found this out but thanks for mentioning it.
I really love my Series 70. In fact I love to shoot all my guns but everytime I put the National Match in my hand it feels like "coming home"
So I'm looking forward shooting the conversion unit.

Getting the "extra parts" was exactly my plan. Thanks for putting me in the right direction!!
Maybe I'll get me an extra frame for the conversion unit. If I can find one that's a good match to the slide.

 

[Cemetery21]

Oooo - NM frame - I missed that. Nice!

 

[jmorris]

Kind of funny but the only 1911 frame I have that mine will fit on is my Goldcup frame.

 

[call1911]

I can only try this with my wife's Nighthawk Customs 1911. I have no other. But I don't think it'll work.
But the Conversion Slide fits on the National Match frame as perfect as the National Match slide does.
I'll see Friday how it shoots.

 

[Jim Watson]

Colt on Colt, why should an off brand fit?

 

[Cemetery21]

I set one up many moons ago on an old Essex frame, but it had originally been fit to a 60s era Colt military NM slide, so the Ace fit fine. Still running last I heard.

 

[jmorris]

Colt on Colt, why should an off brand fit?

Out of all my Colt 1911’s the series 80 Goldcup is still the only frame it will fit on. Not sure why but might be why I got such a good deal on the one I have.

 

[Bwana John]

I found the stamped .22 ejector to be the "Jesus Nut" on Ace 1911 conversions.

Removing the stock 45 ejector, especially if it is oversized has been the trick for me.

Also as long as you don't need last round slide hold open the standard 45 slide release works ok ( slide hold open has been iffy for me even with a #2 slide release)

 

[call1911]

Been at the range the first time with the Colt Conversion Unit (on my Gold Cup National Match slide).
It worked flawlessly with four different high velocity types of ammo and also with one standard velocity.
You won't win any matches with it but it's a decent shooter.
One other thing: maybe the spring plug and the spring guide are not really "missing".
I found a lot of pictures of this kit and at almost all is them those to parts are not part of the kit.
Maybe it was expected to take them from the 1911 frame your obviously had to have to shoot.

 

[Mk VII]

I had one of these Conversion Kits, made by Colt, for a while. The spring plug and spring came with it, and my recollection was that the spring was less strong than the regular one.
Using standard vel stuff, the slide tended not to pick up the last round from the mag. The lead tended to gum up the floating chamber attachment. It worked better with hi-vel stuff and copper-coated bullets. Hi-vel was usually less accurate though.
The pin holding the rear sigh on tended to work its way out.

 

[call1911]

When you do a picture search on Google you'll find many conversion units with but also many without the two parts. I have one without serial number. Maybe they didn't have them at the time.


We have another .22lr pistol, a Hämmerli 215.
You can shoot standard velocity ammo from CCI all day. Also most RWS and some SK standard works fine. But with certain SK types (flat nose) it gunks up after the first magazine.
The spring seems to be the same as in my Gold Cup National Match but that's from how it feels when pulling the slide. I have no means to measure the force.
What is a little annoying is that the slide won't stay open after the last shot. But I can live with that.

 

[Jethrohelm]

Kind of funny but the only 1911 frame I have that mine will fit on is my Goldcup frame.

View attachment 919568

Had the exact same thing, it only fit on the gold cup. On the ones that did not fit, the ejector was a bit too tall & interfered with the slide. I took a tiny bit of material off the top of the ejector, it now works flawlessly.

 

[Kp321]

Because of the floating chamber, only plated bullets should be used which rules out SV. The floating chamber will foul with plated bullets but at a much slower rate than with plain lead bullets. In my experience, the conversion unit is not a match quality pistol. Buy some Mini-Mags and have fun.