1911 Top End Interchangability?

[mountain_cowboy]

Is there any difference in the government top ends (slide, barrel, link, guide rod) of Series 80 and Series 70 guns? In other words, will a Series 80 top end go on any other bottom, whether a series 70, series 80, Kimber classic, Springfield, whatever.

 

[mountain_cowboy]

While I'm at it; can you use the same bottom end for all calibers, as long as you use the right mags?

 

[Brian Williams]

NO, the series 80 has the firing pin plunger needs the rest in the frame to allow the firing pin to unlock.
1911s might be the Ford pickup of the handgun world, but they need to have the right parts fitted to make them run all the time. You can not use a starter from a 302 V8 in a 351 cleveland.
Stay with in the series (80 or 70 or swhartz) or learn a lot more.
Frames "can" be use for different calibers but the feed ramp might give problems.

 

[AZ Jeff]

While I'm at it; can you use the same bottom end for all calibers, as long as you use the right mags?

Ejectors vary between some of the calibers, so switching between say, a .45ACP and a 9x19 top end would require switching ejectors as well.

 

[grendelbane]

A series 80 top end can indeed be placed on a series 70 lower. Or, in my neck of the woods, we would say, "you can put a series 80 slide on a series 70 frame".

However, the firing pin plunger and spring must be removed. If you are going to do it the other way around, there is a little adapter which some body makes which fills up the cut in the series 80 frame.

This is all well and good for a range gun. For serious purposes, I would not want to neuter any safety devices.

Due to dimensional differences, slides will not always interchange on different frames. Feed ramps vary between the 9mm family and the .45, as do ejectors and springs.

Ramped barrels are one solution to the feed ramp problem.

Multi caliber 1911 setups are fun, but I consider them the dark side of handgunning. Darth Vader would like them.