Bought a Colt MK IV series 80 "Officers" model

[bannockburn]

dondavis3

Love seeing that big ragged hole in your target. Good shooting. I have an Officers Model of about the same vintage as yours; at the time all I could find were blued models.

I can make out some letters on the right side of your ambi safety (from your photo), but can't see it clear enough to decipher it. It looks like a company's name and then an address below it.

 

[Olympus]

The Colt manual I found for Series 80 and 90 doesn't list satin nickel as an available finish on a Series 80 Officer Frame. Pages 5 and 6 are what you'll want to read.

http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/FIREARMS/colt_mkiv_series_80_&_90_pistols.pdf

 

[dondavis3]

Olympus

Don't know what to tell you my friend - we looked it up in two different gun books in the shop and it was listed there with prices.

 

[MICHAEL T]

My new Colt Officers Model 1911 in .45 Cal.was made in 1985.

The finish is a Satin Nickel finish

My blue book says the satin nickle was discontinued in 1985 good find
My officers have been good pistols But I went to a defender for lighter weight Officer weights close to my steel frame Commanders .

You did fine with your buy. Enjoy it

 

[dondavis3]

+1 MICHAEL T

Many thanks

 

[mjb]

I have one with stag grips. One of my favorite guns. congradulations!

 

[P30shtr]

"I'll give you $515. "

OK $520
Very nice, enjoy

 

[bannockburn]

Satin nickel was used for many years on the Combat Commander. Colt was kind of late getting into the stainless steel market, so I think they offered the electroless nickel finish (sometimes called Coltguard), as sort of an interim measure before they could tool up for stainless steel production. Also with their matte finishes, they could minimize having to do so much polishing of the metal surface prior to bluing or plating. The mid '80's were a time of ongoing labor problems at Colt, and so a number of cost cutting measures were implemented to keep production moving along.

 

[dondavis3]

+1 bannockburn

The Ambidextrous safety was made by Armand D. Swenson, (Fallbrock, CA, US).

He makes custom 1911's and barrels and ambidextrous safeties.

Sorry it took so long to get back to you, I've been researching it.

 

[9mmepiphany]

The Ambidextrous safety was made by Armand D. Swenson, (Fallbrock, CA, US).

He makes custom 1911's and barrels and ambidextrous safeties.

Actually he doesn't...he is no longer with us. His nephew John Jardine is a 1911 pistolsmith in the Bay Area...he designed the Valtro 1911

 

[dondavis3]

+1 9mmepiphany

I didn't know he had passed away.

There is still a lot about his guns and work on the Internet.

Thanks for the update.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I don't want to drift this too far from the original question about the OP's OACP, but what sets the old masters of the 1911 apart was that there wasn't a market of usable parts for them to fit into their guns...they had to make them by welding and filing.

That thumb safety you have there has some real history behind it...at least it's design, I'm sure that one was manufactured like other parts are currently

 

[dondavis3]

+1 9mmepiphany

You know - I hadn't thought of that.

I'm sure your correct.

 

[legumeofterror]

I have a stainless Officers ACP Enhanced my father gave me that has been completely unreliable and not particularly accurate. Good to see you had better luck.

 

[dondavis3]

legumeofterror sorry to hear that.

I'd suggest a visit to a reliable gunsmith - I bet he can fix it - if you want it fixed at all.

 

[legumeofterror]

I am of the opinion that an $800 handgun should work from the factory. Considering I don't particularly like 1911s, I don't think I want to invest the money and time it would take just to get it function. Other handgun designs I have work just fine, so this one spends most of its time in the box.