colt 1911 70 series vs 80 series

[cannibal4]

Im thinking about getting a colt 1911 70 series. It's used but in excellent condition. My question is, what is the difference between a 70 series and an 80 series? he's asking $645. fair price?

Your comments are appreciated.
Thanks

 

[panzermk2]

firing pin interupt safety

 

[panzermk2]

there is a small lever that pushes up on a small spring loaded plunger on the right rear of the under side of the slide. when pushed up it un-blocks a notch in the firing pin allowing it to move.
Some folks hate 80's since they claim the additional hardware keep them from having "perfect" triggers. This is bull as my Marc Krebs 1911 series 80 can attest to but a common belief

 

[JNewell]

You can also purchase (or at least you used to be able to purchase) a spacer that replaces one of the links in the Series 80 trigger safety, if you reallly want to be rid of the thing and own a Series 80.

 

[BigG]

Apart from what the two previous guys mentioned, there are TWO Series 70 runs. The original run is usually not as nicely fitted and finished as the Series 80 pistols. The later Series 70s, made after the Series 80s are similar in quality to the Series 80s, that is, better than the original Series 70s.

Also, I agree the trigger pull of the Series 80 is undistinguishable from the old Series 70, which is the benchmark among those who claim to perceive a difference. YMMV

 

[Aguila Blanca]

The Series 80 stuff adds a modicum of complexity to reassembly after detail stripping. The firing pin safety is really an answer to a problem that doesn't exist, but the Colt Series 80 implementation (also used by Para-Ordnance and a couple of other manufacturers) isn't bad.

However, given my druthers, I would choose a Series 70 (or a pre-Series 80, more properly) if all other factors are pretty much equal.

 

[panzermk2]

Same here 70/80 safety I don't care. I just want my front sights to stay on from the factory

 

[AK103K]

I just want my front sights to stay on from the factory

LOL. You too, huh?

I went to the old rivet type front sights as soon as you could get them, and then had all my 1911's dovetailed when they started that. The dovetail is the way to go. I've had new staked front sights fly off within the first mag. Nothing worse than looking for that front sight and it cant be found, on the pistol OR on the ground.

I've owned, and still do, both 70 and 80 Series Colts. I could never tell the difference in the triggers. Most all were very good right out of the box. I preferred the 80's as carry guns once they came out, just because of the safety. I've dropped a loaded 70 Series and watched it fall, in slow motion I might add, to the kitchen floor. I'll bet if you were watching from the other room, you'd have thought I was doing some kind of painful new dance. I never saw the big deal with the few extra parts, and once you learned how to put them back together, its no biggie. I never once had any troubles with any of it.

If you like the 70, by all means pick it up. The price seems very good. I just sold one in that condition and got $875 for it. The 70's may or may not need a "reliability package" job to reliably feed everything, all of my 80's fed everything right out of the box without a hitch.

 

[panzermk2]

just a ramp job

 

[Busta Prima]

I used my Colt .45 in IPSC competition and did very well with it.

My first (and still only) 1911 is a Colt MKIV Series 80 and I like it a lot. So I didn't have the pleasure of experiencing the 70 series. After hearing about how, if a series 70 is dropped on the muzzle, inertia can cause the free floating firing pin into the chambered round, I ONLY want a series 80!!

I was shocked to hear that Kimber and Springfield (and others) are making series 70 guns today! But with today's new MUCH LIGHTER firing pin materials (titanium, I hear) you would have to drop the gun off of a cliff and then MAYBE it would go off!

 

[Dobe]

I was shocked to hear that Kimber and Springfield (and others) are making series 70 guns today! But with today's new MUCH LIGHTER firing pin materials (titanium, I hear) you would have to drop the gun off of a cliff and then MAYBE it would go off!

A potential for a major discussion.

 

[Dobe]

I can not even imagine how many firearms that I have shot and that the military owns that do not have a firing pin block.

Think of that Remington 1100, the AR's and the 10/22's that you all own or have carried into the woods or ranges or battlefields. None of these have firing pin blocks.

A 1911 is quiet safe in its original state. But lawyers being lawyers in this litigious society in which we live, have manufacturers placing locks and warning lables on firearms.

Dobe