My 1991A1 upper has the plunger thing removed, as it sits on a series 70-ish ODI lower.
So... I don't own anything with series 80 'features'.
So... I don't own anything with series 80 'features'.
Colt Rant
- Thread starter 1911Tuner
- Start date
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The Old Fuff, irascible reprobate that he is, would put Series 80 Colts where the sun don’t shine, but he is aware that some actually like the “Brady safety,†so out of respect to Tuner and a few other misguided individuals he has turned his feeble attention toward finding an acceptable solution, other then junking the whole gun or getting someone in California or some other such unfortunate place into trouble they don’t deserve.
The real cause behind the problem is that the folks at Colt tried to devise a system where hand fitting of parts wouldn’t be necessary. Consequently the assembler simply picks out number parts (the higher the number the bigger the part) and finds a combination that works. If for whatever reason the assembler doesn’t pick the right numbers/parts the ultimate buyer may be in a world of hurt – but then, what else is new?
Now if some enterprising after-market part supplier would tool up and make an upper lever with a pad on the front a pistolsmith (or whoever) could file the pad down to get an exact fit for whatever particular gun. A minor problem with a short trigger bow could be easily accommodated.
Colt’s problem is that economics preclude using this sort of individual fitting. But someone with Tuner’s skill and a custom “Fuff lever†could quickly make the Series 80 system completely reliable on an individual gun basis. I think if I ever have the misfortune of owning one of these guns I will probably take my own advise – it isn’t that hard to make a lever.
The real cause behind the problem is that the folks at Colt tried to devise a system where hand fitting of parts wouldn’t be necessary. Consequently the assembler simply picks out number parts (the higher the number the bigger the part) and finds a combination that works. If for whatever reason the assembler doesn’t pick the right numbers/parts the ultimate buyer may be in a world of hurt – but then, what else is new?
Now if some enterprising after-market part supplier would tool up and make an upper lever with a pad on the front a pistolsmith (or whoever) could file the pad down to get an exact fit for whatever particular gun. A minor problem with a short trigger bow could be easily accommodated.
Colt’s problem is that economics preclude using this sort of individual fitting. But someone with Tuner’s skill and a custom “Fuff lever†could quickly make the Series 80 system completely reliable on an individual gun basis. I think if I ever have the misfortune of owning one of these guns I will probably take my own advise – it isn’t that hard to make a lever.
Dave Sample
member
Tamara had the answer here. These parts always leave my shop in a little plastic bag with orders to put them in your sock (panty hose) drawer. I wrote the serial number on the bag and there they go. I consider this a "wonderful solution to a non existant problem", as Jeff Cooper would say. Some ignorant folks like to install after-market triggers in these guns and then adjust the over-travel. This keeps the top lever from coming up 1/10th of an inch which it has to do in order to not nick the firing pin. If you insist on replacing the trigger, throw that screw away. May of the finest pistolsmiths like these parts and have no problem making them work. I would not waste my time when I can install a shim and call it good to go. I do not have any clients that would climb a 20 foot ladder and drop the gun nose down with a round in the chamber onto the cement to see if they can make it go BOOM! This '80 series crap came out at about the time I started building Custom Caspians. As have mentioned before, my son has what I believe to have the first one ( FG 19000) and I bought it cheap because it would not fire a round. I turned that piece of Junque into a Silk Purse when I tweaked it and had the lower end hard chromed and the top end bright blued. Fixed combat sights and a shooter. It was a hard job, too. I would not have one in the yard.
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1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Re-Re-Re-Spect!
Fuff said:
so out of respect to Tuner and a few other misguided individuals
_________________
Ouch! OW! Yowtch!
Okay...O-Kay. I had that comin'... Now Fuff, I never said that I preferred
Colt's lawyer parts...or even that I liked'em. I just meant that if the system
is "right", it's reliable. I would advise everybody to be dead sure that
it is, in fact right before trustin' it. Take five minutes to pull the plunger and check it for burrs and buggers.
Ya gotta admit that it's better than that Shwartz thingie that Kimber and
Smith & Wesson use though...
Now, I kinda like that idea that Fuff had...A universal oversized plunger lever that lets a fella TUNE the system...Might be somethin for me to try
when the weather turns bad and I can't get out to work the dogs.
Cheers all!
Tuner
Fuff said:
so out of respect to Tuner and a few other misguided individuals
_________________
Ouch! OW! Yowtch!
Okay...O-Kay. I had that comin'... Now Fuff, I never said that I preferred
Colt's lawyer parts...or even that I liked'em. I just meant that if the system
is "right", it's reliable. I would advise everybody to be dead sure that
it is, in fact right before trustin' it. Take five minutes to pull the plunger and check it for burrs and buggers.
Ya gotta admit that it's better than that Shwartz thingie that Kimber and
Smith & Wesson use though...
Now, I kinda like that idea that Fuff had...A universal oversized plunger lever that lets a fella TUNE the system...Might be somethin for me to try
when the weather turns bad and I can't get out to work the dogs.
Cheers all!
Tuner
Now Tuner, I didn’t mean ta’ dig ya, and if you feel a twitch between your ribs … well … then …
No indeed, what I said was meant as a compliment. While most folks (including me) what to put those “Brady parts†in some drawer, never to see the light of day again … you, and only you want to make the (##^**$$) thing work.
There are some nice people in places like California that could in theory get into big trouble by removing the “approved†safety. Others, for various reasons are required to keep it in their sidearms.
I agree that bad as it is, the other designs that keep cropping up are no better and likely are worse. So maybe rather then cuss the darn thing some thought should go into how to make it work.
A custom lever shouldn’t be expensive in relative terms and would likely cost a lot less then doing a full Series 80 to Series 70 conversion, and if the safety REALLY worked it might even be tolerable.
So the challenge is there. …
No indeed, what I said was meant as a compliment. While most folks (including me) what to put those “Brady parts†in some drawer, never to see the light of day again … you, and only you want to make the (##^**$$) thing work.
There are some nice people in places like California that could in theory get into big trouble by removing the “approved†safety. Others, for various reasons are required to keep it in their sidearms.
I agree that bad as it is, the other designs that keep cropping up are no better and likely are worse. So maybe rather then cuss the darn thing some thought should go into how to make it work.
A custom lever shouldn’t be expensive in relative terms and would likely cost a lot less then doing a full Series 80 to Series 70 conversion, and if the safety REALLY worked it might even be tolerable.
So the challenge is there. …
Dave Sample
member
Well...............................................Chuck Rogers has been tweaking these levers for years. He can make them perfect every time. So can Don Williams and Ted Yost. These guys work with them every day and they generally do NOT DISABLE any safety feature on any gun. I was different because I am not worried about the imaginary things that Lawyers Might Do! I would always rather be sued than have to explain to a Widow Lady why the Gun Failed and her husband is dead. These parts can cause malfunctions, but so can any other part in these 1911 45 AUTOMATICS. I just feel they are just another thing to make Mr. Murphy Jump For JOY!
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Lever Tweakin'
Dave said:
Well...............................................Chuck Rogers has been tweaking these levers for years. He can make them perfect every time. So can Don Williams and Ted Yost.
____________________
And now you can add ol' Tunerfish to your list, Cap'n...
It ain't like it's rocket science or nuthin'...Colt even has levers that come
in different sizes just so's ya CAN tweak'em...but you already knew that.
I still like Fuff's idea of a "Gunsmith Fit" lever, so ya don't hafta buy a whole
set just ta find the right one... I likes it...Yessiree I does.
Just goes ta sho how somebody with brains can think of good stuff.
Cheers all!
Tuner
Dave said:
Well...............................................Chuck Rogers has been tweaking these levers for years. He can make them perfect every time. So can Don Williams and Ted Yost.
____________________
And now you can add ol' Tunerfish to your list, Cap'n...
It ain't like it's rocket science or nuthin'...Colt even has levers that come
in different sizes just so's ya CAN tweak'em...but you already knew that.
I still like Fuff's idea of a "Gunsmith Fit" lever, so ya don't hafta buy a whole
set just ta find the right one...
I likes it...Yessiree I does.Just goes ta sho how somebody with brains can think of good stuff.
Cheers all!
Tuner
Wildalaska
member
Durn it Tam, I expected better of ya...working at being a gun snob? Thas worse that just bein one naturally....dont you tell me you put a squeez cocker on a Glock now
Now as to the rest, Im reminded of the guy who walked in an wanted us to accurize his Rem 700 (338)...when I asked him how it was shootin, he gave me a 100 yard tareget with three shots touchin...
He was upset when I told him to leave it alone, guess some folks just have to fiddle at times...
WilddonttweakwhatdontneedtweakinAlaska
moorerwc
Member
Dang
It is discussions like this and a recent thread at TF.com by a SEAL saying that he has seen problems with the series 80 levers being liable to corrosion in extremely wet conditions and tying up the gun, that have me thinking about selling my perfectly reliable NRM SS 1991 and ponying up for a new blued series 70 to sit alongside my series I Kimber.
Then the search is on for NOS Colt series 70 spur or commander hammer and an un-recessed grip safety (Colt uses series 80 small parts in the series 70 guns)--Okay, yes, I am a little OCD about my guns.
But at the ripe old age of 29 I find myself _only_ listening to grumpy old men. Listening to the experienced preach the gospel and ignoring the "tactical" ninjas.
Already looked over the parked 870P's to get one in gloss blue. What's next??--selling my Glocks?
-Chad
It is discussions like this and a recent thread at TF.com by a SEAL saying that he has seen problems with the series 80 levers being liable to corrosion in extremely wet conditions and tying up the gun, that have me thinking about selling my perfectly reliable NRM SS 1991 and ponying up for a new blued series 70 to sit alongside my series I Kimber.
Then the search is on for NOS Colt series 70 spur or commander hammer and an un-recessed grip safety (Colt uses series 80 small parts in the series 70 guns)--Okay, yes, I am a little OCD about my guns.
But at the ripe old age of 29 I find myself _only_ listening to grumpy old men. Listening to the experienced preach the gospel and ignoring the "tactical" ninjas.
Already looked over the parked 870P's to get one in gloss blue. What's next??--selling my Glocks?
-Chad
Wildalaska
member
Now is that a real SEAL or an internet SEAL
Thought they kept their guns clean....Funny he complains about corrosion tying up the series 80 lever, but will I am sure sing the praises of sSIGs with their fragile trigger springs....
WildorberettaslidesorcolletbushingsortwopiecebarrelsAlaska
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Series 80 Lawyer Parts
Ya know...I don't remember seein' a single issue with any of the
early Series 80 safety groups...ever...and in those days, I was curious enough about it to tear one of the guns down every time I had an opportunity...just to have a look-see. All the ones that I've seen or heard of are late-production guns...maybe 3-4 old years up to the present.
Mayhaps it's a recent problem...
To the drawin' board!
1911GONNABEBUSYASACROSSEYEDCATATARATKILLINTHISWINTERTUNER
Ya know...I don't remember seein' a single issue with any of the
early Series 80 safety groups...ever...and in those days, I was curious enough about it to tear one of the guns down every time I had an opportunity...just to have a look-see. All the ones that I've seen or heard of are late-production guns...maybe 3-4 old years up to the present.
Mayhaps it's a recent problem...
To the drawin' board!
1911GONNABEBUSYASACROSSEYEDCATATARATKILLINTHISWINTERTUNER
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Rants
Ahh..Thanks NMSHooter...I was startin' to think I was makin' folks mad
with'em...
_________________________
BigG said:
I can't wait for the Glock and SIG rants.
Sorry brudder...Ain't got either one, and don't work on either one, so I'll hafta confine my ravings to the 1911 clones...but I hear tell of a few common issues with the GSR. Dunno how true it is or how many
are havin' problems. But I'll find out.
Ahh..Thanks NMSHooter...I was startin' to think I was makin' folks mad
with'em...
_________________________
BigG said:
I can't wait for the Glock and SIG rants.
Sorry brudder...Ain't got either one, and don't work on either one, so I'll hafta confine my ravings to the 1911 clones...but I hear tell of a few common issues with the GSR.
Dunno how true it is or how manyare havin' problems.
But I'll find out. Darkside
Member
IfYouGuysAreGoingToTypeLikeThisPleaseCapTheFirstLetterThanks.
DaRkSiDe
DaRkSiDe
Jammer Six
member
No.
Ifwedidthatpeoplewouldthinkwewereprogramers.
And you see how that would just be, well, bad.
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