Colt Series 70 1911?

[defjon]

I'm looking for some information on this gun. I am done with high capacity polymer guns, and my dealer has this pony for 900 otd. I believe it is an original series 70.

I know next to nothing about 1911s. Is this a good make/model? How is it durability/reliability wise? ANy parts prone to breakage? I think this one was made in the late 70's...an older fellow traded it in. I am not sure it has even ever had more than a mag or two through it.

 

[Terry G]

Carried a series 70 for eighteen years as a LEO. It's rugged, accurate and reliable. I switched to a Glock 21, but I still have the '70. I had to replace the extractor once and bought a couple of bad afrter market magazines but that was it. To be honest, $900.00 seems pretty high for a used Colt Series 70, but I might be wrong on this. I would thinl $750.00 would be about right, and no, mine's not for sale.

 

[Sodbuster]

There's a brief bit of info you might like at the link below:

http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=15201

The one part that MAY break is the collet bushing, which has four fingers. I wouldn't change it unless it breaks, just to keep it original. That price compares to one I was eyeballing a couple months ago. Nice model.

 

[bluto]

My Colt Model 70 has been a fine firearm since I bought it in 1978. It's always been extremely accurate but used to suffer from occasional stoppages until I replaced the barrel and original collet bushing with ones from Storm Lake. That was some years ago and I've had zero problems since.

Because you say that you don't know very much about Colts I'd be cautious about spending $900 for a used one. I wouldn't consider spending that much unless it was truly LNIB. An original should have the collet bushing. My barrel hood was stamped with Colt markings also. But unless you've got someone with you who really knows vintage Colts it can be a gamble.

 

[wooderson]

If you're not concerned about collectibility, you can get NIB Colt 70s for $815 online or a hundred more at gun shows.

 

[gandog56]

Most Colt owners I know like a 70 series way more than the 80 series. But it's hard to find a NIB one that's been sitting on a shelf for years.

 

[andy4731]

Colt has a new in box Series 70 model here is a review of it:

Series 70 review

You can get one online by searching the ususal places, but this one has a great price and is a pleasure to deal with:

Buds

Good luck

 

[Ala Dan]

The original Colt series 70's were far better pistola's than the companys
series 80's. I owned several Government models, Commanders, Gold Cups,
and even a LW Commander in the 70 series guns; and all were flawless.
Then, I bought an 80's series Colt Officers model; and I could immediately
tell the difference, and it never was the same. I can't speak on behalf of
the reproduction 70 series firearms, as I have NO experience with them.

 

[defjon]

Just thought I'd post an update and also ask a question.

Update- I ended up tranding a beretta 9000s towards the colt, so I got the LNIB Colt for 600 or so otd. It was seriously vintage, had the collet bushing, looked absolutely babied. It came with original box, papers, etc. The original sites and trigger had been swapped out for wilson combat sites and a skeletonized trigger.

This is one of the most enjoyable guns to shoot. So accurate and pointable, with very soft recoil! I've had no problems so far, no jamming or failures. I haven't been able to shoot in a month or so though.

Question- I noticed the other day, when showing it to a friend, that when he released the side (empty gun, obviously) the hammer fell into a half-cock position. The gun hasn't ever done that before...anyone more experienced with 1911s know what this means?

Usually when I pull the slide back on an empty gun, the hammer also comes back. Engage slide release, slide comes forward, hammer stays back...but about 2 times out of ten, it comes forward to a half cock :banghead:. Has anyone experienced this in the series 70?

 

[Terry G]

This is common in the early Series 70's, but only when closing it on an empty gun. MY first one did that, but my second one didn't. I wouldn't worry about it unless it does it while loading a round.

 

[jaybar]

Don't drop the slide on an empty chamber!!!!

Question- I noticed the other day, when showing it to a friend, that when he released the side (empty gun, obviously) the hammer fell into a half-cock position. The gun hasn't ever done that before...anyone more experienced with 1911s know what this means?

Usually when I pull the slide back on an empty gun, the hammer also comes back. Engage slide release, slide comes forward, hammer stays back...but about 2 times out of ten, it comes forward to a half cock . Has anyone experienced this in the series 70?

First off - you shouldn't drop the slide on an empty chamber on any 1911 type gun. The repeated force of the the unrestricted slide movement smashing into the barrel can lead to shearing the lower lugsand/or breaking the slide holdback cross pin and/or enlarging the holes in the frame that the slide stop fits in.
The hammer dropping to "half cock" comes from the force of the slide driving the gun forward when it smashes into the barrel. The inertia of the trigger wants to make the trigger stand still in effect you are driving the disconnector/sear mechanism into the back of the trigger bow - thereby pulling the trigger. When the slide drops with a loaded magazine in the gun, the resistance of the bullet coming out of the mag and entering the chamber acts like a shock absorber and softens the impact of the slide into the barrel. If you firmly hold the trigger back before you drop the slide (just like it would be held back if you had just fired the gun) and then drop the slide the hammer shouldn't follow. By holding the trigger to the rear you are locking the disconnector in the down (disengaged) position. You'll hear it engage when you let your finger off the trigger when the slide is forward.

 

[bannockburn]

There could also be damage/wear on the hammer hooks themselves. Could be the result of the aforementioned slide drop, or could be a defective or altered hammer and or sear. There are two hooks on the hammer, a half cock and a full cock, that should be no shorter than .022"; any shorter and the sear which engages the hooks may not hold when the slide goes into battery. The result will be the hammer follow that you experience. Seeing that there were some modifications on the gun already, I think that I would want to have a gunsmith familiar with the 1911 check it out.