Series 70 and Series 80

[WSM MAGNUM]

I have been shooting and reloading for 25 years now. For 25 years I have never bought, or shot a semi-auto pistol until now. So I am learning about these John Browning 1911 designs. There is always something new to learn about.
I would like to know what is the differences between a Series 70 and Series 80? I was looking at Tuners sticky threads on detail stripping 1911`s of Series 70 and 80`s. I have a Kimber TLE II .45 w/internal extractor. So I`m guessing I have a Series 80. I want to completly disassemble it for cleaning and I`m not sure wich series instructions to use.
I`m going to have to buy a book that tells everything there is to know about these 1911`s.

 

[Jim Watson]

"Kimber TLE II .45... So I`m guessing I have a Series 80."

Wrong guess.
The problem is that "Series 70" and "Series 80" are Colt trademarks and Colt designs.

The language has mutated to where "series 70" is commonly taken to mean "lacking a firing pin block" even though the original Colt designation was for the collet barrel bushing.

A Kimber "II" has a firing pin block but it is NOT a "series 80". It is made differently from a Colt, it operates differently, and it is taken apart differently. (And with difficulty, the actual firing pin block in the slide is retained by the rear sight which is famously tight in Kimbers.) It is actually more like the Colt-Swartz "safety" of the 1930s, but cheaper made.

Sorry, I don't have a Kimber; maybe somebody will come along with directions. Generic 1911 instructions will not cover what you need to know about the Kimber.

 

[WSM MAGNUM]

I`m glad I did not jump right into taking this gun apart yet. I hope Tuner, or someone that has fully disassembled a Kimber Series II can post instructions here.
Thank you for explaining the differences of Series 70`s and 80`s 1911`s.

BTW, I believe I can still use Tuner`s Series 70 instructions for taking apart the frame, but not the slide, since my Kimber uses the Swartz firing pin and safety. Am I correct?

 

[WSM MAGNUM]

Well, I just took apart the frame completly to clean all the parts. Re-assembled eveything with no problems. Took a while to do it, but next time will be much faster and with confidence.
Still did not take apart the slide. Not sure how the Swartz safety and firing pin comes out yet. Any one ever took apart a Kimber TLE II ?

 

[Kruzr]

There is one part to the safety in the frame and two in the slide. The push rod in the frame sits in the milled out section on the sear pin on the right side. The plunger in the slide is one piece with a spring on top of it. The only way to get the plunger and spring out is to remove the rear sight. This isn't necessary to clean the gun. There isn't much of a channel to collect dirt and unless you can't push in on the plunger, there is no reason to take it out.

To remove the firing pin, you need to depress the plunger so get the pin in far enough to slide the stop plate down. Once the plate has moved down a little, you can let go of the plunger and the FP will stay in the slide. Push the plunger again when the stop plate is off and the FP will come flying out. Everything else is no different than a Series 70 slide strip.