Series 80 70

[deadeye dick]

What's the difference between a series 80 and 70

 

[WilsonCQB1911]

Firing pin safety. Series 80 has a firing pin safety that makes the pistol more drop safe than series 70. Series 70 relies on the strength of the firing pin spring alone to maintain drop safety.

Different companies have done the firing pin safety thing differently with differing results. Kimber gave the firing pin safety on 1911s a bad name. Generally you'll find most favor a "series 70" design.

I like Colt's firing pin safety but am fine without it as well.

 

[trackskippy]

Ive owned Colts of both series and both were fine. I actually preferred to carry the 80's, simply due to the added safety.

I once dropped a freshly loaded series 70 Commander, before I got the safety set, and I wish I had a video of the little dance I was doing on that long 1m trip to the floor it took. It didnt go off, but it was still an ass-tightener.

The 80's trigger safety is similar to the Glocks in the respect that the trigger needs to be pulled in order for the gun to fire. The 70's doesn't, but the chances are still pretty slim that the gun would go off.

Among those who seem to be, or are trigger phobic, the 80's trigger due to the safety is supposed to be horrible, but I never found it to be the case, and truthfully, I never noticed a difference. But I dont mess with factory triggers either, ad dont have a problem with them. Never had any issues with the series 80 safety either.

 

[deadeye dick]

I have a 15 year old PT1911 with the firing pin plunger. Does the 80 and 70 both have the plunger? If so, what is the difference between the two series?

 

[trackskippy]

The 70's dont have the plunger or linkage. They dont have the plastic parts either, trigger, MSH.

 

[WilsonCQB1911]

The 70's dont have the plunger or linkage. They dont have the plastic parts either, trigger, MSH.

That brings up a good point about what one actually means when they say "series 80". Many people use it to just mean a 1911 with a firing pin safety. If one is being pedantic, it actually refers to a specific Colt line called the "Series 80". These all have a firing pin safety.

My Special Combat Government has a firing pin safety but isn't an actual "series 80" but yet I would say "it's a series 80" to denote that it has a firing pin safety in it.

One could also say that the Taurus, some Kimber, some S&W 1911s, etc are "series 80" to also note that they have a firing pin safety even though they aren't from the Colt Series 80 line and also their firing pin safety may or may not operate the same way as Colt's. The Kimber and S&W safeties I've seen have deactivated based on grip safety pressure, whereas Colt's deactivate based on pulling the trigger. Thus far history has proven Colt's design to be better.

With the grip safety deactivation it has led to timing issues where the hammer was allowed to fall before the firing pin safety was deactivated. It's a harder system to time properly than Colt's.

 

[JTQ]

WilsonCQB1911, good posts in general. However...

One could also say that the Taurus, some Kimber, some S&W 1911s, etc are "series 80" to also note that they have a firing pin safety even though they aren't from the Colt Series 80 line and also their firing pin safety may or may not operate the same way as Colt's. The Kimber and S&W safeties I've seen have deactivated based on grip safety pressure, whereas Colt's deactivate based on pulling the trigger. This far history has proven Colt's design to be better.

You can misname a lot of stuff, but there are no Kimber's with a Series 80 firing pin safety. Taurus, does use a Series 80 firing pin safety as does SIG. Kimber and S&W no.

Kimber uses the Swartz style firing pin safety, also a Colt design, while S&W uses a Mochak firing pin safety developed at S&W.

 

[trackskippy]

When you say Series 70 or Series 80, I think "Colt". All the others are just clones and who knows what it is you are getting. They may use something similar, or different, but they are what they are.

 

[deadeye dick]

Also, my SA Ronin 9MM Mfg 3/21 slide is bare. just the firing pin retainer and extractor. Like it a lot better, less complicated

 

[nettlle]

Not saying anything bad about Series 80 or Swartz but there is less drama with a Series 70. Most of the high end 1911's are Series 70.

 

[nettlle]

Deleted. Double post

 

[Terry G]

I carried this Series 70 for twenty years, it need a new extractor once. I have nothing but praise for it. I switched to a CZ P-01 after I retired, but I'm not selling the old Colt.

 

[WilsonCQB1911]

WilsonCQB1911, good posts in general. However...

You can misname a lot of stuff, but there are no Kimber's with a Series 80 firing pin safety. Taurus, does use a Series 80 firing pin safety as does SIG. Kimber and S&W no.

Kimber uses the Swartz style firing pin safety, also a Colt design, while S&W uses a Mochack firing pin safety developed at S&W.

I think if you re read my post you'll see that I noted the distinction. Many use "series 80" to refer to a 1911 with a firing pin safety regardless of how it works.

 

[JTQ]

I think if you re read my post you'll see that I noted the distinction. Many use "series 80" to refer to a 1911 with a firing pin safety regardless of how it works.

Sure, there are a lot of liberties taken with the 1911/1911A1 terminologies, but calling a Kimber Series II a Series 80 is just wrong. Likewise calling an S&W 1911 with a firing pin safety a Series 80 is also wrong. I will correct those errors every time.

 

[JTQ]

Calling a 1911 without a firing pin safety, that doesn't have a collet style bushing a Series 70, is also wrong, but I almost always let that go since it doesn't really matter since nobody makes a 1911 with a collet style bushing any more. It's bad terminology, but in the last 50 years, we've learned to identify 1911 type pistols without a firing pin safety as Series 70 guns.

However, if you have a Kimber Series II, and you are out looking for replacement parts for your Series 80 firing pin safety you're going to run into some problems, because your Kimber Series II doesn't have Series 80 parts, so in this case it matters, and I will point that out.

 

[JTQ]

Also, Kimber doesn't use a "Schwartz" type firing pin safety. It is a Swartz style firing pin safety. It is a guy's name. He has a patent for the firing pin safety. Give credit where credit is due.

Likewise, while S&W also has a firing pin safety that is operated off the grip safety, S&W never used the Swartz style firing pin safety, they used the Mochak firing pin safety. Again, a guy's name, who has the patent.

 

[nettlle]

Again. A Series 70 much less drama.

 

[trackskippy]

Ive never had any "drama" with the Series 80's.

If you were just handed one or the other, I seriously doubt you'd know what it was you were shooting.

One thing with an 80 over a 70 is, at least the earlier 70's anyway is, they made some updates with the 80's, that corrected some of the deficiencies the 70's had. At least they would generally feed most bullet types out of the box without many problems, and had better sights. On the downside, there were those plastic parts, but they were easily replaced.

 

[herrwalther]

As mentioned, series 80 1911s use a firing pin block similar to a lot of striker fired handguns. The most notable part difference is they use a 4 tine leaf spring instead of 3 tines found in the series 70.

 

[DR505]

Initially "Series 70" meant it had a collet bushing as the distinguishing characteristic. Series 80 meant it had the firing pin safety. Many people think a Series 70 denotes no firing pin safety, but that is not the case. ALL Colts up until the Series 80 had no firing pin safety, so that was not the main feature of a Series 70. Colt still roll marks 1911s with the "Series 70" markings, but do not use the collet bushing any longer. To add to the confusion, many of the early Series 80 pistols came with a collet bushing.

 

[Jim Watson]

Calling a 1911 without a firing pin safety, that doesn't have a collet style bushing a Series 70, is also wrong, but I almost always let that go since it doesn't really matter since nobody makes a 1911 with a collet style bushing any more. It's bad terminology, but in the last 50 years, we've learned to identify 1911 type pistols without a firing pin safety as Series 70 guns.

When Colt started advertising 21st century guns without firing pin obstructions "Series 70", I knew that linguistic battle was lost.
Same as calling a 4" 9mm a "1911."

As mentioned, series 80 1911s use a firing pin block similar to a lot of striker fired handguns. The most notable part difference is they use a 4 tine leaf spring instead of 3 tines found in the series 70.

No.
The four fingered sear spring is a Clark product and has nothing to do with the Series 80 parts. My FLG used them for a while - I probably have one in some gun or another he worked on - but reverted to standard.

 

[Electricmo]

Ah , The dreaded Series question. Everyone is producing a Series 70 1911 these days. However they really aren’t. Even Colt has screwed up the party. Pre 70 series guns were just that. Colt had the shwartz safety along time before 70 series guns came out. Pre 70 series were mostly JMB original design. Added safeties didn’t change the series until the series 80 came out with the firing pin block. Series 70 guns introduced collet bushings. Todays series 70 production guns only designate lack of a firing pin block. Ultra light firing pins and extra strength firing pin springs allow for it to be made today. As far as I’m concerned a true series 70 would have a collet bushing.

 

[nettlle]

The higher end 1911's are 70 series. You are not going to find a Wilson Combat, Nighthawk , Ed Brown or Alchemy Gun Works in an 80 series. If the improvement of the 80 series was far greater than the 70 series then an 80 series would be the only 1911 I would buy. Certainly I wouldn't buy a nice 70 series and then buy a kit to convert it to an 80 series.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Again. A Series 70 much less drama.

I would say a Series 70 could be MUCH MORE drama if a situation occurs where the firing pin safety was needed.

 

[Electricmo]

I would say a Series 70 could be MUCH MORE drama if a situation occurs where the firing pin safety was needed.

One drop away from a controversial situation.