Springfield Range Officer or Colt 70 Series

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etplewis

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Hey guys I needed a recomendation on my first 1911 purchase. I'm not sure if I should go with the Springfield Range Officer or Colt 70 Series. Not sure that I will like the adjustable sites on the RO and not sure about the slide to frame fit on the Colt. Any thoughts from current owners.

Thanks in advance!
 
If you're sure you mean the Series 70, then Colt all day long. I can't believe how nice mine is. Springfield makes a nice 1911--and this is coming from a 1911 snob--but there's no comparison here.
 
What are you going to use it for? For range use, the RO is going to be a better gun for you. Anything else, probably the Colt. I don't think you'll be disappointed with either. I also don't think either will be your last 1911 purchase.
 
I don't have any experience with the RO but am very happy with my Colt Series 70. It is the pistol among those I own that I shoot the best. When it was new, I did have a glitch in that with just one of my magazines, it sometimes failed to feed the last round. The problem has now gone away completely, I don't know why. (Maybe I was limp wristing at first?). Anyway, I now regard it as totally reliable and it is very sweet to shoot. I suppose you do know that the Series 70 is not officially drop safe? I sometimes conceal carry mine and while drop safety remains a minor concern, I do not think I would want the extra complexity of the Series 80. I have no idea whether the RO is drop safe.
 
Are they both new or are you looking at an original series 70 used. I have an old Colt MK IV Series 70 9mm it is a rattle trap but shoots and works very well. My first 1911 was a Springfield Loaded Longslide, too big and heavy but can shoot as well as 1911 twice it's price. I would prefer the Series 70 for a collection, the SA RO for a range pistol, a S&W or a SIG 1911 for a SD weapon. Just my preferences, for the same price range an STI Spartan or Trojan would be my choice over either the SA or Colt.
 
If you want an original looking new vintage colt and don't care about accuracy or target shooting , then the new colt 70 blued model is the way to go.

But if you want it as a shooter and possible target pistol , then the RO is the way to go.

The RO is a match quality gun , while the colt 70 is only slightly better than a service grade pistol.

You would have to put a new barrel, trigger job and tighten the slide to frame fit on the colt to equal the SA RO.

Now if you were comparing a colt 70 series gold cup to a range officer, then the colt gold cup would be the first choice.

If you want a great target match colt , the new colt trophy match 80 series is just as good or better than the SA RO if you can get over the series 80 firing pin block , which really doesn't effect the trigger pull much and it can be easily removed if you don't want it.
 
It all comes down to the sights.

If you want a pistol with adjustable sights get the Springfield. The sight cut on the Range Officer will severely limit your after market sight options if you decide down the road you don't like the adjustable sights.

The Colt Series 70 Repro is the choice I would make.
 
I love how Springfield has become for so many the end all be all of the handgun world, especially when they don't make firearms. Meanwhile Colt is bastardized by the same crowd that doesn't shoot them. Reminds me of kids putting clamp on mufflers on Hondas and laughing at Corvettes.

I've put hundreds of rounds through a Series 70 Reissue without failure and without accuracy issues. As far as drop safe, no firearm is drop safe. Any fool who drops a firearm is one who should be disarmed pronto. Don't believe the made up stories of why some "feature" had to be added.

As far as which to buy, it's your choice. Asking strangers will only invite biased opinion, including my own.
 
Skylerbone said:
I love how Springfield has become for so many the end all be all of the handgun world, especially when they don't make firearms. Meanwhile Colt is bastardized by the same crowd that doesn't shoot them. Reminds me of kids putting clamp on mufflers on Hondas and laughing at Corvettes.
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Sure about that?

Colt is great, Springfield is great and there's no reason not to own either. I shoot my Colt every weekend, and wouldn't trade it for the world, but the odds of me buying a new Colt are very slim, for my own reasons.

Colt does not equal Corvette and Springfield does not equal Honda. :rolleyes:
 
The OP wants to hear from current owners of one or other or both models about their findings. He doesn't want to hear about unsupported preferences.
 
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Indeed I am positive about that. They assemble a few, inbox a bunch and make a few final milling cut on some others but there ain't no furnaces or CNC operations goin on in Geneseo, even if they do hide that frame stamp it came from Brasil and those XDs will always be Croatian. Known a few people who work there. Driven by many times to visit relatives.

I didn't see anything in the OP about a requirement to own both specific models to post. Perhaps everyone should verify their current ownership of both, not just me. I never claimed as much, merely that I was well enough familiar with the Colt in question which belongs to my father. I perform all maintenance and load every round it fires. I fired a few Springfields, met the owners (nice folks) but don't find their quality superior to Colt.
 
SnowBlaZeR2 said:
Really? Sweet. I guess I'm allowed to post in here then. ;)
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My remark was not aimed specifically at you, Snowblazer2. I just feel this thread is degenerating into expressions of preference without giving reasons. You did give some reasons for your preference in your earlier posts. It was a shame though that you said you were unlikely to buy another Colt for reasons personal to you without giving a flavor of what those reasons might be. You clearly have a lot of experience with both guns and I'm sure a few more details would be helpful to the OP and others following this thread.
 
Flip a coin! I have both. I don't carry either. The RO is going to do uspsa duty and the Colt, well I just like it......lol
As for SA not making anything? Their like everyone else, they are selling a product. I own two fords, neither was made here. {USA} NUFF SAID!
And I wouldn't call Colt or SA the be all \ end all of any guns. They are just middle of the road products that people can afford. I'm done now, thanks for your patience....hmm.
 
Skylerbone said:
Indeed I am positive about that. They assemble a few, inbox a bunch and make a few final milling cut on some others but there ain't no furnaces or CNC operations goin on in Geneseo, even if they do hide that frame stamp it came from Brasil and those XDs will always be Croatian. Known a few people who work there. Driven by many times to visit relatives.

I didn't see anything in the OP about a requirement to own both specific models to post. Perhaps everyone should verify their current ownership of both, not just me. I never claimed as much, merely that I was well enough familiar with the Colt in question which belongs to my father. I perform all maintenance and load every round it fires. I fired a few Springfields, met the owners (nice folks) but don't find their quality superior to Colt.
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GM and Ford don't make cars then? I know they import parts, and some of their firearms, but it's not like they mail you a box of parts and a note that says have fun either. ;)

I do own both, and I love both. I'm speaking from my experience, just the same as anyone else is. No one here owns ever Colt and every Springfield, so we can only go from the firearms we own.
 
duns said:
My remark was not aimed specifically at you, Snowblazer2. I just feel this thread is degenerating into expressions of preference without giving reasons. You did give some reasons for your preference in your earlier posts. It was a shame though that you said you were unlikely to buy another Colt for reasons personal to you without giving a flavor of what those reasons might be. You clearly have a lot of experience with both guns and I'm sure a few more details would be helpful to the OP and others following this thread.
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Please don't think I took offense or anything. Just adding a little humor, or a poor attempt at it anyways. ;)

My main reason is customer service. I always felt like Springfield was a cut above Colt. I'm not talking just warranty inquiries either, I'm talking overall customer service. With Springfield, I feel like I'm the only customer they have. With Colt, it feels almost like I'm just another sale.

Also, a comparable Springfield will run me around $500-600 and the Colt $800-900 with some shopping around. Both are very similar pistols, and I just can't justify the extra price for the Colt. I love both, and I do think everyone should own a Colt at least once in their life, but I wouldn't buy another one over something else that I've found to be just as good at a fraction of the price. For the price of a nicer Colt these days, you're getting into the territory of the TRP. After my Wilson is built, I may just buy me a TRP too.

My Colt hasn't given me any problems, but neither has my Springfield. Both are just as accurate as the other, and both put a smile on my face every time I pull the trigger. I could probably get more for the Colt than the Springfield, but then again when you buy a Colt you're already up on the Springfield anyways. I would never put anyone off of buying a Colt, and I can pretty much guarantee any shooter would be happy with either.

So there you have it. Some of my opinions on why I would choose Springfield over Colt. As always, if anyone isn't satisfied with my opinions, let me know and I'll refund exactly what you paid for them. ;)
 
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