Used Colt 70 vs. NIB Springfield

[el44vaquero]

I've been looking at a 1911 for some time now. I've been looking at around $500. I've seen where I can get new Springfield GI for that. A new member on here offered me a stock Colt 70 for $600. It's a little more than what I'm willing to spend, but is this a good deal and would you recommend the Colt 70? I mean is it really that much better of a pistol to buy it used with some rough spots on it, and pay more for it, instead of getting a NIB Springfield?

Thanks

 

[Dr.Who]

I have one of each.... I prefer the Colt 70.... Better Value, Resale, and prancing ponies.... The extra 100 will be worth it in the long run.

 

[el44vaquero]

Why?

 

[10-Ring]

I like Colts, so I'd go w/ the used series 70...also, how used is it? In some cases, used equates to abused while in others used is a technical term for having a previous owner / safe queen

 

[huntershooter]

The 70 series Colt will have no MIM crap in it, if original. Also you can "dodge the bullet" on SA's pathetic quality control.

 

[Ala Dan]

What kind'a "rough spots" are we talk'in 'bout~? Surface rust,
scratches (nicks and bumps); or does the Colt look like it may have
been pulled across the tarmack by a vechile. $600 for a well
worn Colt seems a bit much; considering the fact that you can get
a brand NIB Springfield Stainless Loaded in our shop for $679.88~

 

[ajax]

el44 my opinion is go with the springer. You get a warrenty with the SA. You don't with the Colt. The new G.I.'s come with two mags two sets of grips a kydex holster ,and despite what hunter says about SA's QC his would be one the few the complaints i've heard of. I own three SA's including a G.I. and their all nice firearms. By the way Ala Dan you have to tell me where your shop is because I bought my loaded Springer used for 675.00 before tax.

 

[el44vaquero]

surface rust and a few nicks and scratches. Might have been dropped from the looks of it. Fully functions, just not pristine.

 

[AK103K]

I have to agree with Hunter on the Springfield QC, or lack there of. It really has been hit or miss of late. Of the last 4 1911's of theirs I've bought, only one has been a keeper. The Loaded model was a complete dog and would not feed hardball reliably from the box. Both WWII models had some issues too. The Champion was the only one that seems to run OK.

My Colts on the other hand, have over the years, been pretty much 100% reliable out of the box, even the used ones. In fact, the Colts are one of the few handgun makers I've never had to send a gun back to for repair, SIG and HK being the only others. Most of the newer, Series 80's guns, didnt need the old "throat and polish" either, and fed everything I put in them, from ball or hollow points, to my LSWC reloads. The only thing that annoyed me about the later Colts was the plastic parts, which were easily replaced, so it really wasnt a big deal.

I've had a number of 1911's from just about every major maker, but for the past 30 years or so, only trusted Colts as my daily carry gun.

I only recently quit carrying a 1911 altogether, and made the move to SIG's, first the 220, and now the 226/229 in 357SIG. Now there's no fiddling with them at all, they work 100% right out of the box, and you dont need to send them off for anything.

 

[Jim Watson]

$600 sounds like a lot for a gun with "surface rust, nicks and scratches."
A friend recently bought a 99% S70 9mm for $650. Not being one to pamper safe queens, he had it dressed for IDPA ESP with visible sights, beavertail, 3 lb trigger, and checkered front strap. FLG said it was one of the best made 1911s of any brand he had seen in some time. But it is just one good example of a mass produced gun. Any of them are a crapshoot, though it is human nature that you will hear from the dissatisfied while the pleased buyers will just go shooting. The two SAs I used for the MixMaster project had very good looking frames and slides and decent barrels, but the small parts were cheesy. And it is not as economical to replace them as you might think. Which is why I am for now running MixMaster A with a trigger job on the MIM guts. It will get milled parts if I decide to make it my main match gun.

 

[Onmilo]

Colt Series 70 pistols tend to be very well made.
All that crap you hear about them being unreliable comes from the fact the guns were never designed to feed hollowpoint ammunition and the early hollowpoint designs were quite iffy to reliable function in any handgun design.
$600.00 is a very decent offer for a functioning Colt and a purchase you will do well to contemplate.
One thing a Colt will do that a Springfield, or any 1911 clone for that matter, is appreciate at a steady rate over time.
A used Colt is always a better buy than a new replica.
New guns take an immediate depreciation on receipt and you would have to keep the gun for several years and maintain it in like new condition to realize any appreciation on the value of the original purchase.

The only thing I would recommend doing to a Series 70 Colt is replacement of the collet barrel bushing with a solid Mil-Spec type bushing.
The collet bushings never did work as Colt had planned and they do tend to break the fingers off with heavy use.
If you really feel compelled to shoot hollowpoint ammunition in a .45 acp I would strongly recommend that you also purchase a replacement barrel such as an Ed Brown that are throated and chambered for hollowpoint and Match type flatpoint bullets.
Ed Browns, and most other high quality replacement barrels come with fitted soild bushings.
Still I would buy and fit a solid bushing to the original barrel just the same.
You may actually enjoy shooting FMJs through the pistol with the original barrel and Colt barrels tend to be well made and quite accurate.
Keep the original Colt barrel as issued, don't throat it or do anything tricky to it because the alterations will affect the value of the pistol in a negative way.
Remember, condition is everything when it comes to resale and you want the gun as close to stock as possible.
Oh, by the way, replaceing the barrel bushing does not generally affect value but I would keep the collet bushing and offer it if you ever decide to resell the pistol.HTH

 

[Ala Dan]

Att: ajax my friend-

Here is the info on the shop I work in:

Simmons Sporting Goods
2001-2nd Ave North
Bessemer, AL 35020
PX: Area Code 205 425-4720 or 426-0490
Hours: 0900-1800 M-F, and 0900-1700 on Saturday, closed on Sunday.

I will be there on most Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays~!

 

[ajax]

Thanks Ala. The next time I head down that way to visit my aunt you'll be seeing me. I like low prices and your loaded SA's are right up my ally.

 

[el44vaquero]

In the long run I think the Colt would be better, but right now that's an extra 100.

 

[444]

Colt

When I first started reading on-line gun forums, I had a hard time understanding what the hell people were talking about when they discussed the reliability of 1911 handguns. I had owned a number of them and shot the crap out of them, and never had the slightest problem. At one point I was shooting about 1500 rounds a month out of one of them. They fed anything I ever tried to shoot out of them. I got on a kick at one point and was shooting 155 grain cast lead bullets by the truck load and they never missed a beat. All of mine had been Colts. All of mine were bone stock guns that I shot just like they came from the box. They all ran flawlessly and IMO I made a good showing in the various shooting sports I participated in as well as the formal classes I had attended.
Then, I bought my first Springfield Armory 1911.
I have only owned ONE Springfield Armory 1911. And, it was junk. It was not accurate. I replaced the barrel and cut my group size by 75%. The action was so rough and out of spec that the slide would not always go into battery. When you ran the slide, you could feel high spots. I ended up sending the gun to Clarks and having it repaired. If that SA had been the only 1911 experience I ever had, I would be loudly announcing that they were junk.
I realize that there are many very happy SA owners out there. I know some of them. However, all I can provide is my own personal experience and you can take it FWIW.

I probably won't be buying any more 1911s. I own three now and I seriously doubt that I will be able to wear them out in my lifetime. BUT, if I was going to buy another 1911, it would be a Colt. $600 for a used Colt seems high to me, but if the two choices you gave are my only two choices, I would pay $100 more for a used Colt anytime.