Whats the differences between the Series 80 and 70?

[Usmc-1]

Ive had my Colt Government MK4 Series 80 since the 1980's have shot over 10000 rounds through it , it custom sights and trigger , pack grip , other than that nothing is changed , great gun , It will go to my grave with me!

Just curious as I havent researched this at all (yes I know I could look on the internet) , theres so much knowledge on this forum and I value that knowledge more than some pistolsmiths review !

Please enlighten me on the differences?

 

[mgmorden]

The Series 80 incorporates a firing pin block - essentially it makes it so that the firing pin cannot contact the cartridge unless the trigger is fully depressed. The most notable reason for this is to prevent the gun from discharging if dropped. An original/series 70 design can fire if dropped at a very specific angle if the firing pin gets enough momentum to travel forward and strike the cartridge.

Most people, except lawyers, tend to prefer the series 70 design, as not only is a dropped gun somewhat of an odd occurrence - the conditions needed for it to go off are even rarer. The extra parts in the series 80 tend to complicate the design a bit more, and adversely affect the trigger pull.

 

[Ramone]

Actually, a few friends and I did some side by side 'blind' testing, and Not One of us could reliabably tell the trigger pull on a series 80 from a 70.
At the moment, both my 1911s have the series 80 firing pin block. It *is* extra parts, and more to go wrong, but it I don't know anyone that has had an issue with it.

The two little parts in the frame are a little tricky on the reassembly from the detail strip, but I actually find the parts in the slide make it easier to strip.

The colored parts in the attachment are the Series 80 parts.

 

[Usmc-1]

thank you escpecially the pictured answered my question!SF