Series 70 Colt Competition Pistol

[Robinson]

It looks like Colt is or will be offering a S70 version of their Competition Pistol. According to Mark Redl of Colt, all pistols marketed as "competition guns" will be converted to Series 70.

http://www.lipseys.com/itemdetail.aspx?itemno=COO1070CCS

I have no idea when these will be available, but they should be an attractive option for competition shooters or people who simply prefer S70 over S80 guns. My stainless CCP is S80 and the trigger is pretty good, but I've owned a couple of S70 guns with really nice triggers.

The list of S70 Colts has grown to:

Series 70 Repro
Gold Cup National Match
Gold Cup Trophy
Colt Competition Pistol
All Wiley Clapp models
Custom Shop Stainless Series 70 limited run

[Greg]

Sweeeeeeet!

[JSGlock34]

I wonder if we'll see the Combat Elite return in S70...

[45dotACP]

Honestly...I never saw the huge problem with series 80. Heresy notwithstanding, the trigger on mine is decent. Plus the drop safe thing is nice.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[Greg]

Honestly...I never saw the huge problem with series 80. Heresy notwithstanding, the trigger on mine is decent. Plus the drop safe thing is nice.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

A well tuned one is just fine.

[Matt O]

Honestly...I never saw the huge problem with series 80. Heresy notwithstanding, the trigger on mine is decent. Plus the drop safe thing is nice.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Same, I think the merits of the FPB outweigh any (perceived?) impact it has on the trigger pull. More importantly, however, I just wish Colt would stop offering pistols with un-checkered front straps.

[Robinson]

Honestly...I never saw the huge problem with series 80. Heresy notwithstanding, the trigger on mine is decent. Plus the drop safe thing is nice.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

I don't think S80 is a problem either. All my current guns are S80. On the other hand, two of the S70 .45s I owned previously had the best triggers of any pistols I've owned. I think there are some competition shooters who greatly prefer S70 guns -- hence Colt converting all their competition-based models to S70. I guess.

[Robinson]

Same, I think the merits of the FPB outweigh any (perceived?) impact it has on the trigger pull. More importantly, however, I just wish Colt would stop offering pistols with un-checkered front straps.

I think they should continue to offer the basic models (1991, S70 Repro) and the GCNM with plain front straps. Plus adding a checkered front strap on the CCP would price it too high compared to its competition (SA Range Officer).

Current production models with checkered front straps are:

Combat Unit Rail Gun
Cold Cup Trophy
Special Combat Government
Custom Shop Stainless Series 70 Limited Run
Wiley Clapp models

[Matt O]

I think they should continue to offer the basic models (1991, S70 Repro) and the GCNM with plain front straps. Plus adding a checkered front strap on the CCP would price it too high compared to its competition (SA Range Officer).

Current production models with checkered front straps are:

Combat Unit Rail Gun
Cold Cup Trophy
Special Combat Government
Custom Shop Stainless Series 70 Limited Run
Wiley Clapp models

The only thing with this is that unless you want the giant M45 railed frame, one has to pay $1800 to get a factory checkered Series 80 Colt (SCG).

Honestly, the new Gold Cup Trophy looks to be exactly the sort of 1911 that Colt should be offering in the 21st century and, as it's a Gold Cup, it makes perfect sense it's a Series 70 offering. That said, if they could just offer something with the same checkering and magwell, but in Series 80 for those of us heretics who actually like a FPB, that would be fantastic. The likelihood of that happening is pretty slim though.

[peterb]

I think they should continue to offer the basic models (1991, S70 Repro) and the GCNM with plain front straps. Plus adding a checkered front strap on the CCP would price it too high compared to its competition (SA Range Officer).

It's hard to believe that CNC checkering would add a lot to the cost if the machining cell and routine is well designed.

[Robinson]

It's hard to believe that CNC checkering would add a lot to the cost if the machining cell and routine is well designed.

Let's say it adds $100 to the cost of the gun (getting it done as a custom job will cost significantly more than that). That would be enough for some folks to choose another maker's pistol such as the Range Officer over the CCP. I'm just saying that Colt's choice of features on the CCP were made with the goal of hitting a specific price point.

[Robinson]

The only thing with this is that unless you want the giant M45 railed frame, one has to pay $1800 to get a factory checkered Series 80 Colt (SCG).

Honestly, the new Gold Cup Trophy looks to be exactly the sort of 1911 that Colt should be offering in the 21st century and, as it's a Gold Cup, it makes perfect sense it's a Series 70 offering. That said, if they could just offer something with the same checkering and magwell, but in Series 80 for those of us heretics who actually like a FPB, that would be fantastic. The likelihood of that happening is pretty slim though.

Yes at this point the only choice for a S80 gun with front strap checkering and a magwell is the SCG. What you're looking for pretty much describes my S80 CCP with a Fusion Firearms magwell installed. You can't have it. :)

[StraitR]

Can anyone reference the last time a S70 1911 discharged from being negligently or accidentally dropped? I'm curious why the best 1911 manufacturers and custom shops still produce S70 guns if they're as dangerous as the internet would lead you to believe. In my world, "a good trigger" does not supplant safety, so I'm trying to figure out if this is a legit issue or one of those unfounded subjects the internet likes to talk about. Drop safe is a thing, I get it, but has it, and does it, continue to happen with S70 1911's, that is the question.

There are pages and pages of Google results filled with forum discussions, blog posts, articles, and testing the drop safety of S70 1911's, yet I've not found an actual instance of it happening unintentionally. Frankly, just the difficulty I've had finding a documented instance tells me something, if not everything, but maybe someone here has had better luck searching or has been privy to it happening.

This is not a "see, you're all ninnies for wanting a S80 gun" setup. As most know, I carry a S70, so I'm genuinely interested. I'm just perplexed by the amount of internet discussion this topic gets vs my inability to find legit examples.

[Robinson]

Many manufacturers have gone to using titanium firing pins in their 1911s. I think Colt started shipping their Series 70 guns with titanium pins back in 2004 or so. This should mitigate much of the risk associated with guns not equipped with a firing pin block firing when dropped on the muzzle.

About the only other benefit to the S80 system is that it could in some narrow circumstances prevent the gun from firing in the case of a parts failure in the fire control system. Maybe.

[Matt O]

Can anyone reference the last time a S70 1911 discharged from being negligently or accidentally dropped? I'm curious why the best 1911 manufacturers and custom shops still produce S70 guns if they're as dangerous as the internet would lead you to believe. In my world, "a good trigger" does not supplant safety, so I'm trying to figure out if this is a legit issue or one of those unfounded subjects the internet likes to talk about. Drop safe is a thing, I get it, but has it, and does it, continue to happen with S70 1911's, that is the question.

There are pages and pages of Google results filled with forum discussions, blog posts, articles, and testing the drop safety of S70 1911's, yet I've not found an actual instance of it happening unintentionally. Frankly, just the difficulty I've had finding a documented instance tells me something, if not everything, but maybe someone here has had better luck searching or has been privy to it happening.

This is not a "see, you're all ninnies for wanting a S80 gun" setup. As most know, I carry a S70, so I'm genuinely interested. I'm just perplexed by the amount of internet discussion this topic gets vs my inability to find legit examples.

It's a good and valid question. I could be wrong, but my guess would be that people just aren't dropping their 1911's that much.

That said, as far as I can tell it has been proven in controlled experiments (http://dave2.freeshell.org/1911/drop1/drop1.htm) that drop safe for a S70 (in its various firing pin permutations) only means drop safe in certain situations.

[That Guy]

Can anyone reference the last time a S70 1911 discharged from being negligently or accidentally dropped?

From what I recall reading, on the Internet, where all information is 100% correct, the demand for a firing pin safety came from U.S. DoD after some pistols had discharged during helicopter crashes. So the incidents which resulted in the invention of Series 80 guns were a bit more... dynamic... than simply dropping the gun.

Not too many folks are likely to end up in a helicopter crash. But then, going 140km/h on a highway and rolling your car might shake the people and their guns inside that vehicle somewhat, too.

I am no expert, but I imagine if I were setting up a carry 1911 I would prefer it to have a firing pin safety of some kind. But then I tend to be a bit more cautious bloke than most, it seems.

Sent from my Infernal Contraption using Tapatalk

[JAD]

Same, I think the merits of the FPB outweigh any (perceived?) impact it has on the trigger pull. More importantly, however, I just wish Colt would stop offering pistols with un-checkered front straps.

Not everyone prefers checkering. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170523/97893d42727216b0d113ff39f485fabb.jpg

[Matt O]

Not everyone prefers checkering.

16811;)

[JTQ]

... the demand for a firing pin safety came from U.S. DoD after some pistols had discharged during helicopter crashes. So the incidents which resulted in the invention of Series 80 guns were a bit more... dynamic... than simply dropping the gun.

Note, the Swartz firing pin safety was developed in the late 1930's, before helicopters. It may have been dynamic drops that caused the development, but the problem was identified long before lawyers became the driving force in firearm design or helicopters.

[JHC]

Can anyone reference the last time a S70 1911 discharged from being negligently or accidentally dropped? I'm curious why the best 1911 manufacturers and custom shops still produce S70 guns if they're as dangerous as the internet would lead you to believe. In my world, "a good trigger" does not supplant safety, so I'm trying to figure out if this is a legit issue or one of those unfounded subjects the internet likes to talk about. Drop safe is a thing, I get it, but has it, and does it, continue to happen with S70 1911's, that is the question.

There are pages and pages of Google results filled with forum discussions, blog posts, articles, and testing the drop safety of S70 1911's, yet I've not found an actual instance of it happening unintentionally. Frankly, just the difficulty I've had finding a documented instance tells me something, if not everything, but maybe someone here has had better luck searching or has been privy to it happening.

This is not a "see, you're all ninnies for wanting a S80 gun" setup. As most know, I carry a S70, so I'm genuinely interested. I'm just perplexed by the amount of internet discussion this topic gets vs my inability to find legit examples.

Way back years ago when the S80 vs not issue was more fresh a 1911 aficionado and LEO on one of the forums said while sprinting to some LE situation his rapidly reholstered on safe 1911 didn't get secured fully and flew out, landed on a hard tile or cement floor and fired. This is FAR from a vetted and documented example. I get that. But to your question, this was the only case of I can recall being personally attested to over the years. FWIW. Prolly not that much.

[1986s4]

I also have no problem with the series 80 stuff, in fact I prefer it for a carry gun. If I were going pure competition then one might as well go all the way and get the S70 version.

[Greg]

Not everyone prefers checkering.

TROOF

16926

I like checkered frontstraps but not cheese grater style 20 LPI. (25 lpi shown above) Given a set of grips with some decent texture (G-10s are best in this regard IMHO) I find smooth frontstraps to be fine even in hot weather.

Curious about golfball dimple style cuts....though they might not be any cheaper to machine.

Ruger's non FPB 1911s passed Commiefornias drop tests by using Ti firing pins.

[ca survivor]

Honestly...I never saw the huge problem with series 80. Heresy notwithstanding, the trigger on mine is decent. Plus the drop safe thing is nice.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

I like the FPS and even more, the day a guy next to me in a restaurant bathroom dropped his Colt 1911 Gov. Series 80s on the floor.

[Brian T]

I want one of these in carbon steel. A recent Ammoland article mentioned they will produced in carbon steel as a companion to the stainless steel variant.

If that is the case, my lightly used Springfield LBO (Loaded Operator), will be made available.

[Robinson]

I want one of these in carbon steel. A recent Ammoland article mentioned they will produced in carbon steel as a companion to the stainless steel variant.

If that is the case, my lightly used Springfield LBO (Loaded Operator), will be made available.

Yes, all Colt Competition Pistols -- whether blued or stainless -- are being converted to Series 70. In fact, the blued ones are already showing up for sale on Gunbroker.

[Tango]

Anyone here have data or feedback on how the Colt Competition is doing out in the field?

[Robinson]

Anyone here have data or feedback on how the Colt Competition is doing out in the field?

Which field? If you mean how is it performing in competition, I can't comment on that. My personal stainless 9mm CCP has almost a thousand rounds through it with no problems so far -- in other words, just getting started.

[1986s4]

I like the FPS and even more, the day a guy next to me in a restaurant bathroom dropped his Colt 1911 Gov. Series 80s on the floor.

Dang! If you were close enough to know it was S80 then I would be thankful too.

[ca survivor]

Dang! If you were close enough to know it was S80 then I would be thankful too.

no, I wasn't that close LOL, it was a friend of mine, I had shot that particular pistol, we were at a party dinner on a restaurant, he's a heavy guy and have the nasty habit of sticking the gun thru the belt and the end of the slide in the watch pocket.

[Brian T]

Has anyone seen these available yet? Nothing on Buds thus far.

[BillSWPA]

no, I wasn't that close LOL, it was a friend of mine, I had shot that particular pistol, we were at a party dinner on a restaurant, he's a heavy guy and have the nasty habit of sticking the gun thru the belt and the end of the slide in the watch pocket.

Wow, I hope you at least mentioned to him the shortcomings of that carry system, particularly with something like a single action semiauto that really, really needs to be carried properly.

[ca survivor]

I had mentioned before, didn't have to this time, that week end there was a Gun Show in town and in the rush to buy holsters he mistakenly bought a couple of LH holster and he's right handed LOL, I wasn't with him though.

[Robinson]

Has anyone seen these available yet? Nothing on Buds thus far.

There are several of the .45s on gunbroker.