Colt 01991 series with factory upgrades?

[Fordtough25]

Picked up a new Colt 80 series the other day and thought it had some nicer pieces versus the previous years models? This one came with a National Match marked barrel, a nicer hammer, and a beaver tail. Anybody else have one like this, pretty neat!

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[Robinson]

It's probably not a new model, more likely either a special run for a major distributor (e.g. Lew Horton) or one of the runs Colt does to use up parts once in a while. Either way, it's a neat gun in a good configuration. Colt has done some batches of Series 70 guns with the same features (except with a short trigger and Commander hammer) in past years. Good find.

[theJanitor]

The beavertail looks wonky, or like a wilson drop in. What's the model number on the case?

[HCM]

Picked up a new Colt 80 series the other day and thought it had some nicer pieces versus the previous years models? This one came with a National Match marked barrel, a nicer hammer, and a beaver tail. Anybody else have one like this, pretty neat!

44409

I had something similar in the 1990s it was a Colt custom shop limited run. It was parkerized and had the big “M1991” roll mark and an actual fitted safety.

[Fordtough25]

The beavertail looks wonky, or like a wilson drop in. What's the model number on the case?

Model # is 01991, beavertail feels smooth and fitment seems nice. Action is super slick, I will get it wiped down and warm it up this week sometime and report back.

[rd62]

Nice Colt

[JonInWA]

As Robinson mentioned, Colt is somewhat famous these days for coming up with some interesting tangents off their base models. They seem to make enough of them to warrant a special entry at Bud's as a distributor special; at least that seems to be the moniker attached to them. There's probably an equal chance that they're convenient hangers for spare or excess parts inventory parts absorption, sometimes from discontinued model inventory. On the plus side, as yours, usually they make sense and are aesthetically decent.

Colt has done this sort of fiddling around for years, so I doubt that there's any significant additional value to be derived from an investment standpoint, but you've got a very nice, and eminently usable 1911.

However, one thing you might want to look closely at and change are the grips-nice as they look, they don't seem to be providing any support to the plunger tube.

Best, Jon

[Fordtough25]

As Robinson mentioned, Colt is somewhat famous these days for coming up with some interesting tangents off their base models. They seem to make enough of them to warrant a special entry at Bud's as a distributor special; at least that seems to be the moniker attached to them. There's probably an equal chance that they're convenient hangers for spare or excess parts inventory parts absorption, sometimes from discontinued model inventory. On the plus side, as yours, usually they make sense and are aesthetically decent.

Colt has done this sort of fiddling around for years, so I doubt that there's any significant additional value to be derived from an investment standpoint, but you've got a very nice, and eminently usable 1911.

However, one thing you might want to look closely at and change are the grips-nice as they look, they don't seem to be providing any support to the plunger tube.

Best, Jon

Thanks for the post I appreciate the information! I really like it, kind of came with the features I would want without anything I don't need? I do plan on changing the grips, will be snagging a set of G10 somethings soon. After I run a few hundred rounds through it and establish a good knowledge I plan on carrying it this winter. :)

[Fordtough25]

Just snagged these, they look grippy and supportive. VZ Gunner grips, USMC designed!

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[JonInWA]

Excellent choice-they'll provide a better grip and more plunger tube support. And they should look pretty decent on your blued 1991.

Best, Jon

[MGW]

I had something similar in the 1990s it was a Colt custom shop limited run. It was parkerized and had the big “M1991” roll mark and an actual fitted safety.

I had one of those about the same time too. I knew very little about 1911’s at the time and it wouldn’t run. If I remember correctly I traded it off on a Gen 2 21.

[theJanitor]

Fordtough25, can you take a picture of the sticker on the Colt case? You can cover the serial number.

And I can’t recall the last time Colt installed a drop-in beavertail.

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[Fordtough25]

Box stickers, thanks

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[Fordtough25]

Fordtough25, can you take a picture of the sticker on the Colt case? You can cover the serial number.

And I can’t recall the last time Colt installed a drop-in beavertail.

44441


I have no idea, it feels smooth and looks natural to the pistol. It also has the different hammer and national match barrel for what it's worth. It still has the factory oil all over the pistol so had to come this way?

[JonInWA]

The box sticker leads me to believe that the upgrades are exemplary of fortitious parts bin engineering, as opposed to a special order SKU. Best, Jon

[Fordtough25]

The box sticker leads me to believe that the upgrades are exemplary of fortitious parts bin engineering, as opposed to a special order SKU. Best, Jon

I concur, it suits me fine as they are good upgrades for a carry 1911 and ones my other 45's do not have!

[Borderland]

Box stickers, thanks

44443

Generic box also. They slipped a speckled puppy into that box. No worries, nice pistol.

I have several 01991's. Sometimes you can luck out and get one that shoots like it has been fitted by a competent smith. I have one of those from around 2005 or so. Bushing is tight as a tick and frame to slide fit is about what you would find on a Baer. I bought it new so that was a shocker too.

[Borderland]

Box stickers, thanks

44443

Generic box also. They slipped a speckled puppy into that box. No worries, nice pistol with upgrades. Nobody is going to complain about that.

I have several 01991's. Sometimes you can luck out and get one that shoots like it has been fitted by a competent smith. I have one of those from around 2005 or so. Bushing is tight as a tick and frame to slide fit is about what you would find on a Baer. I bought it new so that was a shocker too.

[Fordtough25]

Generic box also. They slipped a speckled puppy into that box. No worries, nice pistol with upgrades. Nobody is going to complain about that.

I have several 01991's. Sometimes you can luck out and get one that shoots like it has been fitted by a competent smith. I have one of those from around 2005 or so. Bushing is tight as a tick and frame to slide fit is about what you would find on a Baer. I bought it new so that was a shocker too.

Nice, congrats on having a good one too! I had the regular version a few years back and it shot well, this one is pretty tight and smooth. I bet it shoots lights out if I do my part!

[theJanitor]

The box sticker leads me to believe that the upgrades are exemplary of fortitious parts bin engineering, as opposed to a special order SKU. Best, Jon

Yup. It feels like they really wanted to use that hammer, then realized that they needed to radius the frame for a beavertail that would fit, or use a drop in. The shape looks wilson-ish.

A smith that used to work for a OEM parts supplier told me once, that he believed the N.M. barrels to just be the first barrels cut with new tooling. Every time colt changed the cutters for the rifling and chambers, the first batch were designated for the National Match designation. Made sense to me at the time. Maybe the PF'ers that have a relationship with Evolution Armory can ask Dave to confirm/deny...

[theJanitor]

So this seller says that he's had several colt come from Colt with the N.M. barrel. 1911forum is confirming this too. But all have the standard hammer/grip safety. The blued ones I see have double diamond grips, whereas the stainless ones have black grips.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/831415461

[Fordtough25]

So this seller says that he's had several colt come from Colt with the N.M. barrel. 1911forum is confirming this too. But all have the standard hammer/grip safety. The blued ones I see have double diamond grips, whereas the stainless ones have black grips.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/831415461

I did read on the Colt forum of some with NM barrels out there prior, interesting stuff for sure! I'm super lucky I guess! Lol

[JonInWA]

Now go out and buy a Powerball lottery ticket!

Best, Jon

[45dotACP]

A smith that used to work for a OEM parts supplier told me once, that he believed the N.M. barrels to just be the first barrels cut with new tooling. Every time colt changed the cutters for the rifling and chambers, the first batch were designated for the National Match designation. Made sense to me at the time. Maybe the PF'ers that have a relationship with Evolution Armory can ask Dave to confirm/deny...

That would explain why the Colt Commander I got a few years back wouldn't hold a dinner plate at 25 yards. Between the accuracy that was slightly better than a first gen M&P9 but considerably worse than a G19, the standing on the link and the garbage fit of the extractor, I pretty much rolled my eyes every time I heard someone say Colt was "making the best 1911s they've ever made"

A new barrel fixed the issue, and I still own, shoot and carry the gun...but it took a bit of work to love that gun.

Glad the OP has had a good experience. Looks like a pistol that has almost everything you need and nothing you don't.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

[theJanitor]

Looks like a pistol that has almost everything you need and nothing you don't.



yup, looks like a score, if the price was right. Personally, I would have rather had sights, than a beavertail, if it were one or the other

[Fordtough25]

I doubt my luck is good enough for a lottery ticket, would be nice though! I'm super happy with it, will post a picture when I get the new grips installed and send some rounds through it. I don't hate the sights, they're not novaks of course but they point well and are solid. Plus I am a large person with large hands so the beavertail actually helps more than I would have thought! :)

[Robinson]

So this seller says that he's had several colt come from Colt with the N.M. barrel. 1911forum is confirming this too. But all have the standard hammer/grip safety. The blued ones I see have double diamond grips, whereas the stainless ones have black grips.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/831415461

That seller is local to me and I do all of my business with them. I saw some of the Series 80 guns they had with the NM barrels. Other than that they are just typical Series 80s. Colt has done that before, but recently they made batches of both Series 70 and Series 80 guns with features not typical of each model. For example, the most recent batch of stainless S70 Repros were made with widened ejection ports and the slide catch notch further to the rear -- making them essentially the same as the new 1911 Classic model except with an arched main spring housing and different roll marks.

The Series 80 Government (1990) and Series 70 Repro models are no longer in production at Colt. They have both been replaced in the lineup by the 1911 Classic, which can be had in 45 ACP and Super 38 blued and stainless.

[Fordtough25]

That seller is local to me and I do all of my business with them. I saw some of the Series 80 guns they had with the NM barrels. Other than that they are just typical Series 80s. Colt has done that before, but recently they made batches of both Series 70 and Series 80 guns with features not typical of each model. For example, the most recent batch of stainless S70 Repros were made with widened ejection ports and the slide catch notch further to the rear -- making them essentially the same as the new 1911 Classic model except with an arched main spring housing and different roll marks.

The Series 80 Government (1990) and Series 70 Repro models are no longer in production at Colt. They have both been replaced in the lineup by the 1911 Classic, which can be had in 45 ACP and Super 38 blued and stainless.


Them cutting the 80 series Government model would make them using all/any parts a lot more sense! Thanks!

[03RN]

Good looking gun for sure! How do you like the VZs. I have a set of the operators on my MC Operator and absolutely love them.

[Fordtough25]

Good looking gun for sure! How do you like the VZs. I have a set of the operators on my MC Operator and absolutely love them.


Will let you know soon, they should arrive today or tomorrow! I had a Springfield operator back in the day with VZ's and I really thought they worked well so I have high hopes!

[SeriousStudent]

That's a spiffy pistol, I hope it brings you many years of enjoyment.

There is just something about a Colt 1911 with a neat rollmark that always brings a smile to my face. It was my first centerfire pistol I "owned" and age 16.

Congrats on getting a neat one! :)

[Fordtough25]

That's a spiffy pistol, I hope it brings you many years of enjoyment.

There is just something about a Colt 1911 with a neat rollmark that always brings a smile to my face. It was my first centerfire pistol I "owned" and age 16.

Congrats on getting a neat one! :)

Thank you! I agree that while there are many awesome 1911's out there a good Colt brings a smile, my first handgun experience was my uncles Colt from WW2!! He would take me to the range when I was a teenager and let me shoot it and his M1 Garand and Browning A5. I sure miss him, I will always think fondly of him and my Father in law when shooting and carrying this! Grips should be here today hopefully also!

[rd62]

What grips did you go with?

[Fordtough25]

VZ Gunner grips, USMC designed

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[JohnK]

I run the VZ operators on 2 of my 1911s. I have frags on another and a set of the diamond style that are waiting for an appropriate mate, haha. I love the grips for some hard use. Especially in the heat and rainy/snowy weather.

[Fordtough25]

44816

Talk about a solid grip with these bad boys, wow!

[Robinson]

We need to talk about your grip.

Just kidding. Looking good.

[Rock185]

Much as I like Colts and 1911s in general, the standard grip safety allows the hammer to bite me. So that Wilson type drop-in grip safety makes sense to me. I've bought my share, no, more than my share, of Colts since the early '70s; Governments, Gold Cups, Commanders, and a couple of the Colt Custom Shop SCGs. "Most" were decent guns. It does seem that Colt is using the "NM" roll mark on the barrels of more and more guns. I know the NM barrels are supposed to be different/better than non NM barrels. Over the last 40+ years I've owned 9 Gold Cups with NM marked barrels, IIRC. Only one GC that I can recall was purchased used. But other than one Gold Cup purchased new 40+ years ago, I've not been able to detect anything better about the Colt NM barrels. But many potential buyers seem very impressed if the barrel says NM/Match,etc. Have to admit that if I were Colt, I'd mark each and every barrel with "NM";)

[Fordtough25]

Thanks all, and no time to shoot it yet. Dry fire has happened some, trigger is smooth! Hopefully I can warm it up this weekend and report back.

[Fordtough25]

Small update on this pony, I ran 600 rounds through it since receiving it and really enjoyed its accuracy and perfect function! But, I picked up another colt government model and decided to spruce this one up some more since it came with nice features anyways. Long story short I sent the slide to a gunsmith friend of mine up in the capital, Moore Gunworks. He added front cocking serrations, novak sight cuts and then the sights, tritium front and black rear. Finally cerakoted in tungston grey to complete the refinish.

I snagged a wilson three hole trigger, metal MSH, and small tactical thumb safety to enhance the frame more, just ordered a set of black/grey VZ operator 2's with the super scoop to finish it. I'll post before and after pics when I get the slide back but here it is after his work!

5557055571

He's waiting on the correct front sight to finish it and send back to me, can't wait!!

[19852+]

Nice pistol, I love my 01991 .38 super. The first thing I did to mine was new sights, a mild bevel of the razor edges along with a cerocote refinish. I've made minor modifications since new 8 years ago but the guts remain all Colt. Once I had it refinished I started to really test it out, I probably have 10,000 rounds through it as of now. I've treated it like a lawn mower or a neglected Glock over the years yet it just runs.

[Fordtough25]

And the freshly re assembled pony, can't wait to shoot it!! :)

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