The “I need a .45 but do I need a 1911?” thread

[RJ]

Colt?

https://shopcoltfirearms.com/colt-19...lue-g10-grips/



They have a stainless version too. No Ambi but I can get past that. Sub $1k. GI guide rod. FO front (“like”).

Any reason why Colt isn’t in this mix of shootable $1k 1911s?

[JonInWA]

Colt?

https://shopcoltfirearms.com/colt-19...lue-g10-grips/



They have a stainless version too. No Ambi but I can get past that. Sub $1k. GI guide rod. FO front (“like”).

Any reason why Colt isn’t in this mix of shootable $1k 1911s?

Great gun, and no reason for any exclusion-except the OP and thread topic is more oriented towards non-1911s discussion.

Best, Jon

[RJ]

Ok, getting to short strokes. So far, finalists include Colt Competition (see above), Ruger model 6700, SA Ronin, and SA Loaded.

Being a retired engineering subcontract manger, I’m putting together a weighted assessment spreadsheet to score the options. To even the lefty factor, I’ll price adjust by adding an allowance for Labor ($150) and parts ($150) to fit an ambi safety.

If there are any other candidates I should be looking at, lemme know.

[Robinson]

Colt?

https://shopcoltfirearms.com/colt-19...lue-g10-grips/



They have a stainless version too. No Ambi but I can get past that. Sub $1k. GI guide rod. FO front (“like”).

Any reason why Colt isn’t in this mix of shootable $1k 1911s?

Nope, no reason not to include it on your short list.

The Colt Competition was developed to compete with the SA Range Officer as a no-frills gun ready for competition or whatever. The Novak rear sight is adjustable, and the current version does not have a firing pin safety -- it is what is commonly referred to as a "Series 70" gun even if it doesn't technically meet all the requirements. Fitting a thumb safety to a Colt is usually pretty straight-forward as long as you really understand the interface between the safety and the sear.

[Rex G]

My first handgun, in late 1982 or early 1983, was a 1911. In hindsight, I probably should have bought a SIG P220, which was an available option, at the time, or, simply opted for a revolver. (I would have to start LE training, by late 1983, with revolvers, but may not have decided to apply, at the time I bought my 1911.) Today, I have several high-end 1911 pistols, but it has been an expensive, often-frustrating journey.

If some disaster were to claim all of my existing .45 ACP weapons, I would probably only directly replace the G30s Short Frame, and the Gen4 G30, and then add a G30 Short Frame and/or Gen4 G21. Or, I might just stay with 9mm Glocks, bidding farewell to .45 ACP. (.45 Colt, however, remains a favorite, in my revolving pistols.)

I wish that I had bought into the S&W 645/745/4506 pistols, back in the day, but I do not see myself paying collector’s prices, today, for pistols that are no longer supported by S&W.

[farscott]

My solution to this is a 2nd Generation G21 that has a Robar grip reduction, night sights, and a SCD. The net result is Glock reliability in a package my small hands can (ahem) handle.

[Evil_Ed]

Colt?

https://shopcoltfirearms.com - THIS ...lue-g10-grips/



They have a stainless version too. No Ambi but I can get past that. Sub $1k. GI guide rod. FO front (“like”).

Any reason why Colt isn’t in this mix of shootable $1k 1911s?

Why would you link to a known scam web site?

[RJ]

Nope, no reason not to include it on your short list.

The Colt Competition was developed to compete with the SA Range Officer as a no-frills gun ready for competition or whatever. The Novak rear sight is adjustable, and the current version does not have a firing pin safety -- it is what is commonly referred to as a "Series 70" gun even if it doesn't technically meet all the requirements. Fitting a thumb safety to a Colt is usually pretty straight-forward as long as you really understand the interface between the safety and the sear.

Thanks, good info. I'll go look at what a "Series 70" gun entails.

Did my preliminary weighted assessment. Bearing in mind I have only scored a few factors, and have yet to as much as heft a 1911 outside of the one I shot at The Pin Shoot last week, the scores/candidates stand at:

1. SA Loaded (by a considerable margin)

The rest:
2. SA Ronin
3. Ruger 1911
4. Colt Competition
(all these are within 10%, so no real difference)

Looking over the numbers, it's not surprising. I weighted the price of the additional thumb safety fairly heavily. The SA Loaded comes with a Ambi fitted, the rest don't, so it had a distinct advantage. I really do just want to buy it and shoot it, not fiddle with learning to gunsmith a 1911, or send the gun off for weeks and weeks to have a part fitted.

At this point there's not a lot I can do, FFL wise, till I get back to Florida in September. I will continue to tinker with my spreadsheet and look at options on Gunbroker. When I get home, I can start looking at my local gun shops in Sarasota to fondle one or more of these to see how they look, and explore options to shoot rental examples.

I have also cleared this purchase with SWMBO, so I got that going for me.


@awp_101 thanks for starting this thread. I appreciate all the helpful comments, it's been a great resource.

[Jim Watson]

Thanks, good info. I'll go look at what a "Series 70" gun entails.

In 21st century internet speak, even Colt advertising lingo, "Series 70" is taken to mean "Lacking a mechanical firing pin block."
The firing pin obstruction was introduced by Colt as the "Series 80"... in 1983.
It has been being phased out for the last several years, Colt makes guns both with and without.

In 1970 "Series 70" meant "The Accurizor collet type barrel bushing is installed."

[Evil_Ed]

A correct "Series 70" gun from Colt includes a special/specific barrel ("Accurizer" barrel IRC), and a barrel bushing with fingers on it specifically fit for that specific barrel. The idea was to get a more accurate 1911 out of the box without involved gunsmithing or barrel fitting; the fingers on the barrel bushing let it sort of self center with the barrel, and produce a very repeatable lockup.

The problem was, those bushings would break, with frequency. Colt discontinued use of them in the 1980s and went back to a standard barrel bushing.

As Colt introduced the Series 80 afterwards with a firing pin safety as a part of it, people started calling any non-firing-pin-safety a "Series 70"...which is a misnomer. The best way to describe it would be a "GI" or "standard" 1911 fire control system.

Series 80 is Colt's specific firing pin safety. Kimber uses a Swartz-style firing pin safety, and S&W uses a modified Swartz system (both being controlled by the grip safety, while Colt's S80 setup disengages the firing pin safety via trigger manipulation).

But, now that everyone calls any non firing pin safety gun a "Series 70"...sigh.

Basically, whenever anyone says "Series 70" these days, they mean a standard, normal, every day M1911-styled gun without a firing pin safety - generally.

Edit - looks like the poster above beat me to the main points..