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Colt M1911A1
Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 1:20 am
by clarionite
I picked up my first 1911 today. A colt M1911A1 Series 80. I'm impressed with it so far.
The trigger has a different feel than any of my other pistols.
I'm having a difficult time finding any way to date it with its serial number. I found the Series 70 date ranges. And I'm pretty sure this is one of the earlier ones. Maybe 83 or 84. The serial number isn't much higher than the highest Series 70 numbers.
Do you guys know of any place to date Series 80's.
Re: Colt M1911A1
Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 6:44 am
by C-dub
At first, I got a little chuckle about calling a Colt 1911 an early one from either '83 or '84, but then I looked up the model and now understand.
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=15201" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Have you tried this
http://www.colt.com/CustomerServices/Se ... ookup.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ?
Re: Colt M1911A1
Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 8:03 am
by DocV
The serial number page is good or you might email Colt.
Re: Colt M1911A1
Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 8:49 am
by oohrah
Chuckle here too. My M1911A1 (govt surplus) dates from 1944.
Re: Colt M1911A1
Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 10:19 pm
by clarionite
oohrah wrote:Chuckle here too. My M1911A1 (govt surplus) dates from 1944.
But Series 80 didn't start till 1983.
I'd love to get my hands on a series 70 like yours too.
Re: Colt M1911A1
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 8:18 am
by oohrah
Sorry, I'm pretty ignorant about all that (Series, etc.) I just love the way it shoots.
What's the diff?
Re: Colt M1911A1
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 9:42 am
by C-dub
oohrah wrote:Sorry, I'm pretty ignorant about all that (Series, etc.) I just love the way it shoots.
What's the diff?
Other than dropping the lanyard loop, I think the major changes had to do with safety. I think they added a trigger safety block so that it was less likely to fire if hit hard or dropped.
Re: Colt M1911A1
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 10:38 am
by clarionite
C-dub wrote:oohrah wrote:Sorry, I'm pretty ignorant about all that (Series, etc.) I just love the way it shoots.
What's the diff?
Other than dropping the lanyard loop, I think the major changes had to do with safety. I think they added a trigger safety block so that it was less likely to fire if hit hard or dropped.
That's correct. It's the main difference. There's also a small difference with the barrel bushing and the half cock was improved.
Re: Colt M1911A1
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 10:46 am
by jmra
oohrah wrote:Chuckle here too. My M1911A1 (govt surplus) dates from 1944.
The one I have was manufactured in 1943 and was issued to my FIL. Hopefully my sons will cherish it as much as my wife and I have.
Re: Colt M1911A1
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 1:19 pm
by Excaliber
AndyC wrote:oohrah wrote:What's the diff?
They added a firing-pin block (the colored parts):
[
Image ]
The red plunger intersects the firing-pin and blocks it from moving forward unless the trigger has been pulled.
Pre-series 80 1911s have no such block, so those older pistols *could* potentially go off if loaded and dropped onto the muzzle - the firing-pin is only held to the rear (away from the primer) by the strength of the firing-pin spring, so the firing-pin would act like a passenger in a car-crash with a poor seat-belt. My 1911 is a series 70 design with no firing-pin block, so I've mitigated the risk by adding an extra power firing-pin spring (which only costs $4).
I did the same with my Series 70 design pistol, and I also installed a titanium firing pin to reduce the inertial energy if the gun is dropped on the muzzle or lands on the hammer when the hammer is in the fully down position.
Works for me.
Re: Colt M1911A1
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 1:29 pm
by The Annoyed Man
Excaliber wrote:AndyC wrote:oohrah wrote:What's the diff?
They added a firing-pin block (the colored parts):
[
Image ]
The red plunger intersects the firing-pin and blocks it from moving forward unless the trigger has been pulled.
Pre-series 80 1911s have no such block, so those older pistols *could* potentially go off if loaded and dropped onto the muzzle - the firing-pin is only held to the rear (away from the primer) by the strength of the firing-pin spring, so the firing-pin would act like a passenger in a car-crash with a poor seat-belt. My 1911 is a series 70 design with no firing-pin block, so I've mitigated the risk by adding an extra power firing-pin spring (which only costs $4).
I did the same with my Series 70 design pistol, and I also installed a titanium firing pin to reduce the inertial energy if the gun is dropped on the muzzle or lands on the hammer when the hammer is in the fully down position.
Works for me.
And my 1911A1 Springfield compensates by having a heavier spring AND a lighter firing pin.
Re: Colt M1911A1
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 5:51 pm
by Excaliber
The Annoyed Man wrote:Excaliber wrote:AndyC wrote:oohrah wrote:What's the diff?
They added a firing-pin block (the colored parts):
[
Image ]
The red plunger intersects the firing-pin and blocks it from moving forward unless the trigger has been pulled.
Pre-series 80 1911s have no such block, so those older pistols *could* potentially go off if loaded and dropped onto the muzzle - the firing-pin is only held to the rear (away from the primer) by the strength of the firing-pin spring, so the firing-pin would act like a passenger in a car-crash with a poor seat-belt. My 1911 is a series 70 design with no firing-pin block, so I've mitigated the risk by adding an extra power firing-pin spring (which only costs $4).
I did the same with my Series 70 design pistol, and I also installed a titanium firing pin to reduce the inertial energy if the gun is dropped on the muzzle or lands on the hammer when the hammer is in the fully down position.
Works for me.
And my 1911A1 Springfield compensates by having a heavier spring AND a lighter firing pin.
Yup, Springers come that way.
Re: Colt M1911A1
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 8:47 pm
by Excaliber
AndyC wrote:I'm not fond of titanium FPs, but to each their own - the heavier FP spring does fine for me.
Mine has performed with no issues.
Do you know of some problems with them?
