New "S70" Colt 1911, anything needed?

[Dantankerous]

Having not been paying attention to 1911s for a few years I've noticed sometime recently that Colt has brought back out their "series 70" guns. The 1911 Classic Government with typical fixed sights. Yeah, I know there is no collet bushing on these but the action is no longer a series 80... anyway. Blued or stainless, I have seen each and they are fairly tight and solidly built guns. Has anyone had any experience with these and might have a suggestion for a tweak or two IF EVEN NEEDED to have these running well enough for competition? Reliability is my main concern. I shoot Traditional, generally with 230 grain ammo although I've had a few suggest 200 grain and am looking at trying that. Thanks! 

[Garrison Joe]

The new production from Colt will be rougher and less tuned than the ones made in the hay-days of Colt Series 70s (1972 to 1985 or so).   You certainly would NOT want them to still be making their collet barrel bushing.  It was destined to break a leg off and jam the gun - mine did during a match! 

It's well worth a trip to a good pistol smith to have the gun tuned, trigger set to the pull weight you like (3.5 pounds is my preference), and mag well enhanced for the WB allowed funneling.   If you have ever had a 1911 bite you on the web of the shooting hand, I would have the smith add more clearance between the top of grip safety and the tip of the hammer.  

I would also have the smith replace any MIM (molded and sintered) internal fire control parts with forged-billet-steel.   They are easier for him to get a smooth surface on anyway, so if you use a good smith, he should automatically swap those parts out.  But then, I'm going by my experience.  I put in billet sear and hammer and thumb safety and 100,000 rounds later have not had a bit of problem.

Sights on production now are pretty good.  About as high as any replacement sight set.   If you were expecting to change out the sights, though, now would be the time to do that, too.  A new front sight ought to be dovetailed into the slide so it will be driftable and easy to exchange.  And much more rugged in use. 

good luck, GJ

Edited Tuesday at 01:09 PM by Garrison Joe
correct typo

[El Chapo]

I would not pay money for a new Colt at any price.  In fact, I'm not sure I'd even want one if it was given to me for free.  Colt is done, has been done for a long time.  Get yourself a Tisas, Dan Wesson, or Nighthawk depending on your budget.  Don't waste your time with Colt.  The guy above me is suggesting that you buy the gun and send it off for $1500 worth of gunsmithing right out of the gate.  The Dan Wesson will already have all of that done when you receive it.

Edited Tuesday at 04:31 PM by El Chapo

[Dantankerous]

El Chapo,

Colt DA revolvers today are quite good. I have a few and am quite happy with them. I was hoping the Colt 1911 line had followed suite... perhaps not? What are you seeing in today's Colt 1911s that leave you sour on them? 

[Garrison Joe]

20 hours ago, El Chapo said:

send it off for $1500 worth of gunsmithing right out of the gate. 

Never seen anyone that I would have do pistol smithing who would charge those rates.  Especially not for fire-control smoothing and even new sights.  Last paid smith job I had done - new sights on a 1911, including dovetail milling and a front sight from scratch - $250.  

COULD you find a guy ready to charge $1500 to tune it up?  Sure.  Should you?  No. 

But, I either do my own tuning, or (if I didn't) would send to a reasonably-priced gunsmith for the tune of any NEW gun under about $2000. 

good luck, GJ

 

Edited Wednesday at 12:37 PM by Garrison Joe

[El Chapo]

16 hours ago, Garrison Joe said:

Never seen anyone that I would have do pistol smithing who would charge those rates.  Especially not for fire-control smoothing and even new sights.  Last paid smith job I had done - new sights on a 1911, including dovetail milling and a front sight from scratch - $250.  

COULD you find a guy ready to charge $1500 to tune it up?  Sure.  Should you?  No. 

But, I either do my own tuning, or (if I didn't) would send to a reasonably-priced gunsmith for the tune of any NEW gun under about $2000. 

good luck, GJ

 

The last time you must have bought those parts and services must have been 50 years ago.  The labor price for a trigger job alone will eat up $200.  Maybe take a gander at the EGW website and see what a hammer, sear, and disconnector alone cost.  Then add thumb safety, barrel bushing, grip safety, ejector, and whatever else tickles your fancy.  To be comparable to a Dan Wesson, add $3-400 for frontstrap checkering.  If it's blued, add refinishing.  $250 is maybe enough to get a sloppy new gun assessed for what it needs, it is not enough to get any meaningful work done in the year 2026.  People at McDonalds are getting paid $20 an hour.

  

18 hours ago, Dantankerous said:

El Chapo,

Colt DA revolvers today are quite good. I have a few and am quite happy with them. I was hoping the Colt 1911 line had followed suite... perhaps not? What are you seeing in today's Colt 1911s that leave you sour on them? 

I have never even asked them to take a Colt revolver out of the case at the store because they are all stainless.  I had always thought the appeal of Colt revolvers was the bluing, but I guess not now.  My DA revolvers come from two companies, S&W (primarily) and Ruger.

The pricing alone on Colt 1911s would talk me out of them.  Even if the build quality was identical (it isn't), even just comparing the features offered for the money would demonstrate that Colt is not a good value.

Dan Wesson or go to a semi-custom for the price range we're talking about.  Colt isn't even in the running.

 

Edited Wednesday at 12:55 PM by El Chapo

[Dantankerous]

Quite a few of the new Colt DA revolvers are now blued, and gorgeous they are. Pythons and Anacondas. 

I agree Dan Wesson makes a great 1911, just not sure I've found a DW legal for Traditional WB. 

 

[El Chapo]

10 hours ago, Dantankerous said:

Quite a few of the new Colt DA revolvers are now blued, and gorgeous they are. Pythons and Anacondas. 

I agree Dan Wesson makes a great 1911, just not sure I've found a DW legal for Traditional WB. 

 

Traditional, probably not.  That's Tisas territory.  In fact, I need to start looking for one and get it.  I don't even want to shoot Traditional, but I should have one anyway.  For $400, why not?

[Hills]

I bought a new Colt Competition series 70 model earlier this year; let my dealer talk me into it instead of the Springfield TRP that I asked about.

 

It is currently my main WB 1911 but the only factory parts that remain are the slide, frame, and mainspring housing.  The pistol came from the factory with a barrel bore with no rifling present in 1/4 the length of the bore (looks like the rifling was cut off-center), a 7 lb trigger pull rougher than a gravel road, grip safety that had voids in the casting, and a thumb safety that was fitted incorrectly.  The slide to frame fit was okay but a bit on the loose side.  Rather than send it back and wait 8-10 months for them to do nothing but replace the barrel (maybe) I did the work myself.  Not being a fan of MIM parts, those were all replaced with forged, a Cart barrel installed, new sights, and resprung.  It now runs 100% with 230 gr. RN and 200 gr. SWC. 
 

Others have bought new Colts and been happy but I cannot recommend them.  I did eventually buy a TRP which was much better but still used MIM parts.  Those were replaced. 

[Dantankerous]

Hills, 

Wow! That is definitely not a ringing endorsement of the Colt. Sorry to hear about those problems. Sounds like you ironed them out but ya never should have had to. 

[Garrison Joe]

1 hour ago, Hills said:

 The pistol came from the factory...

I would have made the dealer on that lemon take it back and get another in, ASAP.  Clearly not serviceable.  I guess you were buying from a dealer who would not honor factory warranty and get a replacement ordered on his own funding or from a factory rep? Really poor dealer service, and a gun that sounds like it was made on Friday before Labor Day.  CZ Group ought to have heard about that many problems!   good luck, GJ

Edited 8 hours ago by Garrison Joe

[El Chapo]

23 minutes ago, Garrison Joe said:

I would have made the dealer on that lemon take it back and get another in, ASAP.  Clearly not serviceable.  I guess you were buying from a dealer who would not honor factory warranty and get a replacement ordered on his own funding or from a factory rep? Really poor dealer service, and a gun that sounds like it was made on Friday before Labor Day.  CZ Group ought to have heard about that many problems!   good luck, GJ

A company that would let a 1911 out the door with a 7 pound trigger is no more likely to send you back a gun in serviceable condition than they were the first time.

Like I said, ignore Colt at all costs and get yourself a Dan Wesson if that's what you have budget for.  Colt is garbage.

[Hills]

5 hours ago, Garrison Joe said:

 I guess you were buying from a dealer who would not honor factory warranty and get a replacement ordered on his own funding or from a factory rep? Really poor dealer service

Your assumption is incorrect.  This is a guy who is a good friend of mine, sold it to me at his cost, never charges me a transfer fee, and even refused to let me pay for a rifle that I 'bought' for my son's Christmas present.  He actually did offer to send it back but I figured the most that I could count on was the barrel replaced and an 8-month wait.

Most 1911s in that price range are what I consider to be kits anyway.  I don't mind doing the work and end up with something built the way that I want without spending big money with the high-dollar smiths.