|
|
06-02-2019, 05:54 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 3,449
Liked 11,367 Times in 1,323 Posts
|
|
COLT’S MK IV / SERIE’S 70 “billboard”
Last edited by CLASSIC12; 06-02-2019 at 08:48 AM.
|
The Following 43 Users Like Post:
|
03hemi, 22hipower, 6518John, adwjc, Andyd, arjay, bmcgilvray, BOMBTEC, brucev, CajunBass, cndrdk, ContinentalOp, ditrina, Fishslayer, gman51, Golddollar, Grayfox, gregintenn, H Richard, Inusuit, jdlii, jringo8769, junglefighter, KLYDE, kobsw, Kurusu, Lee Barner, leonardocarrillo, LPD256, lrrifleman, mrrick, Rpg, shouldazagged, sigp220.45, Skippyjon Jones, sophie, stansdds, Stentor, Texas Star, TheHobbyist, vonn, Xfuzz, younggun456 |
06-02-2019, 10:03 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: N/W Florida
Posts: 5,657
Likes: 2,432
Liked 6,205 Times in 2,421 Posts
|
|
I believe the term "billboard" came from Ruger. It started after they started stamping their guns, READ OWNERS MANUAL BEFORE FIRING.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ONE ONE IS AVAILABLE FREE FROM STURM RUGER & COMPANY SOUTHPORT CONNECTICUT.
That's the "Ruger Billboard". I've actually never heard the term applied to another gun.
Added: Pretty gun.
__________________
I always take precautions
Last edited by Alpo; 06-02-2019 at 10:07 AM.
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
06-02-2019, 10:24 AM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: illinois
Posts: 6,295
Likes: 1,849
Liked 6,681 Times in 2,115 Posts
|
|
I have the Gold Cup version of that gun and am very happy with it. The lettering does not bother me at all. You got a very nice gun.
|
The Following 4 Users Like Post:
|
|
06-02-2019, 10:58 AM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: N GA
Posts: 4,466
Likes: 204
Liked 3,613 Times in 1,498 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by CLASSIC12
|
So THAT's where all the nice Colts went to!
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
06-02-2019, 11:38 AM
|
US Veteran Absent Comrade
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 20,362
Likes: 24,260
Liked 16,154 Times in 7,408 Posts
|
|
I had a couple of those. I worried about the collet bushing breaking, but it did improve accuracy.
And in fact, the bushings on my guns never did break.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
06-02-2019, 12:34 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 38
Likes: 1
Liked 79 Times in 26 Posts
|
|
Love series 70's
Beautiful gun! And I learned something about owning guns in Switzerland. My Series 70 was made in 1970 and is in the first 500 built. I accepted it back in 1978 as payment for a $75 auto repair bill. It did not have the original barrel, but was otherwise original. I ended up eventually putting a Kart NM barrel and bushing in it and accuracy was much improved. I've left it un-altered otherwise.
The roll markings appear the same as your example.
Love my Colts just as much as my S&Ws...
|
The Following 6 Users Like Post:
|
|
06-02-2019, 02:40 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 5,762
Likes: 1,224
Liked 5,807 Times in 2,355 Posts
|
|
$1300 ! Wow ! I paid $200 for mine in 1978-here in the USA of course.
Not a Colt expert, the "billboard" designation is new to me. I have heard about the collet bushing breaking, hasn't happened to me-yet.
I find a small letter slide for mine, had to use a tiny amount of valve grinding compound to get it to fit.
Lately I have fired mine only with a Ciener conversion unit. Which I recommend.
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
06-02-2019, 04:18 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,728
Likes: 1,633
Liked 9,103 Times in 3,367 Posts
|
|
Nice Colt!
Many people worried about the new bushing style but I can only remember a couple that had broken,,and they had been worked on by their owners.
It's a gun, anything can break.
Some of the Military Surplus collectors in the USA call the ATF demanded Import marking a 'Bill Board' on some of the guns for it's large format and overly wordy informative nature.
Many of the semiauto pistols and even the rifles are tagged with one that takes up the better part of one side of an otherwise clean slide or recv'r flat on the gun.
You don't see the discreet smaller markings as first used when the reg was first imposed in '86.
Some were truely micro size lettering stamp in size and placed so as not to be noticable anyway.
ATF was not fond of that practice.
The angry DotMatrix printing feature now commonly used is also not a fan favorite.
Last edited by 2152hq; 06-02-2019 at 04:19 PM.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
06-03-2019, 12:18 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Flatlands of Canada
Posts: 621
Likes: 159
Liked 1,656 Times in 431 Posts
|
|
Nice pistol! I have a few of the large font Colts, the slide markings never bothered me. I have had one S70 collet bushing fail on me though, one of the fingers broke off and jammed up the slide on ejection. That being said, I have others that haven't failed. For what its worth, the internet has told me that repeated disassembly involving removing the bushing can lead to its failure. The same people say leaving the bushing on the barrel during takedown minimizes stress to the fingers. I don't know if that's true, just passing on what I've read.
|
The Following 5 Users Like Post:
|
|
06-03-2019, 07:05 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 8,717
Likes: 19,291
Liked 11,746 Times in 5,354 Posts
|
|
The best solution for the collet style barrel bushing is to put that bushing in the box and have a match grade bushing fitted.
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
06-03-2019, 07:27 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Crawford County PA
Posts: 3,705
Likes: 4,369
Liked 6,711 Times in 2,419 Posts
|
|
I had one collet bushing break and observed one other. A match bushing is a good solution, unless originality is important. As I understand it billboard has become kind of a generic term applied to any oversize marking, especially on slides.
__________________
Made it, Ma! Top of the world!
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
06-03-2019, 02:16 PM
|
|
SWCA Member Absent Comrade
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: The kidney of Dixie.
Posts: 10,509
Likes: 49
Liked 13,409 Times in 3,290 Posts
|
|
I bought one brand new in 1973 for $135. Still have it. Looks a bit different now...
Also have one in 38 Super...
I think the bushing breaking is a very rare occurrence.
__________________
No life story has happy end.
|
The Following 5 Users Like Post:
|
|
06-03-2019, 08:52 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Texas Panhandle
Posts: 7,184
Likes: 5,552
Liked 3,393 Times in 1,707 Posts
|
|
Notice the roll marks and size on this Colt Combat Gov't. 1911 MK/IV 70 Series from 1982. This model was the forerunner to the Elite. White outline rear sight and the sights are raised, has long trigger, enlarged and polished ejection port, enlarged magazine well, Colt style Pachmeyer grips, and this still has the original collet style barrel bushing.
__________________
James
On the Llano Estacado
|
The Following 5 Users Like Post:
|
|
06-03-2019, 10:39 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: South Florida
Posts: 2,443
Likes: 3,456
Liked 4,181 Times in 1,875 Posts
|
|
We have collet bushings on our GM and GC from 79’ and ‘80.
I usually leave them on the barrel when cleaning but they have been removed.
In a lifetime of making grips from dyed veneers of different colors..... a Colt 1911 with checkered walnut is quite elegant right out of the box.
I bought a K22 8.375” Masterpiece along with the GM that day.
When push came to shove..... the K22 is being fitted for the Leupold DPP and the just arrived Leupold III 2.5-8x 32mm.
My old Colt GC gets the Trijicon when I mod the Elliasons so they both are active.
Red and White might look good as well.
The GM was $225 in ‘79.
The Smith not much more.
The GC and the Ace were a staggering $400 plus per gun and the BHP was in the $400s as well.
Three guns and caught my limit on Snapper and Snook that evening.
Always fished with an M59 after a boat landed with guests arriving from somewhere in the Caribbean unannounced..... but really happy to make it here.
Last edited by Imissedagain; 06-03-2019 at 11:05 PM.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
06-03-2019, 11:27 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Where this month?
Posts: 3,604
Likes: 264
Liked 4,215 Times in 1,714 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpo
That's the "Ruger Billboard". I've actually never heard the term applied to another gun.
Added: Pretty gun.
|
We are on the Smith & Wesson Forum.. and you don't know...
SW1911 billboard questions (UPDATED again 6/17, with more pictures)
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-05-2021, 07:56 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: N/W Florida
Posts: 5,657
Likes: 2,432
Liked 6,205 Times in 2,421 Posts
|
|
Smith & Wesson makes automatics????? Who knew?
__________________
I always take precautions
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-05-2021, 08:31 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Western NC
Posts: 3,689
Likes: 2,949
Liked 6,544 Times in 1,821 Posts
|
|
I've never heard it applied to Ruger, but I remember a lot of negative comments about the "billboard" lettering on Colt auto's when they came out.
If you look at a lot of the semiauto markings today, it appears to me that Colt was just ahead of the curve by three decades. It's hard to be a trailblazer.
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|