I am looking for opinions on the different Colt 1911's offered for sale. I am looking to add a nice blued (not RB) 1911 to my collection. Similar in looks to the WWII M1911 A1. I have seen MKIV series 70's, just series 70's all with different roll marks. Some with flat main spring housing and some with rounded housing. It will be more of a safe queen than a shooter.
Options and prices all over the place.
Appreciate your advice.

Any Series 70 or Series 80 will have superior metallurgy to those from the WWII era and older. The pre-Series 70 pistols from the '50s and '60s are very popular with collectors so prices will likely be higher.

Mainspring housings are easily replaced and many will show that...no big deal. It just depends on which you prefer. At some point (late '80s I believe)...Coltstarted using a polymer mainspring housing and many have swapped theirs for steel. The polymer housing is perfectly suitable and time has proven it...just that some prefer steel.

If you want a shooter...you might take a look at a new one. The new Colts are as good or even better than ever. New manufacturing methods have made them more consistent, reliable and accurate than previous models...simply because of that consistency. They may not have the fine, Royal Blue finish of previous eras...but they'll come with better sights, will feed most anything you give it and shoot as good or better.

There's good clones out there as well...in all price ranges.

Both of my Colt 1911's were bought new, and recent manufacture. 5" Gold Cup Trophy, and a Commander, 4.25". Haven't fired the Commander yet. Have 5 1911's.
The Colts are very nice! My best shooter is a Sig. Bob

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You said Colts, but take a good look at the tisas, Turkish import 1911's. All forged steel, and they have a WW2 GI clone. Fit and finish is better than a new Colt Comp model. (My 2 cents worth). I have 2 9mm's and a 45. Can't go wrong with them.

I have a Colt GCNM Super Elite 36Super and a 1943 1911 A1 . Recently put a Colt 1911 Clark 6in Heavy Slide on lay-away . The Colts do get a hold of you , much like S&W's do . There's a bunch of great people on the Colt forum , more than happy to share their knowledge and answer questions .

Around Xmas , there was a lot of talk about Tisa's here . I ended up getting a 5in with a 9mm and 38Super barrel for a little over $400 . I haven't shot the 9mm , just can't see 9mm in a 1911 , but that's just me . It's got a great trigger and very accurate . It's not there with my Doug Koenig PC 1911-2 , but for the money you can't beat them . And the finish is really good also .

Buy a Colt; get the original. Others in the same general price range may shoot as well or even better, but the Colt will hold value and be more desirable should you ever decide to sell or trade.

If you want a safe queen, blued Colt M1911-A1 that looks close to what a WW II Colt military issue 1911-A1 looked like, then you probably don't want a Series 70 Mark IV as the roll marking on the left side of the slide is a huge, gaudy billboard. For a really nicely finished 1911-A1, look for one made after WW II, but before the introduction of the Series 70 Mark IV. These look exactly like late WW II produced Colt's, but with a beautiful, deep blued finish. Expect to pay some big $$$$$$ for one too!

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

I have a Series 70 Colt with the spring collet bushing that I bought new back in 1974. I changed the arched mainspring housing for a flat one many years ago because I like the feel better in my small hand. The original housing was steel but the replacement I bought was aluminum. Now they're polymer, probably just as good. I get good accuracy with the collet bushing but some don't like them as they have been known to break but mine hasn't so I'm happy with it. If I was looking for a Colt today I'd buy a new one. Probably cheaper than a used one and better made.
.

I would recommend a Tisas, especially if you want a USGI look alike. But I agree, it's funny how that little pony stamp makes an inferior gun seem to hold it's value more.

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- Change it back -

If you don't plan to shoot it, find one, any one, with a beautiful bluing job.

I have two Colt series 80's from the 1980's. Each of them required gunsmith work to operate correctly. Just based on examination of the parts in my Detective Specials, Colts prior to 1970 are the ones to own. It is apparent from my 1970's Detective Special that factory equipment was obsolete and wearing out. The internals to my DS look like they have been carved out from soap flakes. Real rough file marks, indistinct edges. I think extra large chunks of unfinished internal parts were being handed to assemblers, and they had to carve them to fit. Older Colts, if any parts required a file, it must have been a swipe, no more. Older parts look precise.

Incidentally, had one of those fingers break on a Colt collet bushing on a new Colt Combat Elite. Replaced the collet bushing on my SS 1911 with an Ed Brown drop in part. Worked great.



The SS 1911, the series 80 firing pin block jammed up in the slide.



this negated the function of the firing pin block. Not wanting to find new, novel failure mechanisms with a failed series 80 mechanism, I removed the series 80 parts and installed a spacer in the frame.

My Colt Combat Elite peened its frame out in 3000 rounds, all due to early unlock and bad timing. Colt replaced the frame but not the excessive recoil due to early unlock. Sent the 1911 off to Wilson Combat and paid more money for the work they did, then the original cost of the Combat Elite. Sad to say, Wilson Combat knew more about 1911's than Colt, and after the work they did, the Combat Elite is reliable and accurate. I always liked the two tone appearance and I had the blended Bomar, new front sight, the beavertail, a new hammer, and a match barrel installed. The timing is correct and the Combat Elite is no longer peening its frame out.



A buddy of mine had a "Tactical Elite", a series 80 pistol equally as expensive as a Combat Elite, and made around the same time as mine. It has a factory created half ring in the barrel.



See that shadow forward of the barrel hood? That is a factory dent right at one of the lug recesses. The cutting tool must have been pressed down too hard cutting the lug recess and left a partial ring. This is extremely bad and sloppy manufacturing in my opinion. And very bad that it passed Quality Control and was shipped.

I don't own any older 1911 Colts, nor later. Had my fill of them with just two 1911's. And my Clackamus Kimber Custom classic was far superior to any factory Colt 1911. Hard to understand what a big badda boom the Clackamus Kimber Custom Classic created on the market. It had everything you had to pay gunsmiths to do on a Colt, and it not only did not rattle like a Colt, it was as tight as gunsmith built NM 1911's.

However, the older Colts have great finishes, and if all you want is a pretty pistol, just go find one. Bring lots of money. Based on my Colt revolvers from the 1930's, the charcoal bluing back then is to kill for. The polishing is precise and the blue color from period charcoal bluing has a vastly superior blue appearance than any modern bluing. You have to see it to appreciate it. Expect to pay $$$$$$ for an excellent condition 1911 from that period.

Just don't shoot it, the value in vintage Colt 1911's is in the finish, not how they shoot.

Or the Springfield GI would be a better choice.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

If you want a brand new Colt that somewhat resembles a military 1911 you have two choices:

The Colt Classic has a short trigger and flat mainspring housing. The roll marks are like those found on Colt Gov’t Models in the 50’s and 60’s. It has a lowered but not flared ejection port, and the pre 80 series system (aka no firing pin safety). They retail around $800.

The other option, which Colt occasionally releases in small batches, is the MkIV/70 Series repro. These have the 1970’s to 1983 style roll marks. They have a short trigger and arched housing, the ejection port is not lowered, and there is no firing pin safety. Colt just released another batch this winter. These usually retail closer to $1,000.

I own both versions. Either one is a fine pistol. Should you only plan to shoot it occasionally, and you can find one, get the MkIV/70 Series. If you don’t mind buying used see if you can find an older one with a 71B or 72B serial prefix, they have a much nicer finish.If you like to reload your brass get the Classic, it will beat up the brass less with the lowered ejection port.

Over the last twenty years Colt has also made limited runs of GI repro’s. They made both 1911 and 1911A-1 versions. They’re not perfect copies, but the average person wouldn’t know the difference. The advantage over an original is you can shoot them as much as you want with no risk of breaking them.Figure on paying $800 up for one if you find one.

If you really want a GI spec 1911 you can also get a genuine GI surplus 1911/1911A1 from CMP. I think the prices range from $1,00 to $1,300 now.

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Wheel guns are real guns.

I am a 1911 enthusiast but by no means an expert. But you asked for opinions.

I've been looking for a 70 Series Colt for awhile and ran across a mid 1970's Mark IV with a nickel finish that appears to have not been fired much. Wasn't looking for nickel but the price wasn't too bad so why not?

The Mark IV has required experimenting with recoil springs, extractor adjustment, and a new magazine to run fairly reliably with ball ammo. It still leaves a good dent in about 1/2 the brass and extracted brass falls in random locations. The trigger is mediocre compared to my DW, older Colt, or Nighthawk. But I have learned a lot tweaking it so that is worth something to me.

My opinion is if you want a Colt then your decision is which one looks best to you. If you want the best shooting gun for equal money you can do better elsewhere. I haven't decided whether or not to keep this Colt. The others are staying.

15-20 years ago Colt came out with a close copy of the WWI 1911 and WWII 1911A1 and both came in the blue collectors boxes. They are pricey now but I believe that is one that’ll continue to go up and make a great safe queen. The early WWI models were finished in the nice Carbonia bluing which looked great. I owned one of each but stupidly sold both not long after getting them.

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Get off my lawn!

In my somewhat limited experience, the older pre 1970s Colts are the best looking and best finished while the newer guns made in the last few years are probably the best shooters right out of the box. If you can, stay away from anything made in the mid 80's during the strike years. They were hit and miss on quality then. Something like a nice Government from the late 50's early 60's with box and papers is going to set you back enough cash to almost pay for a new Wilson or other brand of custom pistol.
I like to shoot my pistols so I don't own anything really nice or collectable. I stick to the newer stuff that is less costly and easy to come by.
With that said, I'm picking up a new Lightweight Commander in .45 in the morning and I'll let you know what I think of it.

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"I gots to know"

These days just about everybody makes a 1911. But there's just something about a Colt. They're kinda special.
I believe the Colt 1911s were at their best during the 1950s-60s. They turned out some beautiful deep blued, high quality pistols at that time.
However, Colt had some serious management and strike problems during the 1980s and 90s. Quality fell off considerably. There were some good guns during that time, but there were also some real stinkers. Its a poop shoot on what you get.
2000 - 2020 guns were good, but not what they had once been.
CZ bought Colt in 2021 and made some much needed changes. All reports I've heard are that the current guns are excellent.

Now if you want a real U.S.G.I. 1911, I suggest you look at the ones CMP is currently selling. These guns were U.S. issue and have been is storage for years. CMP has gone through them and repaired or replaced parts as needed and the prices is fair.

I believe the Series 80 parts can be removed and the gun will function just fine without them. As far as a new Colt being inferior to a Tisas in quality, not likely.

16 responses, 16 different opinions, all of them perfectly valid. Handle as many different 1911’s as you can. If you have access to a range that rents 1911’s shoot as many of them as you can. Talk to friends who own 1911’s - maybe they’ll let you test drive theirs. You’ll like some better than others. Then buy what strikes your fancy and the best you can afford. Only you can decide what’s best for you.

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Everybody could shoot

I have a more 1911s than I need and not as many as I want. A few Colts that are of the "fairly readily" available -

Colt current manufacture 1918 model. There were a few different versions, this is the one with the more accurate rollmarks.
IMG_1273.jpg

IMG_1276.jpg

Gold Cup National Match reissue from about 5 years back
IMG_1103.jpg

A 1948 made plain old 1911 commercial type.
IMG_0305.jpg

Each is the "Series 70" type with no FP block. IIRC I paid about $1K or less for each.

I own quite a few Colt 1911's, mostly in 45acp but also in 38 Super and 22RF. Some are WW2 era, one is a Gold Cup National Match from the mid 1970's and one is a Series 80 from the early 1980's. I purchased the Series 80 for carry purposes when starting out and I had delusions of grandeur about carrying the full sized pistol on a daily basis. I wanted the extra firing pin block safety of the Series 80. Carrying the pistol lasted me under two weeks as it is extremely heavy, too large for CCW and way too bulky - at least for me. I still shoot the pistol a lot but never ever carry it anymore. The 45acp is one of the very best SD loads available however you pay the Piper in weight, size, bulk and lower magazine capacity of a 9mm.

IMHO Colt 1911's are all I'd buy! The are not as cheap as let's say a Tsisas or a Norinco but they are excellent quality, made in America and as accurate as any high end Ed Brown, Les Baher, or Wilson Combat 1911 I have ever shot. Where the high retail prices come in on those models is on their accouterments, fancy checkering, beautiful factory trigger, tight specs and of course the name on the slide for bragging rights. BTW, tweaking a trigger on a Colt 1911 is a piece of cake, easy and costs nothing as no parts need to be replaced. What I have come to find out is that my 1970's GCNM will shoot just as accurately as any high end 1911 at 1/3 the price. I have competed in many matches for decades with my 45acp GCNM and had no trouble outshooting many of the high end pistols. My GCNM will always outshoot the shooter! I have never lost a match because the pistol wasn't accurate or reliable - the onus is on me. Many of the other branded, high end 1911's I mentioned above are next to useless if you care to shoot reloaded ammo. Most need to be "loosened up" to reliably feed them They usually will not function reliably as their high end factory tolerances are just way too tight for reloaded ammo. They usually state in the directions that only virgin factory ammo should be used in their pistols. If you want to use your own reloads, stay away from the fancy high priced guns unless you are willing to open up the tolerances a bit which is counter intuitive to buying one in the first place! I shoot my 1911's way too much to shoot factory ammo!

Two of my Colt's have the finger bushing on the end of the barrel which Colt did use for a few years. Their intended purpose was to increase accuracy and they did accomplish at least that in part. The other reason was that fitting individual pistols with barrel bushings was eliminated since one size finger bushing pretty much fit any barrel. The downside to the finger bushings is that they can break from metal fatigue after thousands and thousands of factory rounds and over the years one of mine broke on my Series 80 after thousands of rounds of 230 grain factory ball ammo (before I reloaded). I simply slipped a new bushing on and was back in action! Colt eliminated the use of these finger bushings although they are still available on eBay, gun parts suppliers or at gun shows. I brought a few of them as a back up but have not had one break in 30+ years. Worse case scenario if one breaks, you can also easily just fit a standard fixed barrel bushing and go back to the original design - no big deal! BTW, my Colt GCNM is my all time most shot pistol having shot well over 150,000++ rounds through it! Still works, looks and functions perfectly and will still compete in any match.

Colts are SUPER accurate and super reliable!! They are the only ones I would use in a competition and I have won my share of matches. A Gold Cup National Match is 1/3 the price of a "high end" designer 1911's and for my purposes is actually better - I shoot my own reloaded ammo almost exclusively and never ever have any jams, misfeeds or hiccups with it.

If you are just wanting a range worthy, general purpose 1911, I suppose you could save money and buy a Tsisas which are usually rated decently by their owners but they are still not in the Colt class as far as I am concerned. And for what it is worth, Colt has been back on their game making guns for a while now! As you can see, Colt is my overwhelming choice in 1911's and other than one Remington Rand from the war, Colt's are all I own. I have recommended Colt 1911's to many friends and I am very confident they would but the same pistols all over again! None has ever had any issues at all.

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Here is one of those reproduction 1911A1 by the Colt Custom Shop ^^^^^. WMK serial number. Less than 3,000 made. Mine is not a safe queen. I have all the paperwork and boxes. Bought it off Gunbroker about 15 years ago. They were made in 2001. Has a parkerized finish. Does not have the series 80 firing pin block feature. Shoot it instead of my all original 1943 Ithaca 1911A1 which I only shoot about once a year no more than a couple of magazines. Ithaca in the right hand photo.

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Try more tension on the extractor. I had that problem with a 70 series repro and it solved it

Post war into the early 70s had the highest polish while the early 70s reproos were a close second.Qc varied in the 70s and 80s but the current crop seem to be quite good. I believe there are some new models with old fashioned roll marks and a high polish. Check out Colts website for those . You’ll always find a few on GB .I have a number from the 60s and 70s along with one from the 80s and a 20 yr old series 70 repro. I like them all. Colt used the small sights from the 50s well into the 80s on fixed sight guns

Been very happy with my Colt Classic model purchased new five years ago. They’re not an exact replica of either a WWI or WWII era model, but they look close enough for me. Have about 3,000 rounds downrange on it, the trigger was decent to start and has only gotten better. I shoot it very well and I’m far from a great shot.

A 1911 that throws its brass in random directions is often a sign of the extractor having too much rotational play. The cure for that may be as simple as a fitting an oversized firing pin stop to eliminate the excessive rotation or "clocking" of the extractor.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Hmmmm...24 responses on the S&W Forum to a question about 1911s, and not one mentioned the S&W SW1911. I purchased a SW1911 about 20 years ago (when they were still under $1K) to shoot weekly team competition at a local range. I looked at Colts and Kimbers, which many competitors used, but the Colts were out of my price range, and the tolerances of the Kimbers were so tight that many shooters had to clean their pistols several times during each match or they would bind up. After buying and cleaning my SW1911, I shot my first competition with it and nearly won the match. Straight out of the box, no modifications. I have never had an issue with that pistol (no F2Fs and no binding), and it is extremely accurate and comfortable to shoot. I still have that SW1911 and it continues to be an outstanding pistol.

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The classic would be my choice. Was

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

The classic is a nice looking gun. The royal blue version is very nice and lists at $1500-$1600. Tempting ;-)

Colt 1911,with Sid Bell grips.
inin inSer# 314011c.(1967.)I bought this Colt in 1968.(58 years ago)
ne
never shot it,still new in box.What do yo think it is worth to day?

Dick

The most recent Series 70s don't have the large lettering on the side.

Here's a brand new one I purchased a couple of months ago:

[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]

Note: This model comes standard with a single sided safety. I installed the ambidextrous safety after purchase.

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Dave Brown
SWCA #3279

The OP specifically asked about the Colt...but other makes have been mentioned as well. There's lots of good choices out there...in all price ranges.

Break out the wallet and get yourself that Colt.

Maybe buy one of the others for a beater.
45 too, not 9mm
IMO

Or buy two Colts in .45 ACP. You'll only be spending a few hundred dollars more for a Colt over a copy.

I have the same model, a Colt 01911C also purchased about 5 years ago and would pretty much agree with everything said here. I paid less than $750 for mine but I see them in the $900 range now.
The one I have is pretty nicely fit and finished for it's price range .I likely have 1500 or more rounds through it with no reliability issues .
As stated above the trigger was quite good out of the box and has only gotten better ...minimal take up , zero creep and a light crisp release.

I’m not on top of current prices,but with the box and papers I’d think $3k or more

If the pistol is going to be a "Safe Queen". Then buy the nicest with the box and all the paperwork that you can find. No need for aftermarket doodad's, as they detract from the value (most folks want original, sights, grips etc...). I would say an original Series 70 or older (the older the better). A National Match if you so desire. The best condition if not "New In The Box" NIB. I have a friend who is a collector/dealer, he has taught me a lot. He will tell you the older the better depending on condition and boxes. If price is a real consideration, then buy new (read cheaper). Remember no optics, fancy grips, finishes, or custom work.....Let the other guy pay for that stuff. Discount the price you pay for anything not original from the factory.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

OK, I admit I am a traditionalist. I like guns that have been there, and in original configuration. I got most of these when they were more affordable, and the bonus in having them today is that they are way more valuable. I don't fire them much at all, but when I do - they work. It's worth it now to know that I'm holding history in my hands, not just a modern copy.

John


(Click twice for enlarged image)

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Curious if anyone has fired 10-20K or more, of 230gr Ball,
thru the Tisas or similar priced guns, and how they
hold up, with spring changes as necessary.
Same with 1911 stainless Rugers.
Thx

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Have Fun/Stay Safe

Well, semi auto's are where my head has been going lately. I have a current GI model, and a series 70 Govt from 1978 I think. the older one has the royal blue finish. Both unfired by me.

I also bought a used Sig 1911 match elite, and that is a good shooter.

I recently got a Dan Wesson PM-C 9mm commander, and a PM-45 full size. They are fantastic, and I am just getting back to pistol shooting. They are both great, but the commander runs like a swiss watch. They are a nice niche between the expensive stuff and the Colts.

Now on the dark side ( Chief ). I just got a Tisas 9 mm Stingray lightweight commander size. I had a fail to stay open issue on the last shot on the first day. I tore it down, cleaned it, lubed it, and then took the mags apart and cleaned them ( no lube ), and it functions flawlessly now. Worth every penny of the 489 I paid for it OTD. I intend to put 500 rounds through it, clean it, and carry it.

I would not hesitate to buy another. Maybe a lightweight commander 45

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Pretty nice collection of classic old school handguns here ...no polymer ...no stainless .

Keep in mind that the Tisas "1911" pistols are not mil spec. Internals especially. If that is important to you.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

The OP stated Colt M1911's. So why do folks insist on throwing other makes into the discussion?

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Look for a 1950s or 60s vintage standard Government Model .45 ACP. In .45 they can usually be found from from $1500-2500 in excellent condition.

I just like the simple original roll marks vs the bill boards that Colt put on the Series 70s and 80s guns.

I've got a 1968 that I had BoMar sights added to and have a matching .22 Conversion Unit...great shooter...

Look on GunBroker and look at the different slide markings and finishes...

Bob

Thank you everyone for your opinion, advise and pictures. To clarify, I have several 1944 Remington Rands, a Charles Daly and a Tisas gov't., all have a parkerized like finish.
What I am in the market for is a beautiful, blued Colt. The pony bit me. It seems, by pictures on GB, the newer Colts have the same dull, dark finish. Not what I want. The earlier produced, 1950's - 1960's, you can tell it is a polished blue, but it is a 60-70 year old pistol with its own handling marks. The late 70's production have the "billboard" roll mark and I can't tell, by the pictures, the degree of polished blue.
Thanks again and I will continue the search as my safe is crying for one.

Just an added service at no extra charge!

As long as you were getting pissy about it, you could have noted that Colt has not made 1911 pistols since the 1920s or 1911A1 pistols since the end of WWII; all the ones they made since then were properly termed "Government Models" or something similar.

Wasn't getting pissy about anything. The man asked about Colts, not the other pistols that are basically copies of what J.M.Browning designed for Colt. All the Colt pistols are an evolution of the first pistol off the line in 1911. That is until the Series 80 with the firing pin block designed. He is very correct about the finishes, the Colt Royal Blue is a thing of beauty.

Sent you a PM.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Colt's use of the name Government Model goes back to 1912 through 1941, and beyond, according to The Man, Charles W. Clawson. See Chapter Seven of his book "Colt .45 Government Models (Commercial)", 2nd Ed.

Lots of nice stuff on GB. However, defects can be hidden in pictures. You live here in Florida, lots of good gun shows here. At the gun shops you can pick them up and look them over(read fondle). If I were looking to spend some hard earned money on a real nice one that is what I would do. My local gun shop gets a lot of nice estate pieces in to drool over. I bought my original Series 70 Gold Cup National Match in .45ACP and a Colt Conversion Unit in .22 LR there about 10 or so years ago for $1000 OTD, sadly no boxes.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Thanks for the correction.

Was the highly polished Royal Blue treatment standard on Colts automatics at one time? If so, when did it end?
I ask because I have a Government that I bought new in 1985 and it has what I would call a lightly brushed blue on the flats and sandblast blue on the rounds. It's polished sure enough but not to a high degree.

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"I gots to know"