My Newest Colt

[D Brown]

I ordered this Competition Government Model Colt from a local firearms dealer last week and picked it up on Monday. It was advertised as coming with an ambidextrous safety, but when I went to pick it up, I was disappointed to see it had only the single sided safety. It took me a few hours, but I fitted an ambidextrous safety and I'm now very happy with the results. Can't wait to take it out for some plinking fun!

Colt Competition Government Series 70

 

[kaaskop49]

What a lovely gun! I almost envy you: the 1911 platform has never fit me as I know it fits most of our members. Sad. Interesting re the safety issue: is the plant assembling these from spare parts lying about? Enjoy your lovely gun.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[Eric300]

That's a beauty. .45 ACP I'm guessing? Something about 1911's that always appealed to me. I've had about a half dozen or so over the years, all in .45 ACP. Different makes/models. Colt, Springfield, Kimber, Sig. But I always had at least one in my stable. My one and only to date is a Colt Defender that I plan on keeping until I go horizontal. When I got it, the ejected brass would hit me in the forehead/between the eyes. I had to tweak the extractor a tad for the brass to eject to the 4 o'clock area. It's been running like a champ ever since. I did install an extended thumb safety, extended mag release, flat metal checkered main spring housing, and Kimber recoil spring/guide on it.

 

[D Brown]

What a lovely gun! I almost envy you: the 1911 platform has never fit me as I know it fits most of our members. Sad. Interesting re the safety issue: is the plant assembling these from spare parts lying about? Enjoy your lovely gun.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Thank you for the kind words.

Regarding your fitment issue, have you ever tried a 1911 with what are called "thin grip panels"? The thinner grips totally change the feel of the pistol in your hand! To go to the thin panels, the grip screw bushings on the frame have to be replaced with short bushings. See if you can find a friend who has this modification that is willing to let you try it out.

This a new production gun being manufactured with new production parts. Colt began producing the Series 70 again approximately 15 years ago.

 

[D Brown]

That's a beauty. .45 ACP I'm guessing? Something about 1911's that always appealed to me. I've had about a half dozen or so over the years, all in .45 ACP. Different makes/models. Colt, Springfield, Kimber, Sig. But I always had at least one in my stable. My one and only to date is a Colt Defender that I plan on keeping until I go horizontal. When I got it, the ejected brass would hit me in the forehead/between the eyes. I had to tweak the extractor a tad for the brass to eject to the 4 o'clock area. It's been running like a champ ever since. I did install an extended thumb safety, extended mag release, flat metal checkered main spring housing, and Kimber recoil spring/guide on it.

Thank you. I like your Defender!

This one is a .45 ACP, as are the dozen or so others I currently own in one configuration or another. I also recently bought two new 1911's chambered in 9mm. These 9mms will be a first for me, all the others I've owned through the years have been chambered in .45 ACP. I'll post photos of the 9mms as soon as I get some photos made. They're both made by Springfield Armory; a 9mm EMP (tiny little 3" barrel), and a 9mm Ronin (full size 5" barrel). Photographing guns has become an ordeal since I no longer have much movement in my neck; Cervical Vertebrae C2 through C6 were solidly fused together in two separate surgeries back in 2022.

 

[Yendor357]

How is the trigger on that new Colt? Does it move much before the break? How heavy?

 

[Eric300]

Thank you. I like your Defender!

This one is a .45 ACP, as are the dozen or so others I currently own in one configuration or another. I also recently bought two new 1911's chambered in 9mm. These 9mms will be a first for me, all the others I've owned through the years have been chambered in .45 ACP. I'll post photos of the 9mms as soon as I get some photos made. They're both made by Springfield Armory; a 9mm EMP (tiny little 3" barrel), and a 9mm Ronin (full size 5" barrel). Photographing guns has become an ordeal since I no longer have much movement in my neck; Cervical Vertebrae C2 through C6 were solidly fused together in two separate surgeries back in 2022.

Thanks. Springfield makes a damn fine 1911. The one I had was the Range Officer model. It was a great 1911 but in all honesty I just couldn't take the 'Made in Brazil' stamped on it. I know...but I'm funny like that.
Sorry to hear about your medical issues with your neck. That has got to really suck!

 

[D Brown]

How is the trigger on that new Colt? Does it move much before the break? How heavy?

It has some take-up typical of the 1911 platform. The trigger was initially 5# 4 oz. for an average of five pulls. I replaced the horrendously over the top main spring with a Wolff 15# main spring and that brought the average down to 4# even.

 

[D Brown]

Thanks. Springfield makes a damn fine 1911. The one I had was the Range Officer model. It was a great 1911 but in all honesty I just couldn't take the 'Made in Brazil' stamped on it. I know...but I'm funny like that.
Sorry to hear about your medical issues with your neck. That has got to really suck!

That's shocking! I knew Springfield Armory used to import all their frames from Brazil, but I thought they had gone to exclusive U.S. production years ago! I went and checked my two new Springfields and both are marked "Geneseo, IL" on the frames.

 

[Eric300]

That's shocking! I knew Springfield Armory used to import all their frames from Brazil, but I thought they had gone to exclusive U.S. production years ago! I went and checked my two new Springfields and both are marked "Genesco, IL" on the frames.

If mine was stamped with 'Genesco, IL' I would have kept it!

 

[pjpjr]

If mine was stamped with 'Genesco, IL' I would have kept it!

It's my understanding they make the frames and slides in Brazil and assemble in Genesco IL.