Thought on Colts competition 1911

[Ribwizzard]

The new, series 70 competition in blue steel is running $800 and has a lot of features.
Just won $800 at the casino and a 1911 has been on the wish list. Has anyone taken a look at these? Anyone have any thought about them?

 

[CH4]

I had one in 9mm. Very accurate, but wasn’t impressed with the not so durable finish and thumb safety over travel - but all current production Colt 1911 suffer from this.

 

[moralem]

Best 1911 you can get for 800 bucks.....I have them in .45 and .38 super. What other 1911 has the features you get with the Colt. The rear sight is very nice although the blue front sight needs to be changed out. You get a decent barrel, decent grips except the color and you can get it in stainless instead of black.....the gun can only be improved upon with minor upgrades. There is a completion in this pile.......second from the right.

 

[Ribwizzard]

I was wondering about the finish. Cant tell if they are blue or some kind of coating? Also, they are supposed to have trigger guard undercut, which I dont see in photo above.

 

[Wise_A]

$800 for...that? Kinda...meh.

The undercut triggerguard--you can see it above--is kinda interesting if your hand needs one. It'd be a very expensive option to add to a gun after the fact.

And the sights are not bad if you intend on holstering it. They're adjustable, but unlike a larger, flat target rear, it won't cut the living hell out of your hand if you bump into it with the gun holstered. Changing the rear sight can range from "not hard but a little pricey" to a job for a gunsmith and a file.

Everything else on it is "meh" to "gross". I really don't like the dual-spring "recoil system". I'd prefer a traditional single recoil spring to keep the barrel locked up as long as possible. I'm also not wild about the magazine. If you're going to call something "Competition", it should have a bumper-base magazine so the palm of my left hand isn't covered in blood blisters at the end of the day.

If you're not planning on shooting it from a holster, I think the Springfield Range Officer is much better, and should cost at least $100 less. Depending on local prices, you might be able to get one of the fancier versions.

OP--and I'm genuinely asking the question, because it matters--why do you want a 1911, and what do you want to do with it? There are a lot of different models out there, many of them excellent. It's all about finding the one that has exactly the features you want.

 

[824tsv]

Colt Competition Model 9mm

Well built and very accurate for a 9mm. A lot of folks poo-poo the dual recoil spring set up and I have no idea why?. On the 9mm it makes for a very soft shooting pistol that you can shoot all day long. Fit and finish on mine was excellent. I think money well spent.

 

[petepeterson]

Mine is in 9mm, and looks like the one above, except for the sights being changed out. I'm pretty pleased with it. Seems like a bargain compared to what else is out there, with the exception of some of the Springfield models.

 

[Ribwizzard]

$800 for...that? Kinda...meh.

The undercut triggerguard--you can see it above--is kinda interesting if your hand needs one. It'd be a very expensive option to add to a gun after the fact.

And the sights are not bad if you intend on holstering it. They're adjustable, but unlike a larger, flat target rear, it won't cut the living hell out of your hand if you bump into it with the gun holstered. Changing the rear sight can range from "not hard but a little pricey" to a job for a gunsmith and a file.

Everything else on it is "meh" to "gross". I really don't like the dual-spring "recoil system". I'd prefer a traditional single recoil spring to keep the barrel locked up as long as possible. I'm also not wild about the magazine. If you're going to call something "Competition", it should have a bumper-base magazine so the palm of my left hand isn't covered in blood blisters at the end of the day.

If you're not planning on shooting it from a holster, I think the Springfield Range Officer is much better, and should cost at least $100 less. Depending on local prices, you might be able to get one of the fancier versions.

OP--and I'm genuinely asking the question, because it matters--why do you want a 1911, and what do you want to do with it? There are a lot of different models out there, many of them excellent. It's all about finding the one that has exactly the features you want.

All I will do with the gun is target and plinking. I'm not into competition.
And I'd like to have a full size 1911 in my collection, and it needs to have a pony on it.

 

[path85]

I have a stainless one in 9mm, and I really enjoy it. I see a lot of folks complaining about the dual recoil springs, but I've never had a problem with them in several thousand rounds. The only thing I felt I absolutely had to change on mine was the plastic mainspring housing, but that's an easy swap.

 

[BE Mike]

I think that the Springfield Armory Range Officer is a better choice for the money. Some bullseye pistol shooters have used them successfully out-of-the box and those guys shoot one-handed out to 50 yards!

 

[4barrel]

I shot a 45 last week off the bench at 25 yards. 5 shots about 3 inches and the trigger was good. It seemed a little loose but it shot ok. It shot about 2 inches low for me at point of aim so the front sight needs to be shorter for me. I am glad Colt went back to the older trigger set up. It felt about 4 pounds out of the box. It is not a target gun but it shoots cans plenty good. $800 for a 70 series Colt you can't go wrong. If I buy one it will a 9mm. with a blue finish.

 

[Wee Hooker]

We have them at the shop and I have been all over them time and again. ( We also carry: Ruger,Remington, Sig,S&W,Springfield and RIA.) Here are my thoughts/observations:
First the good.
-From what our customers say who have purchased one, they shoot well and reliable.
-It's got the Colt name so there are some bragging rights and resale value I guess.
-Triggers are decent out of the box.

Now for the not so good:
- The blued models finish scratch's easily. I have seen it in the shop and it has been reported by purchasers. I think it is the most easily damaged finish of any brand we carry.
- You don't get a whole lot of features for your $ beyond the unique blue grips and sights. ( Many owners end up pulling out the double recoil spring BTW)
-This series of Colts pretty much all rattle due to sloppy slide to frame fit. I've seen it on every one that comes through. Some are worse than others (which says something about tolerances held in manufacturing.) It doesn't seem to affect accuracy but is annoying/disappointing as no other brand has it.
-we don't sell allot of them because once a customer see's what a comparably (or lesser) priced 1911 from SA,RIA ,Ruger or S&W gets them, they move on. Those who buy them do so mainly because they want a Colt for the namesake.

FWIW, In the blued finish market, the RIA Ultra and SA Range Officer are particularly competitive.
All that said, as I always tell my customers, "The heart wants what the heart wants"

Buy what YOU like and enjoy it.

 

[Ribwizzard]

I went looking at 1911's today. They did not have the competition in stock but did have another model that had the undercut trigger guard. I looked and held it before checking out the other brands. The undercut trigger guard has me sold. Fells like my glocks that I carved on to fit my hand.

 

[Wise_A]

A lot of folks poo-poo the dual recoil spring set up and I have no idea why?

Because a dual-recoil spring does exactly the opposite of what you want a recoil-operated pistol to do.

What you're looking for is the barrel to remain "locked" as long and as solidly as possible, while still having enough velocity for the ejector to flip the empty case out.

A dual-recoil spring uses a lightweight spring and a heavier spring in tandem, with the goal of having a very light, low-resistance slide action, while retaining the heavier spring to prevent slide-to-frame battering. This means there's less resistance to the barrel unlocking, and more resistance when the slide is trying to eject the case.

Now, to be fair, this doesn't make a huge difference. I'd call it more of an aesthetic choice, right up there with checkering-vs-stippling. Neither one is really "broken" or inferior for what 99.99% of shooters are actually going to do with their 1911s.

But I'm a snob. I like a straight MSH, aggressive griptape on the fronstrap, a conventional recoil spring, and a short trigger.

All I will do with the gun is target and plinking. I'm not into competition.
And I'd like to have a full size 1911 in my collection, and it needs to have a pony on it.

Then there's really nothing wrong with the Colt. You're going to pay a bit of a premium for the prancing pony, but it's not a terrible value. Adjustable carry-style rear sights are a well worth it on their own, and the rest of the gun isn't bad.

Don't mind the finish. I've shot a good bit of the Parkerization off the underside of my Springfield Loaded .45. It still looks good.

If you wind up shooting it a lot and beating the hell out of it, you can always send it out for a proper bluing or nickel job.

 

[Ribwizzard]

It's a done deal, ordered the blue steel version series 70 competition, $852 total and will pick up this week. Could of got brushed stainless for less than $100 more, but looked too shiny in photo's.

 

[rickflst]

I Bought the 70/9mm blued back in Feb. I shoot it alot and love every minute of using it. I think you are going to enjoy the gun immensely.

 

[BE Mike]

It's a done deal, ordered the blue steel version series 70 competition, $852 total and will pick up this week. Could of got brushed stainless for less than $100 more, but looked too shiny in photo's.

You really couldn't lose. It is basically a free gun for you (casino money)! Hope you like the Colt.

 

[andyo5]

I am now down to one 1911, my 20 year old Kimber. If I were to buy another one now, it would be a S&W. The one piece, hidden extractor is the biggest causer of problems with a 1911. It often de-tunes and becomes erratic. Has to be re-bent. The S&Ws have a modern spring actuated extractor. Unless you are going to drag your gun through the mud, there is no advantage to the original style extractor.

 

[ladder13]

The new, series 70 competition in blue steel is running $800 and has a lot of features.
Just won $800 at the casino and a 1911 has been on the wish list. Has anyone taken a look at these? Anyone have any thought about them?

Hard Rock Tampa? We were just there last Tuesday. My wife loves the penny slots but never plays the max. She cashed in for over $600 on a .60 bet, had she played the max it would have been over 9G’s
We always hit the buffet, one of the best anywhere, imo.

 

[Ribwizzard]

You really couldn't lose. It is basically a free gun for you (casino money)! Hope you like the Colt.

I've only been to this casino 4 times, and this is the 3rd gun the Indians have bought me. I got a 629 3" last month, and still had enough winnings to pick me up a 686-1 that was in the case when I picked up the 629.
I'll tell you, it's nice to be able to build my dream collection without the guilt of pissing away my money. I'd been eyeballing that 1911 on gallery of guns for several months and walked into the casino telling myself " I just need to win $800 for that gun", Took me 4 hrs , but I did it.
And...checked gallery of guns the next morning and it showed that it was out of stock, so I must of got the last one!!