[Pier23]

Theoretically the 70 could fire if dropped, but the exact set of circumstances required are highly unlikely.

I have the Ruger SR 1911 with a titanium firing pin. The theory is the pin is so lightweight it cannot impact the primer hard enough to cause the round to go off on it's own. Needs the force of the hammer driving it to ignite the primer. Therefore, Ruger did not install a firing pin safety.

I have fallen into the Tisas bandwagon, but my SR1911, an impulse buy after trying one at the range, has been a real treat and treasure. I don’t know the internals, and when purchased, I was blissfully ignorant of the entire drop-fire issue.

 

[Pier23]

In addition to what already has been said,
1. The Series 80 has a shorter firing pin which also has a cut-out for the firing pin plunger. This firing pin has been known to break.
2. The Series 80 also has a different hammer with the half-cock notches relocated so the hammer sits lower at half cock, thus not having enough potential energy to fire the cartridge if the trigger is pulled.
3. The Series 80 also has a larger ejection port.
4. Of course, the dreaded firing pin plunger which locks the firing pin and prevents the pistol from being fired when dropped.
5. SOME Series 80's MAY have chamfered magazine wells.
6. Series 80 triggers are generally longer, mimicking the original WWI version which was replaced with shorter triggers after the war.
7. Series 80's generally have larger sights.

Ahhh, very helpful, thx. All you love in a 1911, but more stuff to go wrong, then… I like the larger ejection port idea, but I havent had ejection problems with my eager 1911 offerings.

Was this 80 redesign voluntary on the manufacturere or part of a govt action?

 

[Pier23]

T

Yes. Two pieces.

The other system, “Swartz“ (one extra piece added) which was the predecessor to the series 80 is explained in the video below.

swartz safety - Google Search

My Colt Defender in 9mm has series 80. Trigger is smooth as can be and is in no way anymore difficult to disassemble due to the extra parts.

Thx for the link! Bookmarked for later.

 

[Jim Watson]

See posts 7, 13, and 17 for good descriptions.

The original Mk IV Series 70* has a collet bushing. It tightens up the fit but people worry about breaking off collet fingers and locking up the gun. This is really pretty rare and when it happens it is due either to mishandling or out of spec manufacture.
The Series 80* - introduced in 1983 - has a firing pin obstruction as illustrated above.
There is some overlap, guns with 70 collet bushings and 80 firing pin blocks, but the collet bushing was soon phased out, beginning with the 10mms.

*These are registered trademarks. If it isn't a Colt, it is not legally a Series 70 or a Series 80.

Now in the 21st century world of the Internet Generation, "Series 70" has come to mean "lacking a mechanical firing pin obstruction." This has even penetrated to the Colt corporate offices where a new pistol will be marked Series 70 because it does not have the Series 80 parts, even though it did not bring back the collet bushing.

When the patent ran out, other companies seized on the Series 80 design and incorporated it into their guns, I can think of Para Ordnance, SIG, and Taurus offhand, there are likely others.

Still others came up with their own add-ons to the 1911 action to prevent discharge if dropped hard enough.
The Kimber Custom II guns are very much like the Colts with Swartz design firing pin block as made in the 1930s. It is cleared by movement of the grip safety, not trigger travel.
Smith & Wesson have their own design, also working off the grip safety but with a single lever to reach the block.

These days, if it doesn't have a firing pin block of one sort or another, it will likely have a titanium firing pin and a stiff firing pin spring. This prevents drop firing by inertia well enough to pass the California drop test. And the gun will usually go off when the trigger is pulled. If it doesn't, California doesn't care, but if you do, you can get a steel firing pin.

 

['Ol Grandad]

My little Ruger SR1911 has a heavier firing pin spring and a titanium firing pin. It is drop safe w/o all the nonsense.

 

[bac1023]

I hate a FPS on a 1911. The high end builders don’t use them because they know people spending that kind of money don’t want or expect to see it.

 

[PhotoFeller]

I have watched some YouTubes on a complete disassembly of a 1911… looks so simple, save for the parts that warn “insert the short pin with the detent HERE, not the long pin with the round head that goes THERE….”

I should get a junker 1911 just to break so I can learn it, but I don’t have a junk (to me) 1911.

I bought a Rock Island GI model so I could learn 1911 mechanics. My intent was to sell the RI after mastering disassembly/re-assembly, but I decided to keep it.

I think field stripping our 1911s is good enough for most of us. I consider the 1911 to be a fairly difficult gun to detail clean. Glock has spoiled me (and millions of others) when it comes to cleaning.

 

[mc1911]

My favorite 1911 is a stock 1991 series 80 with the long trigger and white dot sights. It has a very good trigger pull. On two entry level 1911's I put a stronger firing pin spring with an over all spring upgrade and titanium firing pins. I have had no issues with them.
Unless someone is a professional , for most of the people most of the time there is not much difference.

 

[MajorD]

I believe the series 80 firing pin safety was a response to a few isolated negligent discharges with dropped guns. In addition some police departments would only authorize guns for duty use that had some sort of “hammer block safety” ( back in the days when some departments listed personal guns that could be approved for individual officers duty )
context- back in those days, your only commonly available choice in a 1911 was Colt. Both Springfield and kimber were infants so to speak, and almost all Springfield guns were made in Brazil ( the made in USA movement especially on such an American product as a 1911 was incredibly strong at the time, and springfield did a pretty good job concealing the fact the guns were not made in the states)
I have had 1911’s built for bullseye competition which is easily the most demanding application of a fine refined trigger. Both in traditional lock work and series 80, and couldn’t tell the difference in trigger feel.

the original critical aspect that set a colt series 70 apart was the collet bushing, which was basically a response to complaints about colt guns lack of accuracy, which was at least partly due to still using some machines in the factory that date to WWII or earlier. Again back then your choices were a GI surplus gun ( at that time collector interest in military 45‘s was minimal ) which could be a crapshoot regarding function or accuracy,or a colt.

 

[billorights]

I have owned both and honestly say I am not that much of a perfectionist to tell any difference.

 

[GlockFan7]

Honestly, it's subjective for the most part. I have two identical Colts, only one is Series 70 the other is Series 80. In this case, the trigger is actually better on my Series 80. In truth, it can't be a "Series 70" or "Series 80" unless it's a Colt, but for the sake of discussion, I'll ignore that. The "Series 80" design is very simply just a firing pin block that disengages when pulling the trigger. If it's done right, it's imperceptible. It just adds a few extra parts. For some people, the idea is more parts, so more to go wrong. Taurus, Remington, Smith and Wesson, Sig and to name a few, utilize that system. Kimber uses a design with similar function where the firing pin block is disengaged by the grip safety and the trigger is not affected. Most 1911s, even the least expensive, such as Tisas and Rock Island, not utilize the "Series 70" design.

 

[billorights]

Most 1911s, even the least expensive, such as Tisas and Rock Island, not utilize the "Series 70" design.

He meant to type "NOW utilize the Series 70 design." I think. Since that's how they work.

 

[Pier23]

He meant to type "NOW utilize the Series 70 design." I think. Since that's how they work.

Figgered that is what was meant, thx!

 

[GlockFan7]

He meant to type "NOW utilize the Series 70 design." I think. Since that's how they work.

"NOW" or "HOW"?

 

[bac1023]

I have owned both and honestly say I am not that much of a perfectionist to tell any difference.

Honestly, I don’t find most factory Colt triggers that great from a 1911 standpoint, regardless of the series

 

[GlockFan7]

Honestly, I don’t find most factory Colt triggers that great from a 1911 standpoint, regardless of the series

Of course, you're not the 1911 guy you once were either.

 

[Nutty Professor 188]

As was said before, firing pin safety.
It adds 4 parts to the gun, 2 in the frame and 2 in the slide.
I haven’t really noticed a big difference in the trigger pull but I’m used to Glock triggers so maybe that it.
I bought a used series 80 back in the late 80s and it fired intermittently with light primer strikes. Turned out the previous owner had monkeyed with the mechanism. I detailed stripped the slide and removed the plunger and spring and problem solved. I left the lifter arms in the frame as spacers.
It’s an easy “fix” if you are so inclined.
There used to be a part sold that replaced the lifter arms with a single spacer to keep the seat and hammer from drifting sideways.
It’s really not a big issue unless you plan to detail strip the gun. It makes it a little trickier to reassemble.
Again, my opinion, if you have the choice get a series 70 over a series 80 but don’t pass a series 80 up for that reason alone.

 

[bac1023]

Of course, you're not the 1911 guy you once were either.

I don’t own nearly as many, but I don’t know how that makes me less of a “1911 guy”.

I moved on from any of the production models and a couple dozen of the best are more than enough. I’ve also invested heavily into the 2011 platform.

However, I’ve owned quite a few production models from $400 RIA’s to Dan Wessons and everything in between. I’ve handled many others and still do. I e got more than enough experience with them to state my opinion on a typical factory Colt trigger.

 

[Redman80]

80’s have a firing pin safety to keep it from firing if you drop it . I can’t tell that much difference in the triggers between the two , but I hear that it is easier to make a 70’s series trigger better .

My Ruger SR 1911 is a copy of the Ser 70 Colt. Shoots just fine...

 

[mooniesdl3_5994]

As someone that has worked on triggers in 1911’s for about 30 years I can tell you that factory wise there really isn’t much difference however it is certainly easier to get a good tuned trigger on a series 70 than a series 80. Not that a series 80 can’t have a good trigger.