Difference in 1911 Pistols Series 70 & 80 - Why Series 70 Is Superior - Sig Sauer & Kimber Fail 

I will gladly buy series 80s but I pay bottom prices for em, then do my own conversion for free.

SuperDriver, hes just spueing myths and legends in an angry arrogant tone for trolls.

mikey flyzlow i just bought my first 1911 and the hammer was stuck in back wouldnt release with trigger pull , should i be worried about the s80 parts

Depends on the 1911 and the quality of the small parts. If it's cheap, then you have mim.

Vince L springfield armory a1 loaded 1911

Yes, that's full of mim parts and search google for the parts makeup on your Springfield Armory. The SA frames and slides are forged at the Imbel factory in Brazil (and excellent). 1911 manufacturers will then cut corners on cheap mim parts of unknown origin. The 1911 was designed to have all milled and barstock parts as designed by Browning. This is FAR more important than the tired old firing pin block discussion on this video. I had a Springfield Armory do the same thing and it was a cracked mim sear- not good. Check out good companies like EGW and Ed Brown for barstock replacement parts like the hammer, sear, and disconnector. And look if the SA has a mim slide stop. Not a good place for MIM I believe as well. Other parts to look for are mim extractors. All mim parts are technically out of specification for a military 1911, but places like the grip safety seem OK for example. You can build up your SA a little at a time, send it off to the gunsmith for full rebuild, or have it fixed under warranty and deal with it. I know that SA has lots of fans but this has been my experience. I have Colt's on the low end myself and for the good stuff I have custom 1911's made by Les Baer, Ed Brown, Ted Yost, Nighthawk Custom, etc. For a all barstock production 1911, Dan Wesson is the ticket. Just my $.02. Actually check here for mim: www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1125251

They already did. The Colt Double Eagle, the Double Action modification of 1911s during the late 1980s. I own one.

No kidding 🤣🤣 Over and over and over yak yak yak. I get it. Don’t like don’t buy, real simple. Worthless video by someone who can’t even name most simple trigger parts by proper name.

@@lancedacus156 his problem is the fact that its not well documented, and when he asks people dont understand what he is saying.

😂😂

Hahaha!

they sell shim kits as well to remove the system on the side so the sear and disconnect don't slide around, you should really consider making your own 80% or 100% frame build, might teach way more then you ever thought possible..! 1911/2011 is not like building any other gun! it's intricate and every part is fitted and worked to match each other! parts are over priced though manufactures act as if they already did the work!!

I have a link in the description explaining that system

I guess that's better but even more pointless. The grip safety spring resistance is the same direction as the firing pin spring, the trigger is opposite direction so inertia direction from dropping in a manner that could move the firing pin actually prevents the trigger from moving

Excellent point​@@stripedassape8148

Schwarz Safety.

Just did a complete disassembly on my SR1911, LOOKING so pretty

have one myself. gifted myself on my 43rd Bday

What's wrong with the Colt Series 70?

How can it pass the test if it lands directly on the hammer?

@@mach5zx10r It wasn't a hammer drop test. It's from firing pin "bounce" or inertia. Muzzle strike, firing pin moves forward strikes the primer and detonates a round. "Accidental discharge"

Think Like A Cop - The Rest Of The Story

Think Like A Cop - The Rest Of The Storybwd

olysean92 - You will Love your Ruger.

At least we have a choice as 1911 shooters. Most other modern designs have the same exact firing pin safety just like the series 80.

actually,very few modern 1911 makers use series 80 style triggers,for a reason,more crap to go wrong,

Hell yea

Yeah, again follow safety rules- like not throwing loaded firearms anywhere and you don't have that problem. FOLLOW SAFETY rules its really not hard. And yes Im a vet who has served outside wire also and I can tell there is no firearm that when not handled in a safe that wont have negligent discharges. Don't see any downside? He just spent several minutes showing you the downsides. Extra parts top break, go wrong, and complicate action are never a good idea. Unless your a lawyer as he said. BTW id the gun was in the holster it was not the lack of drop safety that caused the gun you mentioned to discharge because in Vietnam era holster the end of the barrel was covered. Drop discharges occur when the gun hits just right at just the right impact strength on the end of the barrel. Likely the thumb safety wasn't on, and some GI's even put a band on the grip safety to ensure there was no issue with not firing due to poor grip.

@@highlandspiper8838 The guy this happened to was GunBlue490 on youtube. If you know him you would know he doesn't lie and that's why I believe it. Maybe it wasn't in his holster idk. As for more parts to wear out that's total nonsense. All parts wear eventually that's why you do PMCS and replace them when needed. I'd rather spend the occasional small amount for a few parts than someday drop a gun because I'm in a situation where my hands are bloody and the gun goes off who knows maybe expelling my last round, or worse. You can say "FOLLOW SAFETY RULES" but the fact is in certain situations shit happens no matter how safe you are. You can't tell the bad guy "hey wait up I gotta wipe my buddies blood off my hands"

+Dale Crummie Couldn't agree with you more. I own multiple 1911s both 70 & 80 series. Friction from extra parts is extremely negligible. I'd suggest anyone who'd like to verify that for themselves get a good trigger pull gauge to get a reading with and without the 80 series parts - I've done it, and as I said - negligable to non-existent. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but these opinions unfortunately are too often backed up with zero factual evidence. Even my father has a 1911 he purchased in the early 80s with close to 40K rounds through it. It has one of the finest triggers I've ever pulled, and yep, it's an 80 series. It has experienced exactly zero malfunctions due to the 80 series parts. Of all the people I've ever heard put forth this argument, not one of them has ever actually seen a failure of that kind either. Scour the internet and you'll find exactly zero instances of a failure due to 80 series parts.Don't get me wrong, I love 70 series - easier to reassemble for sure, but outside of that they don't function any better or worse than an 80 series, nor are they any more or less reliable. Want a GREAT 70 series style 1911 at an extremely reasonable price? Ruger's SR1911s are probably the most bang for the buck right now - completely set up (lowered & flared port, extended thumb safety, beavertail, skeletonized trigger/hammer, novak sights, etc) for about $300 less than a comparable Colt, and far less than Wilson Combat, Ed Brown, etc...

+icoach73 or for 329.00 on sale you can get a citadel with all those features also,and it's 70s trigger also.

mike 007 Yeah, go grab the cheapest pos you can find.

Yea,that why they are the most selling 1911 on the planet,somebody likes em..and I was on a tight budget and that's alI i could afford at the time,wasn't even going to buy a pistol right now but couldn't pass up the deal...and they had them on guns and gallery awhile back and loved them...just cause its cheap dosent make it junk,not in this case anyway...but each his own.

They are 499.00 at buds guns now,so I got a heck of a deal.and they are far from junk,no matter what you say.

If you use the right firing pin spring drop safety wont be a issue. A lighter Actual pin and a heavier spring can be put in if your truly worried about it to negate any issues.

Hes pissed

Guy at the gunshow got him all worked up

Some times you just need to vent. Other times people just need the information drilled into them 15 or so times. Even less times, people get the information first try.

All personal preference, use your own mind. Don’t always rely on what someone else says but yes they are in needed extra parts though 99% of 1911 owners wouldn’t notice any difference between series 70 and 80.

Dial 1911 kimber apparently uses schwartz system

Gary Hempel yea I thought I said that in the video or in the description, the schwartz system has four parts also. But you have to take the rear sight off to get to the top slide pieces.. Colt refused to use the schwartz system stating the reason was it was NOT reliable, Kimber choose to use it. www.mouseguns.com/kimrev/swartz.jpg

Think Like A Cop - The Rest Of The Story

+Clyde Wary good point..

+Think Like A Cop - The Rest Of The Story Thank you for an interesting video. I'm new to 1911s and just bought a Ruger SR1911 and was not aware of this difference. I wonder if your gun show gunsmith had worked with only series 80 1911s which had already had the four parts removed and replaced with the SINGLE spacer. That could have lead him to conclude that there was only one additional part in a series 80 Vs a series 70. That would not an accurate, informed or experienced conclusion but would at least account for his statement.

And it would then go full semi auto and empty the glockazine into innocent bystanders in the next county over.

@JKay11235 There's a "half-cock" notch in the hammer to stop it from reaching the firing pin if the full cock notch breaks.

me either, I prefer my 80 slightly based on the sights and grips

If its a Colt Series 80 Vs. Nighthawk series 70, the difference is noticeable. I also have polished a complete series 80 to fell exactly like a series 70. It's all in what you want and the work. As far as I am concerned the 1911 trigger is so great, even the worst made 1911 triggers feel good!!

I'll agree with you there warrior I have 4 total my least favorite being a kimber has the best trigger but is the least reliable

Maybe one day in the next hundred years, someone will come around and make all these 1911 guys a perfect 1911, then they will finally be happy.

John Browning didn't put it in there ....... must not be necessary ! ............. my Les is a 70

It's not too hard. Field strip it. Move the safety to the halfway position, pop the pin and remove. Remove the pins holding the hammer assembly, remove the parts, put in the midified part, reassemble. For the top, remove the firing pin cover, take it out, drop the plunger and spring and throw them away, then reassemble completely.

I have a Kimber Warrior SOC; in which I purchased on Halloween last year, and it doesn't have a firing pin block. Hasn't "FAILED" me yet.

I'm looking at my kimber right now and it is a series 80 but the pin is disengaged with the grip safety not the trigger. So it doesnt affect trigger pull weight

Yeah my eclipse pro target 2 is not trigger based it’s grip safety based. So no affect to the trigger at all.

+Coco Suri thanks glad it helps.. :) I have pictures of Kimber and Sig safeties on my site, they are not in video. www.thinklikeahorse.org/All_About_Guns.html#6

AMEN!!

To be fair the general public is pretty stupid, most people probably need things said 3 different ways for them to actually understand it.. That said, this guy at the gun show really got under his skin with his only 1 extra moving part rhetoric, lol

This video brought to you by the 1911 trigger Nazi's club. lol

lol... i would love to see the actual difference in trigger pull between th 70 and the 80... not enough to make a difference... SO MUCH FRICTION... lol. and the dirt and grime!! and the parts breaking seems to be a common issue!! lol... I just love firearm snobs that think they know everything!!

Yeah and calm to fluck down

I call bullshit

Citation video proof please

The 1905 model didn't have any safeties on it at all. DoD was concerned about this so a couple of 1905s were modified with the grip safety (poorly at first) and after a recall and refit what you had was the 1907 model with a functional grip safety. The thumb safety wasn't introduced until 1910 at the behest of the U.S. Cavalry. This made the weapon safer to carry in psn 1 while on horseback. The 1911 is the finished product put into military service.

But he didn't.

I think it fair to say that transfer bars and rebounding firing pins were also not included in most guns.., and that guns like the 97 winchester shotgun could go off while lowering the hammer and there was no safe way to really carry most guns except on an empty chamber.. are you good with only carrying on an empty chamber?

Now I could be wrong, but doesn't John Browning's last pistol design, the Hi Power, have a firing pin safety?

@@Odin029 Yes, the high-power has a firing pin safety. That said, it's a very unusual design, and uses essentially a mini Rube Goldberg machine for the internals, ironically, because Browning had to avoid his own patents, which he had sold the Colt. That said, for a modern Duty or personal defense Weapon, It's become pretty widely acknowledged they're carrying the gun that isn't drop safe is not the best idea. If you don't like the series 80, there's another option for the 1911, called the Schwartz firing pin safety which was invented by a Colt engineer in the 30s. It uses the grip safety to actuate instead of the trigger.

Yeah, no it won't. But it would totally rob one...

Thanks for sharing

sounds nice...

Plus machining

You need a series 80 firing pin too. Plus, the series 70 slide needs to be drilled and the frame needs to be milled.

It's not about hammer drop. I don't think that was ever an issue. The point of the video is that series 80s added 5 parts to their firing cycle to stop the firing pin from moving forward. For some reason people have claimed that should you drop a 1911, barrel facing downward, that the firing pin(despite the strong ass spring there that keeps it away from the primer) would travel forward enough to cause the gun to fire. Despite the gun cycling more violently than most people can drop there gun. It's a solution to a manufactured problem

its called swartz, I explain in the description and links to my website with pictures.

@@HeyGunPeople Thanks, I didn't know what that system was called, just started doing research on the 1911, as I just bought it. Got it from someone that didn't like the 1911 as much as they thought they did, lol. Seems like a better system but like everything, it will probably cause an issue at some point. The FPS systems never bothered me as I grew up in the age of polymer strikers and they all have an FPS system. I'm a Fabricator and Machinist, the MIM parts don't bother me either, technology has come a long way and MIM can be just as good as machined and forged parts (in most areas), regardless of fealings about it, a quality MIM part is quality, even toolsteel and forged parts can break. I feel Kimber has made good strides in redeeming themselves from the past with cheap outsourced parts. The only thing I can't forgive is the plastic main spring housing. That was replaced first thing. Hell... A MIM'd part would be welcomed. Either way, got it at a good price, it's a range toy for me. I'd totally carry a 1911 if people weren't so scared and open carry was more socially acceptable, for CC I'll stick to my Walther P99 or Glock 19. I think for my first 1911 the Kimber is nice. I had the AR 15 flu for awhile now it seems the 1911 bug has stricken me and I'll be buying more ... Definitely doing and 80% kit 1911, actually will probably do that next. Sorry for the rant. Take care.

You nailed it brother 👍🏼 Is there a way to determine the year my Series 70 Colt Combat Commander was manufactured by looking at the serial number or some other type of identification numbers?

Seems to me the thumb safety should have been made to block the hammer like a 92fs. From what I understand even the US military did not leave one in the chamber with 1911s, am I wrong? If so imo 1911s are only good for home defense, not cocked and locked EDC. Yes I would never leave one in the chamber at home with any firearm, too dangerous and you have more time at home btwn alarms and dogs. I like DA/SA Beretta 92fs’ and PX4 Compacts for EDC. Call me old fashioned but striker fires are the pistol equivalent of an electric car.

I cover that on my site with pics, had you read the description the link is there.

until you have a failure due to the firing pin block spring and block like i did yesterday on my pt1911....

POSSUM3K3 but isn't a pt1911 made by Taurus? They're shitty guns regardless.

vlodpg I’ve owned both and there is a considerable difference in the two. Series 80 is very “spongy” feeling.

@@sarahwatson7692 If you do a trigger job and de-burr everything, you will not experience that.

@@Lehmann108 I have one Colt series 80 in my collection. And keep it because it belonged to a fellow Veteran. I did a trigger job and deburred all the parts. The trigger is as crisp as one of my STI 2011 the take up is even less. Bottom line. Believe it or not it is a real tac driver to my surprise. One and a half inch groups at 15 yards.

+Jeremy Kieler LOL, people love to defend their weapon, I don't care if you buy 5 with it and love it, I put out the info for those that want to choose wisely not defend what they bought without knowing the different. It is NOT paranoid if it is true.

i own a Taylor and co 1911a1 compact in 45acp, is that a series 70 or 80? and also what is your personal opinion on that specific make and model?

Yep, but the aditional parts are still in there and are creating friction against trigger pull

That's exactly how the trigger on my Sig Nightmare feels.