Tune a series 80 1911 trigger with these 3 easy tricks usa carry. Just long enough to get the wallet out and hand them my drivers license for the batf form. When youre an experienced 1911 aficionado, you can tell a series 80 pistol by merely picking it up, racking the slide and then testing the trigger pull. Colt merely used the series 70 designation with the new guns as a means of identifying all pistols not using the firing pin safety system. Among the most noticeable of these are an extended tang on the grip safety to help prevent hammer bite and improved patridgetype sights for faster, more accurate aiming. It utilizes a series 80 firing system and more closely resembles the original m1911 that was used in world war i versus the m1911a1 that was used in world war ii through vietnam.
The colt series 80, m1991 government model incorporates a few modern improvements compared to the original m1911 government model pistol. After installation the singleaction trigger pull is 3. Series 70 vs 80, the difference is more than you think. M1911 m1911a1 stock colt light pull sear spring blued. Similar to the transfer bar safety common to doubleaction revolvers. While some claim that colt s series 80 firing system has a detrimental effect on the trigger pull, according to my trigger pull scale on the pistol i received, five pounds of pressure on the trigger. In fact, the series 80 guns have a trigger action which is inferior to the series 70. Colt competition pistol line now uses series 70 firing. Mine is a 20 desert eagle 1911 g which is a series 70.
My government series 80 has a trigger that needs no work. The biggest change in the series 80 is the firing pin block. This is a discussion on colt government m1911a1 series 80 within the handguns forums, part of the gun forum category. Titaniumnitrided parts, with an exclusive molydisulfide coating, reduce trigger pull weight without risky modifications to series 80 colts firing pin safety system. The internals have been fitted and polished for a crisp trigger let off. The video below shows how the series 70 stacked up against a blued, 2014vintage colt m1991a1 series 80. Series 80 trigger pull 1911style pistols brian enoss. Reduces the creep and jump in the takeup thats inherent in these guns. A good gunsmith can do an excellent trigger job on a series 80 and still leave all the safety parts in place, although he will probably charge a little more than if the gun were a. In 1991 colt revamped their 1911 line by turning the basic government model into a.
This firing pin safety block had a safety plunger and was a springloaded pin operated by the trigger, and its purpose was to prevent droppedgun negligent and accidental discharges. Some people say the triggeractuated firing pin block on these guns makes for a trigger pull thats anything but smooth and crisp. To get the best pull i tested each component of the trigger pull and found little impact on the trigger pull by this trigger actuated firing pin safety. There was no creep and the trigger broke like glass with every pull. Colt colt series 70 vs series 80 triggers 1911addicts. Should you buy or modify a series 80 or series 70 1911. Colt s series 70 trigger put to the test series 70 vs. Series 80 guns have a few more parts to polish so rather than polish more parts they pull out the extra parts and install a spacer in the right hand side of the frame. I did a trigger job this gun with dropin match parts. The mainspring determines the pull weight, so a lighter spring. Sample shots from todays blog post colt s series 70 trigger put to the test series 70 vs. The series 80 hammer uses more of a quarter cock ledge, the thoughts on the hammer hooks is they could fracture and the ledge would not.
Tune a series 80 1911 trigger with these 3 easy tricks. This is an intriguing change, one that should hit the mark with traditionalists and shooters who are after the snappiest trigger pull possible. If you have the hammer on the series 80 quarter cock ledge and pull the trigger, the hammer will fall but with no where near enough force to discharge the pistol. On mine, just pressing the trigger a little and it goes boom. Colts series 70 trigger put to the test series 70 vs. Subsequently, it features a longer trigger and flattened mainspring housing, with a standard g. Each kit is tested on a series 70style frame to make certain it will produce the specified pull weight with little or no fitting. A knowledgeable gunsmith can create a very clean trigger pull on your gun, with all series 80 components intact and fully functional. What the cylinder and slide kit does is reduce the stack at the end of the trigger pull. I replaced the stock sear spring and trigger in my colt mk iv series 80 government model. Thus, the firing pin can only move if the trigger is pulled. First was the addition of a triggeractuated firing pin block.
Removing the series 80 parts, using the shim and my modest stone and polishing talents gets me a good clean pull. In defensecarry guns where a fourpound or heavier pull is necessary, the added friction of the series 80 parts adds little or nothing to the pull weight or feel. Extra parts, but the trigger on my lw commander feels right to me. The defender is a series 80 gun, which means that the internal passive firingpin safety is retained on this handgun.
A friend brought his newly purchased, worked over 3 lb trigger colt to show me. Although not recommended by any manufacturer removing this safety system will make your series 80 1911 trigger better. A short video on how to remove the series 80 safety modifications on a. The gun is perfectly reliable now and i am very happy with it. I know personally that clean and safe trigger pulls as low as 3 12 lbs. Minor fitting to get the trigger in and the spring was a drop in. Contains firing pin block plunger, national match plunger lever, trigger lever, hammer pin and sear pin. On the series 80, a pivoting link is actuated by the trigger pull. Bypassing the series 80 safety components on the 1911 pistol.
Colt series 708090 firearms talk the community for. Wasnt there a quality problem colt had when they were producing the series 80. Colt 1911 1991 government series 80 is this a good deal. Colt series 80 government 1911addicts the premiere 1911. Items shipped from our own warehouse can be shipped much sooner than items shipped direct to you from one of our fulfillment suppliers. Trigger pull will have to be longer than a pre 80 because the trigger works the levers that push up the plunger in the slide to free the firing pin, but this is not something that sticks out for most shooters. In 1983 the series 80 models were introduced with the new firing pin safety system, which guarded against an accidental discharge should a loaded pistol be dropped onto a hard surface. The pull is smooth and has a clean break, and the match barrel offers excellent accuracy. Not in the video but also used in comparison were two unfired colt m1991a1 series 80 pistols. Im not a good enough shot to be able to say the series 70 trigger helps me and a series 80 does not but my trigger finger is sufficiently sensitive or tricked into believing the series 70 is better. Why is a 70 series 1911 better then a 80 series 1911. Remove the levers too and replace them with one of these. The series 80 safety system requires a minimum amount of trigger travel for the mechanism to allow the firing pin block to move out of the way of the firing pin. I style thumb safety on the left side and a shortened grip safety.
For carry or competition, you cant beat wilson combat triggers. The series 80 added a spring and a plunger to the things the trigger had to do. I always wondered where the hate for the 80 s came from, too. Anyway, i bought it on thursday and took it to the range on saturday. Previously, they were outfitted with series 80 firing systems. Trigger pull reduction kit series 80 1911 by cylinder. For disassembly and reassembly just youtube series 80 1911 disassembly heres a link to the trigger job s. Hi, i just entered the world of 1911s with a colt 1991a1. Discussion in gunsmithing and repairs started by eric f, aug 14, 2009. Colt dumping old series 80 new in the box guns on market. Working on my colt xse series 80, it sure looks like the firing pin plunger spring is the source of about 1. Series 80 i noted that the trigger was not all it was cracked up to be my colt 1911 enthusiasts. The new colt series 80 also incorporated the new barrel bushing of the series 70, while being more reminiscent of the original m1911 by having a long trigger and flat mainspring housing. Even at its most polished best, it was never the crisp glass rod break that the series 70std.
As dyspeptic gunsmith has pointed out, one can simply add a low mass firing pin and an extra power firing pin spring to prevent a discharge in the unlikely event that the gun is dropped on a hard surface and falls on the muzzle. The decision to buy that series 80 colt at 600 bucks would take me maybe 5 seconds on a bad day. The pull on a s 80 pistol has this extra mush in the travel, and thats the mechanism pushing that spring force of the firing pin block out of the way. The 1911 design was extensively tested by the military for this prior to adoption in 1911. Due to the recent increase in order volume, shipping on some items may be delayed up to 15 business days or longer. Comparing two recently produced, offtheshelf government models featuring the series 80 system with an original series 70 government model and the test gun with its series 70 system revealed a noticeable difference in trigger pull. The thing about the series 80 trigger is that you feel resistance at the end of the trigger pull, as the trigger slightly stacks right before it breaks, kind of like most polymerframe strikerfired pistols. Both series 80 guns exhibited a bit of creep prior to a crisp break. He has an 1970 80s colt gold cup which is a series 80. I dont have a colt series 80, but i have a taurus with the series 80 firing pin safety, and i like it. Some claim that this addition makes for a heavier trigger pull.
When adjusting the set screw of an adjustable trigger on a series 80 pistol, you cannot set the travel to minimum as you would with a non series 80 pistol. On my lyman trigger pull gauge from brownells, the readout. In 1983, colt released a new 1911 design dubbed the series 80 also named for the decade during which it was released with a few design changes. The collet bushing was replaced with the solid bushing and the phase out was completed around 1988. Parts are wire edm cut from bar stock, honed and polished, then heat treated for years of service life. Shop online now and buy direct from the manufacturer. Adding parts isnt needed to convert a series 80 backwards,, just start leaving parts out, the lever, the plunger, the spring. The series 70 made a comeback in 2002 in the new retro line named the mk iv series 70 government model. He has an 197080s colt gold cup which is a series 80. A good smith can make the series 80 colt have a great trigger pull that you will love. What is commonly done to improve series 80 trigger. Well, the series 80 is a number of features added to the basic colt pistol which. It was incorporated to make the 1911 more drop safe, a great solution to a non existent problem. Ive since repeated my experiment see video below on sidebyside comparisons between probably half a dozen new series 70 colts and the current line of series 80.
Reduces series 80 trigger pull approximately one pound. I hear this pistol has a firing pin block making condition 2 safe. Colt series 80 adjustable trigger installation note. The common method of improving series 80 trigger pull is exactly the same as on a non series 80 gun. Colt trigger peacemaker g k and q frame 22 mag gun parts. All the models in the colt competition pistol line will now be outfitted with series 70 firing systems. Id much rather have the series 70 guns but good trigger jobs can be.
Using the knowledge i gained from the first two guns, i decided to work on an old. Series 80 trigger pull 1911style pistols brian enoss forums. How to bypass colt 1911 series 80 safety system with trigger job. If you want to lighten that trigger pull, the first order of business is the mainspring. Contains firing pin block plunger, national match plunger lever, trigger lever, hammer pin and sear. Its 4 additional parts that are trigger actuated to unblock the firing pin to allow the 1911 to fire. In about 1983, the series 80 1911 was introduced with a key feature of a triggeractivated firing pin safety. I was on a budget and i like the look and feel of the colt 1991a1 although the springfield and taurus 1911s definitely were also good options that i was considering. However his trigger has way more travel until firing than mine. As you pull the trigger, two levers mounted in the frame push on the blocking pin so that it is lifted high enough to release the firing pin as. The series 70 and previous models could be dropfired if dropped directly on the hammer.