Anyone have a stone cold reliable box stock Colt Officer's model?

D

Dogger

New member
Just curious. I am itching to pick up a 1991 Colt officer's if my local shop can acquire one. But, in the past I have always talked myself out of it. Have heard you must replace recoil springs every 500 rounds or so. And that stubby slide really doesn't give that fat .45 casing much time to eject... so I have heard plenty of complaints of an officer's model only being reliable with one pet load.

All my Colt government models were reliable. My CCO has been a bit finicky although with a little smithing from Northern Virginia Gunworks I think it might be OK now.

A COlt officer's model is no bigger than my Sig P239... and I do like that fat ol' 45 cartridge.

Heck, give me your complaints about the Colt 1991, too.

:)
 
I have Para P12, which is basically an enhanced copy of the Colt Officer Model .45 with 12-round staggered mag.

Either the P12 or the Colt Officers Model should be taken to a gunsmith, since both designs use a stamping to retain the recoil spring - and the stamping is known to fail after several thousand rounds.

My Para P12 has been to the gunsmith for that conversion and a trigger tune-up.

The P12 has had about a thousand rounds through it. The only malfunctions with this gun were absolutely my own fault - early handloads with improperly-seated bullets.

Absolutely no malfunctions with with either factory ammo or subsequent handloads.
 
I owned two, one ss and one blued and they both were very accurate....I never had malfunctions.....I know of only one that wasnt accurate and had any kind of problem...fubsy.
 
Never ever heard of any unreliability with the Colt Officer's Model Match. Round and reliable for me! ( vbeseg )
 
I've got an almost stock 1911 Officer's ACP that is very reliable. I've only made a couple of modifications to it.

I swapped out the stock barrel bushing for a Cylinder & Slide oversize bushing. This helped accuracy a great deal.

I also swapped out the dual recoil spring set up, with a single Wolff 24# recoil spring. this matches up with heavy loads better.

I shoot lead SWC cast bullets almost exclusively and never have a stoppage, unless I let it get a little too dirty. This usually doesn't happen until after 100+ rounds.

Good Luck...

Joe


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Go NRA
 
My Officer's ACP, all steel blued, is 9 years old (05/91) and except for the Wilson hammer and trigger that I installed, is box stock. Custom Ariens grips & hex head screws but they don't effect function.

It has digested a few thousand rounds of various .45 ACP loadings and has never had a problem with the stock spring setup.

It will hiccup on Win. 185 gr. STHP's on feeding but will feed nearly 100% with other HP's.

It's one of the best 1911's that I've owned and I've had quite a few.

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Jim - NRA Life Member

www.geocities.com/jimc_07874/home.html
 
My lightweight OACP was good right out of the box. I did some mods to remove some of the sharp corners but that is all. I don't know if difference between all steel and lightweight make a difference, because I picked up ONE all steel version and rejected it out of hand. Then I bought the first LW version I ever saw. My only complaint about the 1991 OACP is that they don't offer it in lightweight.

The all steel OACP has all the drawbacks of the Detonics except that sight radius is not QUITE so short. Both are short, chunky and entirely too heavy. For me, they have all the "pointability" of a brick. But some people like them very much.

After a time, I reverted back to my lightweight Commander. I still use the OACPLW fairly often on weekends, stashing it inside my shirt without a holster. This would be almost impossible for me to do with the heavier version. Different stuff for different preferences. Ain't life grand, when you have options?

Best,
Johnny

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---The Second Amendment ensures the rest of the Bill of Rights---

[This message has been edited by Johnny Guest (edited September 18, 2000).]
 
I have a nickel plated Colt Officer that has never missed a beat. I had a King's bushing installed and a trigger job. I like it a lot and it looks good too! Regards, Richard.
 
Dogger,

Been around a few stock officers models - most have been reliable *except* two belonging to friends. Both lost the recoil spring plug - one during a combat course and the second a week later at the range.

These were early 90's models and both sheared the little nub off the stock plug, sending it off into "Parts Paradise".

Would suggest getting the aftermarket Brown/other recoil spring plug.
 
Dogger: Have you fulfilled your quest yet? If not, email me. I am in No. VA and Sandy G. at NVGW has done several of my firearms. I have a spare ANIB O/ACP.
 
Gee, guess I'm the 'lucky' one to get one with 'teething' problems...

My 'enhanced' sts. Officers had a pre-mature slide lock problem (lever locking slide even when mag still has rounds). I replaced the factory slide lock lever with a Wilson and that seem to take care of that problem.

I also replaced the recoil spring plug with a beefier aftermarket version and swapped out the dual recoil springs for Wolff HD spring.

The two factory mags weren't that reliable either. Seems more happy with Wilsons.

Now that I've got it cycling relatively reliably, with only around 2k fired through this pistol, I notice the front sight has come very loose and am waiting for it to launch someday before I'll send it out for Heinie Slant-Pro Straight-Eights...



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Although my Officers model has been reliable, the front sight wanted to fly away and be free, which it did two weeks ago.

Ledbetter
 
I have Colt Officers ACP "enhanced" (has some gizmos installed by Colt). The gun is stock, exept for full length recoil guide rod
(Wilson) and Wilson mags.
Works well enough to be carried, and that's saying alot.
 
I bought a 1911 series 80 ss 4 years ago and it was not very reliable out of the box. I probably shot 700 rds out of the gun and it jammed probably 6-12 times, maybe more. I sent it to Tussey Custom (tusseycustom.com)now in Carson City, NV for a simple reliability package he offers and have not had a problem since. I have not had a jam in over 1000 rds since. With this package he checks the chamber for clearances, polishes the ramp, bolt face, and checks the ejector for fit. I would recommend getting a wolf spring installed as well. I highly recommend Terry Tussey's work and I would send all 1911's to him even if they fired well out of the box. For mind sake, I want to know that my gun will fire extremely reliable when I need it and Terry Tussey will accomplish that. He is the pistolsmith featured in a lot of the magazines and has been known to work on Steven Segal's handguns.
 
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