Colt Series 70: Worth It?

M

Model12Win

Moderator
Are the CURRENT PRODUCTION Colt Series 70 1911s any good? I am thinking about getting the blued model:

O1970_A1_CS-2.jpg


How is the quality on these? Should one consider them reliable out of the box, or do they need gunsmithing to run? Are these considered a quality 1911? They are going for between $850-$900 new. Are they really any better than a $450 Rock Island Armory for example?

Just wanting to hear some feedback on the 1911s Colt is making these days, and if they are worth it or not.

Thoughts?
 
I purchased one of the new Competition Pistols and have put 1000+ rounds through it with zero issues. So, I suspect the Series 70 should function properly without any modification.
 
Model12Win said:
Are the CURRENT PRODUCTION Colt Series 70 1911s any good? I am thinking about getting the blued model:

O1970_A1_CS-2.jpg


How is the quality on these? Should one consider them reliable out of the box, or do they need gunsmithing to run? Are these considered a quality 1911? They are going for between $850-$900 new. Are they really any better than a $450 Rock Island Armory for example?

Just wanting to hear some feedback on the 1911s Colt is making these days, and if they are worth it or not.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
What are you doing with the gun? Todays Colts are some of the best guns they have made in a long time. IMHO however you have to take into account what you are going to use the gun for and how much use it is really going to get. I love my 70 series it is stock and a real tack driver. I bought it intending to use it as a base gun but it is such a sweet shooter as it I have left it stock.
 
"IMHO however you have to take into account what you are going to use the gun for and how much use it is really going to get."

WVSig, could you carry that a bit further? It sounds like you are saying the Colts won't hold up under extended use. I had not heard that, and would like further info, especially AFAIK, Colt is one of the few 1911 makers still forging their frames vs casting them. I have not bought a new Colt anything in a long time except for an SAA, but know folks who have bought a 1911 or variant and reported no problems.

Jim
 
Model12Win said:
How is the quality on these? Should one consider them reliable out of the box, or do they need gunsmithing to run? Are these considered a quality 1911? They are going for between $850-$900 new. Are they really any better than a $450 Rock Island Armory for example?

Just wanting to hear some feedback on the 1911s Colt is making these days, and if they are worth it or not.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Quality is excellent. A few years back I bought a Colt Series 70 (blued), and a Rock Island. I still own the Colt -- the Rock Island is long gone. Not that it wasn't an okay pistol -- it just wasn't a Colt. I replaced it with a Colt 1991 Commander.

The Colt has a forged frame and a forged slide. Rock Island has a cast frame and an extruded (which is sort of a form of forging .. maybe) slide. Both are made on CNC machines -- I found the Colt's tolerances to be better.

Even aside from the Colt name, the Colt Series 70 is really a LOT better than a Rocxk Island, and I say that as someone who likes Armscor (Rock Island) and often recommends them to people looking to get into the 1911 game. I don't think anyone would say that Rock Islands are under-priced. I know a lot of people (myself included) who think the Series 70 (and a couple of other Colt models) are very much under-priced, and represent very real bargains.
 
I have an 80 series, I like it but if I did it again I would have probably gone with a Springfield for the parkerized finish. The blued finish is a bit more fragile.
Also, pick up some Wilson Combat mags, the Colt ones (at least mine) aren't the best.
 
Currently manufactured Colts 1911s are some of the best that they have ever turned out.
I have a 2010 combat elite and a 2014 gold cup. both are simply outstanding guns for the money.
 
Very cool.

So the general consensus is they are superior to Rock Island guns? What about Auto Ordnance? I am wanting a straight up old school 1911. I'm not a gun gamer, competitor, tacticool bad boy.

I just want a good, reliable, accurate classic 1911 with NO bells, and NO whistles.
 
I do have an old Series 70 but the one I shoot is a Series 80 O1992 9mm and it is a tack driver. I'm hard pressed to buy anything but Colt for the simple reason that I think they hold their value a bit better than anything else.
 
Good classic reliable no bells no whistles old school 1911=Colt series 70. All day and twice on Sunday. I don't have a newer series 70. Yet. I've got a 68 or 69 vintage and I love it. But I'm considering picking one up and retiring grandpa's old 1911 to safe queen status.

The rest of my meager 1911 collection are series 80s and they're great too. The only non-Colt 1911 is a Springfield emp4 and it's not bad, but it's not a Colt.

Fanboy out.
 
I wouldn't give any thought to paying 3 times or more for a Colt Series 70 over a Springfield.

Only thing that comes close is the M1911a1 USGI
 
Model12, I've purchased several new Colts in recent years. I've needed to send a couple of those back for warranty issues, but still believe Colt builds good, reliable, durable guns. In fact, I would trust Colts of the last 15 years or so to fit and function properly more so than the several original '70 Series Gold Cup and Government Model Colts I had back in the day. A friend has a RIA. He reports it has been reliable and adequate for his purposes. So nothing wrong with RIA that I know of, and the price is certainly right. That being said, to me the new production Colts are "worth it", and I willingly pay the higher price for Colts....ymmv
 
http://www.colt.com/Portals/0/Specs/2017/o5070XE.pdf

I'm liking this new Gold Cup Trophy Series 70 a lot, after about 1,000 rounds of practice shooting, the only thing it might need is some reliability tuning, and a crisp break 3-1/2 - 4 lb trigger job by a good 1911 pistolsmith, maybe get an EGW angle bore bushing fitted. On this gun I think I might dump that F.O. FS for a domed gold bead front sight. Get some Wilson Combat #47 7rd magazines and you'd have a tack driver, as long as the shooter can do his part:)
 
Targa said:
I have an 80 series, I like it but if I did it again I would have probably gone with a Springfield for the parkerized finish. The blued finish is a bit more fragile.
Also, pick up some Wilson Combat mags, the Colt ones (at least mine) aren't the best.
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Which Wilson Combat mags? I have many Colt magazines, and they have never given me any problems, not in Colt pistols or in any other 1911. I had some Wilson ETM mags that absolutely locked up a Colt Combat Commander -- so badly the gunsmith at the range had to clamp the slide in a padded vise and beat the frame off with a leather hammer.

No Wilson Combat mags for this buckaroo.
 
regarding factory mags- I have run over 20K rounds though one Colt 8 round stainless mag that came with my combat elite without a single malfunction. I believe they are make by Chip McCormick for Colt.
Wilson makes nice mags, but if the factory ones run fine then I see no reason to buy wilsons.
 
James K said:
"IMHO however you have to take into account what you are going to use the gun for and how much use it is really going to get."

WVSig, could you carry that a bit further? It sounds like you are saying the Colts won't hold up under extended use. I had not heard that, and would like further info, especially AFAIK, Colt is one of the few 1911 makers still forging their frames vs casting them. I have not bought a new Colt anything in a long time except for an SAA, but know folks who have bought a 1911 or variant and reported no problems.

Jim
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I asked the question with that exact reasoning but you have it in reverse. I would not buy an RIA with its extruded slide, cast frame & MIM parts if I was looking for a high round count shooter. When I say high round count I am talking about 20,000 + rounds.

The Colt should hold up well to that kind of round count and beyond with proper maintenance. RIA might as well but they are not made to last IMHO. I prefer the 70 series because I like the rounded mainspring housing vs the 80s flat one. The short trigger is also a nice addition. IMHO you can get a nice trigger pull on a 70 or 80 series gun. The 80 series of course is more drop safe because of the firing pin block.

If $$ is no object I also like the rollmark on the 70 series gun more than the 80 and when possible chose the 70 for base guns. If the OP is looking for a old school look pistol I would look for a old new stock 100 year anniversary or WWI Reproduction in black oxide or carbonia blue.

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As for the anniversary or WW1 editions, I am no collector and can't afford them. They fall into the collector status I would think, safe queens for sure.

The Series 70 is on Buds Gun Shop for about $850. My limit would be $1000, I do plan to make it a regular shooter for sure, not a collector's item or safe queen.
 
As for the anniversary or WW1 editions, I am no collector and can't afford them. They fall into the collector status I would think, safe queens for sure.

The Series 70 is on Buds Gun Shop for about $850. My limit would be $1000, I do plan to make it a regular shooter for sure, not a collector's item or safe queen.
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I shoot my WWI Repo and paid less than $1000 not too long ago but I hear what you are saying. A 70 series should treat you well.
 
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