 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The 1911 .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) has a mystique that is unmatched by any other pistol. Its owners are devoted to it. It continues to be chosen by SWAT, special forces, and competitive shooters despite challenges by newer designs and technologies. It is a cultural icon and symbol of America at its combative best. Yes, it's a combat sidearm, not a pocket gun or a concealment piece. It was designed for the Army in an era when the cavalry rode into battle on horses. Created by John M. Browning at the turn of the Twentieth Century, the 1911 was the climax of a series of autoloader designs which culminated in the adoption by the Army of the M1911 in the year from which it took its name. It is perhaps the most loved, studied, and enduring pistol design of all time. (The Sight)
The series 70 -Vs- the series 80 1911.
Graphic courtesy of The Sight.Geoff Beneze says: "The Series 70 was the older design that did not have a firing pin block. This production ended about 19(you guessed it)80. The Series 80 guns have a firing pin block installed. This block is subject to MUCH debate, with the naysayers blaming it for everything from bad trigger pulls to inflation and unwed pregnancy. Any GOOD gunsmith can make the trigger undistinguishable from the Series 70. The “series 70," and "Series 80" are names specific to Colt brand pistols, but the term has pretty much come into common usage to indicate the firing pin block or lack thereof."
An Internet reference site, with all you ever wanted to know about this magnificent firearm, designed by the most ingenious gunsmith of all times, John Moses Browning.
In 1994, Pistolsmith, Richard Heinie, and USPSA Illinois Section Coordinator, Russell Cluver, were discussing the amount of grumbling going on about guns and equipment in general. After quite a lot of discussion, they came up with the idea of a match that would use only 1911 Single Stack Pistols.
There's an obvious reason why more companies offer more aftermarket parts for the 1911-style autoloader than for all other handguns combined. Shooters want to build their own custom pistol. Here's the first in a series of reports that will help you customize your own 1911-style gun from the ground up -- one step at a time.
Probably the most commonly heard complaints about the 1911 .45 auto are, "It doesn't work out of the box." "It jams all the time." "You've got to put hundreds of dollars into customizing it.....and it still doesn't work!" There's a certain amount of truth to these criticisms. Every time I go to a high-level handgun training class, there's at least one other class attendee shooting a customized 1911. I have yet to see such a shooter complete a full day's training without his or her gun choking numerous times. As a matter of fact, I've seen more jams -- and experienced them myself -- with the 1911 than with all other types of handguns combined. Why is that? In this article, I'll try to address what I consider the half dozen or so most common reasons why your 1911 auto won't work.
Ensuring that 1911's endure another 80 years.
