Thinking about a Colt series 70.... Thoughts?
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george preston
Single-Sixer
Rev, any experience with the Remingtons?
I thought $900 was a fair price for the work offered by Colt (note that the price included a lot more work than just an action job) maybe I should pick up the model 70 AND the Remington. Then I could return my dad's pistol
I thought $900 was a fair price for the work offered by Colt (note that the price included a lot more work than just an action job) maybe I should pick up the model 70 AND the Remington. Then I could return my dad's pistol
Hi George !
I don't own a Remington, but I shot an R1 Enhanced about 40 rounds and really liked it, but then again, to be honest ... I love most 1911's. It's a rare one that I can't shoot well, even the lowly GI's with their little sights. I doubt you could go wrong with any of the Remingtons. I DO really like the look of the stainless on the Remington's, I think it's a much more attractive finish than the rough brushed look of the Ruger, but that's just personal taste ... It's just a much finer brushing that you'll instantly recognize if you see them together.
To be honest, the one I have my sights on right now is one of the Springfield Range Officers in either 9 or 45. The RO is essentially a stripped down TRP, so it's lacking in frilly cosmetics, but heavy on functional upgrades, which you may like as well. It goes right around $775-800. I would highly suggest at least reading up about it if you're thinking of splitting your purchase, as you mentioned.
If you do get the Colt 70, I'd own it and shoot it for awhile, and then just upgrade what you REALLY FEEL needs to be updated, most likely just a good trigger job, and maybe sights if you want night sights.
You're in a nice position to have $1800 dedicated to a new gun or two. I'd research a lot like you're doing and get the biggest bang for the bucks.
One gun that would be non-negotiable for me with that budget would be one if the Range Officers ... No doubt about that !
Please keep us informed ... It should be a fun exercise to spend that much money on a few great 1911's.
REV
I don't own a Remington, but I shot an R1 Enhanced about 40 rounds and really liked it, but then again, to be honest ... I love most 1911's. It's a rare one that I can't shoot well, even the lowly GI's with their little sights. I doubt you could go wrong with any of the Remingtons. I DO really like the look of the stainless on the Remington's, I think it's a much more attractive finish than the rough brushed look of the Ruger, but that's just personal taste ... It's just a much finer brushing that you'll instantly recognize if you see them together.
To be honest, the one I have my sights on right now is one of the Springfield Range Officers in either 9 or 45. The RO is essentially a stripped down TRP, so it's lacking in frilly cosmetics, but heavy on functional upgrades, which you may like as well. It goes right around $775-800. I would highly suggest at least reading up about it if you're thinking of splitting your purchase, as you mentioned.
If you do get the Colt 70, I'd own it and shoot it for awhile, and then just upgrade what you REALLY FEEL needs to be updated, most likely just a good trigger job, and maybe sights if you want night sights.
You're in a nice position to have $1800 dedicated to a new gun or two. I'd research a lot like you're doing and get the biggest bang for the bucks.
One gun that would be non-negotiable for me with that budget would be one if the Range Officers ... No doubt about that !
Please keep us informed ... It should be a fun exercise to spend that much money on a few great 1911's.
REV
I now have all three, R1 basic, and both ROs. Love them all. I put them 45 RO on lay away so the wife don't find out. XD40, sr1911 and a case of ammo and a little cash for two ROs....it was a good day.
I am getting use to the sights, first time around I didn't like them, but after a few tweaks I am happy. I installed a 298b grip safety an 92bf mainspring housing from Wilson and now the 9mm RO is perfect. I have the same parts for the 45 on the way.
XD40, sr1911 and a case of ammo and a little cash for two ROs....it was a good day.I am getting use to the sights, first time around I didn't like them, but after a few tweaks I am happy. I installed a 298b grip safety an 92bf mainspring housing from Wilson and now the 9mm RO is perfect. I have the same parts for the 45 on the way.
revhigh said:
Clearly you have money to waste on a gun that doesn't work the way it should when it left the factory.
Why would you spend $1000 for a gun that you thought wasn't reliable and then spend another $900 to make it so.
Just so you can say your gun has a horse on the side?
If Colt can no longer produce a quality firearm at a competitive price what do you have to brag about.
There are many 1911 clones coming off assembly lines that are every bit as good or better than a Colt and many are 100% reliable. How do you enhance 100%.
Lowered and flared ejection ports and contoured and polished feed ramps are more often the norm than the exception and with CNC machining should be done as a standard feature as many are.
Adjust this and tune that . What you are saying is that Colts quality control isn't what it used to be.
Adjust the magazine. Start with a good magazine and you don't have to adjust it.
There are those here who have the new Ruger sr1911 and many have had absolutely no problem with function and reliability and accuracy has been pretty good also. . Those that have had an issue have sent the guns back to Ruger and said fix it and guess what, Ruger does. They don't have to say hey Ruger here's another $900 can you make it work rite.
You are rite I am not a 1911 expert. I have owned a half a dozen over the years, mostly colts, Springfield and now a Ruger cmd and a Colt is the only one I ever had to send back, TWICE! In my opinion the Ruger is every bit as good as any Colt I have had.
I have been carrying a gun daily for work for the last 30 years and if my pistol was not reliable I would not be carrying it.
Most of what I have carried have been Glocks and Sig pistols and S&W revolvers in the early years. All have been reliable and a Sig P220 45 will shoot rings around any stock Colt 1911 I have ever seen, and at less than half of what that guy is planning to pay for a Colt.
You want to buy an over priced Colt and pay to have it slicked up by Colt go ahead. It will probably be a good shooter but its gonna look like any other colt coming off the line.
But don't tell me its the best bang for your buck.
The horse died when the unions took over.
First ....it wasn't me buying the gun so you're preaching to the wrong person.
Second .... the person was considering basically putting a carry package on the gun. No big deal if he wants that, but I did recommend against it.
Colts .... like most other 1911's .... work just fine out of the box.
REV
Second .... the person was considering basically putting a carry package on the gun. No big deal if he wants that, but I did recommend against it.
Colts .... like most other 1911's .... work just fine out of the box.
REV
george preston
Single-Sixer
Bentblade, I have no doubt that the colt series 70 would work just fine right out the box. My point about the custom shop work was for the following reasons :
1: I like colts but they don't offer exactly what I'm looking for ( a 70 series with better sights and an ambidextrous safety, I'm left handed)
2: while doing some research , I found that colt has a custom shop that could add the features that I want.
3: additionally , they have a "package deal" that includes a lot of features that while not mandatory for me would enhance the usability of the pistol ( lower an flair the ejection port, bevel the mag well, action/trigger job, checker front of grip and MSH, and refinish after work was completed) don't know how much custom gun work you have had done but the price ($900) seems extremely reasonable to me .
4: s
1: I like colts but they don't offer exactly what I'm looking for ( a 70 series with better sights and an ambidextrous safety, I'm left handed)
2: while doing some research , I found that colt has a custom shop that could add the features that I want.
3: additionally , they have a "package deal" that includes a lot of features that while not mandatory for me would enhance the usability of the pistol ( lower an flair the ejection port, bevel the mag well, action/trigger job, checker front of grip and MSH, and refinish after work was completed) don't know how much custom gun work you have had done but the price ($900) seems extremely reasonable to me .
4: s
george preston
Single-Sixer
Bentblade, I have no doubt that the colt series 70 would work just fine right out the box. My point about the custom shop work and the questions I've asked was for the following reasons :
1: I like colts but they don't offer exactly what I'm looking for ( a 70 series with better sights and an ambidextrous safety, I'm left handed)
2: while doing some research , I found that colt has a custom shop that could add the features that I want.
3: additionally , they have a "package deal" that includes a lot of features that while not mandatory for me would enhance the usability of the pistol ( lower an flair the ejection port, bevel the mag well, action/trigger job, checker front of grip and MSH, and refinish after work was completed) don't know how much custom gun work you have had done but the price ($900) seems extremely reasonable to me .
4: some of the guys on this forum have decades of experience with the 1911 and it only makes since to ask them for their opinions.
You and other are right, there are a lot of makers out there making 1911's and one of them might do.... Haven't decided yet. But, to be perfectly honest with you, ain't none of them Colts if colt made a gold cup with fixed Novak style sights this wouldn't have even posted this thread .....
1: I like colts but they don't offer exactly what I'm looking for ( a 70 series with better sights and an ambidextrous safety, I'm left handed)
2: while doing some research , I found that colt has a custom shop that could add the features that I want.
3: additionally , they have a "package deal" that includes a lot of features that while not mandatory for me would enhance the usability of the pistol ( lower an flair the ejection port, bevel the mag well, action/trigger job, checker front of grip and MSH, and refinish after work was completed) don't know how much custom gun work you have had done but the price ($900) seems extremely reasonable to me .
4: some of the guys on this forum have decades of experience with the 1911 and it only makes since to ask them for their opinions.
You and other are right, there are a lot of makers out there making 1911's and one of them might do.... Haven't decided yet. But, to be perfectly honest with you, ain't none of them Colts
if colt made a gold cup with fixed Novak style sights this wouldn't have even posted this thread .....Jayhawkhuntclub
Buckeye
Only played with one R1. It was a rattle trap with a crap trigger. Maybe it was the exception? Personally, if I had $1800 or so to spend on a 1911, I wouldn't be looking at kimbers, Springfields or Remingtons. For that money you can get a Dan Wesson. If you go with the Colt, you don't need to spend that much to get the upgrades you're looking for.
gb6491
Single-Sixer
FWIW, the R1 Carry has a forged frameUncleEd said:
: http://www.1911r1.com/en/Products/Firearms/Model-1911-Carry.aspxRegards,
Greg
Jayhawkhuntclub said:
Once again .... The fact that a 1911 has some rattle is meaningless. BOTH my Colt Gold Cups rattle a bit, and both will shoot well inside 2 inches at 25 yards.
Triggers on 1911's are each very unique .... You can get a $380 RIA with a golden trigger ... Or a $1500 Mimber with a less than average trigger. Hint .... Only buy a 1911 with a good trigger out of the box. If any 1911 you're iinterested in has a crap trigger out of the box .... Pass it by.
You can be sure that if you go into a gun store, and start 'rattling' 1911's .... You won't be looked upon as a very serious or knowledgeable 1911 guy. The guys behind the counter will most likely be rolling their eyes at you behind your back, especially if you comment on it.
When will these old wives tales finally die ? If I have a gun that shoots well .... The only thing a little rattle tells me is that it's probably very reliable.
In the old days when Colt 1911's were just flat out worn out by the services, they'd rattle like crazy, but today's modern 1911's need a little slack to be sure they won't bind up. It's nothing to worry about in a modern 1911, and in most cases, striving to eliminate all of the rattle by 'pinching' the slide to make it tighter will only serve to make it unreliable.
REV
jmfc606
Single-Sixer
George,
Back to your original question. If you have the money and want a custom shop Colt then that's what you should get. The only disadvantage of ordering one is that you won't get to hold it and go over it before you buy it. Like Revhigh says the first thing I check on a 1911 is the trigger. I would think that if it is a custom shop Colt you should not have anything to worry about as I'm sure they go over them pretty good. If you decide to buy a 1911 from a gun shop I don't care what brand tell the clerk you need to try the trigger. The trigger should have no creep and break cleanly. There could be 5 identical pistols sitting side by side and after you check the triggers you'll see that they are all not equally as good. In the end just get a gun that has a good trigger to start with, feels the best in your hand, and has the features YOU want. One word of caution they are addictive! You can't have just one! I'm up to 8 and want to add more. Good luck!
Back to your original question. If you have the money and want a custom shop Colt then that's what you should get. The only disadvantage of ordering one is that you won't get to hold it and go over it before you buy it. Like Revhigh says the first thing I check on a 1911 is the trigger. I would think that if it is a custom shop Colt you should not have anything to worry about as I'm sure they go over them pretty good. If you decide to buy a 1911 from a gun shop I don't care what brand tell the clerk you need to try the trigger. The trigger should have no creep and break cleanly. There could be 5 identical pistols sitting side by side and after you check the triggers you'll see that they are all not equally as good. In the end just get a gun that has a good trigger to start with, feels the best in your hand, and has the features YOU want. One word of caution they are addictive! You can't have just one! I'm up to 8 and want to add more. Good luck!
jmfc606
Single-Sixer
Rev,
I work PT in a gun shop so I get to handle quite a few guns. We recently got a shipment of SR1911's 6 full size and one Commander. Out of all of them there were only 3 or 4 I would consider buying. We got 2 Remington R-1's, one had a decent trigger and one was horrible. We got 4 Rock Islands 2 Tacticals with Rails and 2 Tacticals without rails, 3 out of 4 had nice triggers and one had a bit of creep. We've had a few Sig C-3's and both were nice and clean breaking. Finally we had a higher end S&W (don't remember the model) that was nice and 4 Springfield Range Officers that all had excellent triggers and the pull felt lighter than the standard 1911's. Sorry to say to the OP that Colt's have been on order for a few years and we haven't been able to get any. Maybe some of the bigger shops can get them as I do see them on gunauction.com but us little guys seem to be at the bottom of the pecking order.
I work PT in a gun shop so I get to handle quite a few guns. We recently got a shipment of SR1911's 6 full size and one Commander. Out of all of them there were only 3 or 4 I would consider buying. We got 2 Remington R-1's, one had a decent trigger and one was horrible. We got 4 Rock Islands 2 Tacticals with Rails and 2 Tacticals without rails, 3 out of 4 had nice triggers and one had a bit of creep. We've had a few Sig C-3's and both were nice and clean breaking. Finally we had a higher end S&W (don't remember the model) that was nice and 4 Springfield Range Officers that all had excellent triggers and the pull felt lighter than the standard 1911's. Sorry to say to the OP that Colt's have been on order for a few years and we haven't been able to get any. Maybe some of the bigger shops can get them as I do see them on gunauction.com but us little guys seem to be at the bottom of the pecking order.
Hi Joe,
I've found the same thing. Each trigger is unique to THAT GUN. More expensive guns give you a better shot at getting a good trigger, but does not guarantee it. Many times a very inexpensive gun will have a great trigger, and sometimes vice versa.
I've been VERY IMPRESSED with the out of the box triggers on your the RIA's. My one gun store said they've really been concentrating on their stock triggers and I for one think it shows. Not surprised about the Range Officers ... they are just spectacular guns for the money.
Finally .... regarding the Colt scarcity .... almost all my 1911's are Colts and I love them, but having said that ... I doubt very much whether I'd wait a year for one.
REV
I've found the same thing. Each trigger is unique to THAT GUN. More expensive guns give you a better shot at getting a good trigger, but does not guarantee it. Many times a very inexpensive gun will have a great trigger, and sometimes vice versa.
I've been VERY IMPRESSED with the out of the box triggers on your the RIA's. My one gun store said they've really been concentrating on their stock triggers and I for one think it shows. Not surprised about the Range Officers ... they are just spectacular guns for the money.
Finally .... regarding the Colt scarcity .... almost all my 1911's are Colts and I love them, but having said that ... I doubt very much whether I'd wait a year for one.
REV
