Gold cup National Match Trophy.

reagan

New member
GunNutz
Rating - 100%
92   0   1
Location
Calgary AB>
Can anyone with previous knowledge on these models tell me what are the advantages or disadvantages between the series 70 and series 80 models? Thank you for your input.
 
The main difference is in the solid barrel bushing of the Series 80 vs. the collett bushing of the Series 70 and the firing pin block safety of the 80.
Purists say the S70 guns are more accurate due to the collett barrel bushing but the disadvantage is that the fingers on the bushing have been known to break. The FP safety of the S80 is also suppose to worsen trigger pull a bit. I’ve shot both and I really cannot tell the difference between them. You must really love the 1911 and used them a lot to be able to tell the difference between the S70 and S80, IMO.
 
Some will say the S80 'improvements' were/are "an ingenious solution to an non-existent problem". :p

1CanadaFlag.gif

------------------
NAA.
 
The disadvantage of the series 80, over the 70, is the "notchy" trigger - which results from the inclusion of a "firing pin safety".
See the comment in post #3.
There may be an advantage, but none comes to mind.
If you're comfortable with the feel of the trigger on a Browning HP - which has a similar notchiness (because of the incorporation of a mag safety) - then the feel of the 80's trigger may not bother you.
I prefer a clean, crisp break.
 
Last edited:
The disadvantage of the series 80, over the 70, is the "notchy" trigger - which results from the inclusion of a "firing pin safety".
See the comment in post #3.
There may be an advantage, but none comes to mind.
If you're comfortable with the feel of the trigger on a Browning HP - which has a similar notchiness (because of the incorporation of a mag safety) - then the feel of the 80's trigger may not bother you.
I prefer a clean, crisp break.
That is a myth. There are “series 80” guns with great triggers and “series 70” guns with substandard triggers, and of course, vice versa. The FP mechanism has a minimal impact on trigger pull (nothing the BHP magazine safety, for example)
 
Disadvantage of the Series 80 is the extra parts to deal with on detailed strip and re-assembly.

If you have ever tried to put a Sear and Disconnector together (including the Depressor, Depressor Spring and Trigger Bar Lever) and back into a Series 80 National Match you can feel my pain.
I bought a few extra Depressor Springs from Brownells as they seem to take off on their own and disappear into space.

Secret is a round toothpick to hold the parts together and a broken off round toothpick as a temp slave pin........ there are some youtube vids to show you the way.

IMHO the extra stuff in the Series 80 was to try and fix an issue that did not exist.
 
That is a myth. There are “series 80” guns with great triggers and “series 70” guns with substandard triggers, and of course, vice versa. The FP mechanism has a minimal impact on trigger pull (nothing the BHP magazine safety, for example)

Myth ? - Maybe - but on every 80 I've tried, or own, I can feel the trigger block "doing it's thing" when I depress the trigger - and it bothers me enough, that I will do the FP block delete, on any 80 that I own - and that fix has always made the trigger break, cleaner. There are indeed, lots of 1911's with less than ideal trigger pulls and there may be a way to make the FP block on a Series 80, less intrusive - but the most popular way, is to get rid of it. Again, refer to post number 3.
 
Myth ? - Maybe - but on every 80 I've tried, or own, I can feel the trigger block "doing it's thing" when I depress the trigger - and it bothers me enough, that I will do the FP block delete, on any 80 that I own - and that fix has always made the trigger break, cleaner. There are indeed, lots of 1911's with less than ideal trigger pulls and there may be a way to make the FP block on a Series 80, less intrusive - but the most popular way, is to get rid of it. Again, refer to post number 3.
I had a Colt 1991 with a very light and crisp series 80 trigger. I could't feel the FP safety "'doing its thing" but maybe I wasn't paying attention. In any event, even if you can feel it, it doesn't increase the weight of the trigger pull by more than a couple of ounces. Every modern firearm has a firing pin safety, including high end guns like Sig P210.
 
I have a Series 70 National Match with thousands of rounds through it. I put a match Wilson barrel in it a few years back because of a barrel bulge caused by firing on an undetected squib load stuck in the barrel. A lesser gun might have exploded but that gun didn't and to this day it locks up tight and shoots wonderfully.

Never handled or shot a Series 80,

Patrick
 
Back
Top Bottom