Out with the old, in with the new. 1991 Colts.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I currently own a Colt 70 Series in 38 Super and a Norinco 1911 9mm with a 45ACP slide and barrel.

Wanting to compete in SAS Wild Bunch i decided to standardise a bit. Having what is effectively three different guns with different slide / sight set ups is not conducive to consistency. I am not overly fond of the 70 Series, it is stainless, which I don't like and has the cocking grooves on the slope which also doesn't thrill me. It is a good pistol and has never missed a beat, but it is not me.

I like my 1911s to be blue, polished on the frame and slide flats and have straight up and down cocking grooves. I also prefer the look of the curved mainspring housing and Commander style hammers. Silly, but that's what I like.

The new 1991 pretty much fulfills these requirements. They have a flat mainspring housing that seems to be the new big thing and hardly any 1911 has a Commander style hammer. I will try the flat grip and see how it goes.

I have bought a 45ACP version and a 9mm version (Australia only model I think)and am awaiting delivery. The 9mm version is about $100 dearer here than a Remington or Ruger 1911. The 45ACP is roughly $600 dearer. The 45 is a special license deal here and I suppose they don't sell any near as many.

I'm sure they will be just reliable 1911s and I probably won't do any customising. Has anyone had any experience with this model? Is the 9mm available in the States?

As luck would have it, a friend rang up asking if I wanted to sell the 38Super. Looking good!

[NC_JEFF]

My step-son has a Rock Island 1911 in 9mm and loves it. I've own 2 1991 Colts and am happy with everything about them so far. Both feed RN, TC and HP bullets very well. One will shoot a Hornady JHP through the drinking hole of a Coke can at .21ft. I use it for carry and the 2nd 1991 is mine because I got it for a good price and couldn't say no. Neither is modified other than a recoil buffer installed.

[35remington]

The current 70 Series Reproductions are available in blue. The cocking serrations are straight up and down, on the back of the slide only. They have arched mainspring housings. No Commander hammers but that's asking for a bit much. They are polished on the slide flats and frame flats.

I think you need to take another look at what Colt makes. That have most of what you want already.

[Four Fingers of Death]

The 1991s are on sale here pretty cheap. The 9mm version is about half the cost of a Colt 1911 normally. The 1991 comes as close to what I like in a Colt as I can see and the price is good. I was just wondering how other owners went with them.

[Four Fingers of Death]

That is cheap for a Colt.

[35remington]

As I pointed out, the current series 70 is closer to what you want than the 1991 is, with the bonus of no plastic parts.

[Four Fingers of Death]

The current 1991s have a polymer mainspring housing I believe. Apart from that all steel I think. In Australia we get to buy what they import. Other models are significantly dearer. Is the 70 series available in the 1911A1 (external ) specs? That is the preferred format for cowboy action /wildbunch. Which is where the 45 will be used.

[35remington]

The Series 70 Reproduction Colts ARE 1911A1's, essentially, with better sights. I have two in stainless, but they make them in blue as well. ALL parts are steel. The A1 features are all there. Look them over on Colt's website.

This model, not the 1991, is what you want to fulfill your wishes as it's a closer match to your expressed preferences. I can empathize as it's my favorite model as well. That's why I have two. No Series 80 firing pin block either, which I don't want.

I believe the 1991's have plastic triggers as well, but don't quote me. The mainspring housing they have is indeed polymer.

[35remington]

http://www.colt.com/Catalog/Pistols/Series70™.aspx

[Four Fingers of Death]

I went out to my friend's place tonight to collect the Colts. I opened the first box and found a National Match Gold Cup in 45ACP! Not the gun I ordered. The 9mm was correct as a 1991. My friend said we can't return it as it has been imported into the State and now is tegistered here and I am stuck with it! The Gold Cup is $500 dearer than the 1991 so I heve ended up with quite a bonus!

I'm off to the range tomorrow and will try and get some photos.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I'm 100% with you objecting to the slanted cocking grooves, and that stainless is awful compared to the wonderful metal of blued carbon steel. Then they put the cocking grooves by the muzzle just to insult our good taste.

Have you looked at Colt's Reproduction 1911's? They make them with a dull parkerized finish in honor of the WW1 model, and they made a few with high polish carbona blue. These do not have the groove cut out of the frame for the trigger finger and the thumb safety is the old fashioned tab. Also the printing stamped on the side of the slide is the old fashioned two line small print.

These are very desirable models and worth looking in to.

[Four Fingers of Death]

They sound good, but I have sort of blown the gun budget wayyyyyy out of the water in the past month. I bought a NIB Ruger 50th Anniversary Super Blackhawk, a GSG 1911 /22LR pistol, a 75 vintage Ruger 1B in 243 with a fine old Leupold 3-9 scope and the two Colts. I had better pull my head in for awhile.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I hope this works.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Handguns/20150408_002939-1_zpsqoe0jawf.jpg (http://s89.photobucket.com/user/4fingermick/media/Handguns/20150408_002939-1_zpsqoe0jawf.jpg.html)

Gold Cup National Match 45ACP on top, 1991 9mm underneath.

[Lefty Red]

My good friend and Viet Nam vet carries a 1991 Colt. Between him and his son they have several NICE 1911s, all Colts.
I liked the 1991. Has long as its not a Defender 1991, I would say its a good model. The reason I don't like the Defender is that it felt cheaper than what Colt should put out. Just wasn't happy with it.
Jerry

[Four Fingers of Death]

I'm up at the range at the moment. I have put 150 rounds of Geco copperwash lead factory ammo through the 1991. A few ftfeeds where the loaded round ended up in a stovepipe jam but ok otherwise. Not as accurate as the Gold Cup but shooting to point of aim.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Jam at around round no 40 from new.
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Handguns/20150412_122155_zpsi21robz5.jpg (http://s89.photobucket.com/user/4fingermick/media/Handguns/20150412_122155_zpsi21robz5.jpg.html)

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Handguns/20150412_135222_zpskmhaeg5t.jpg (http://s89.photobucket.com/user/4fingermick/media/Handguns/20150412_135222_zpskmhaeg5t.jpg.html)

Jam at about round no. 250.