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Colt 1991 NIB junk?

9K views 60 replies 46 participants last post by  junker 
#1 ·
Someone one here was saying these 80 series colts are junk.This is unfired in box I picked up for 450.00,if its junk then I got screwed.Any opinions on this?
 

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#2 ·
You stole it. In these parts that would be another couple $ hundred more.

The M1991A1 are no-frills Colt Series 80 1911s. Nothing wrong with them that a bit of polishing of the firing pin block bits, tuning of the sear spring, and tuning of the extractor won't fix.

Shoot it.

Noah
 
#4 ·
The 1991 series was to offer a slightly lower priced gun to the buyers.
Colt used the exact same forged and milled slide, frame, barrel and other parts as all the top end models.
Where they were able to lower the price was in the dull blue or satin stainless finish instead of the higher end polished flats and hard rubber grips instead of nice wood.

Most of them that I've seen needed nothing right out of the box to be 100% reliable and excellent shooting Colt's.

The Series 80 parts are not anywhere near the problem that people assumed when it first appeared.
Everyone assumed the trigger would be terrible. Most were not.
All good 1911 pistolsmiths know all about how to get a really great trigger with the Series 80 parts, and you get a drop safety as an added layer of protection if it gets fumbled and dropped.
Truth is, not that meany even experienced shooters can ID by feel a Series 80 trigger compared to a stock Series 70 type in blind tests.

Depending on the actual condition, for $450 this was armed robbery and the seller was the one robbed....By at least $200.
 
#29 ·
+1. I bought one new many years ago...while the trigger is crap, the gun was 100% reliable right out of the box. They come with the feed ramp smoothed and chamber throated from the factory. I ran 5 different types of hollow points, including the CCI/SPEER 200 gr "flying ashtray" and all fed and functioned 100%. I still have it, and while I have done a few mods to it (its a 1911, that's what you do ;) ), none were related to making it more reliable, since you can't improve on 100%.

Shoot and enjoy, they are great pistols. You got a very good deal.
 
#6 ·
junker, I would step up to the plate and take that nasty ol' Series 80 P.O.S. off your hands. I mean if it would help I am here for you.
 
#7 ·
Its junk, if you send it to me immediatly and I will take care of it for you.
 
#12 ·
I have had a stainless government model Series 80 for probably 15 years. It has never failed to go "bang" when I pulled the trigger. I used to think that there was something wrong with it because it had a couple of little dog-leg pieces between the trigger and the hammer, and I actually had to go online to see how to put the little pieces back into it when I cleaned it the first time. Now I don't worry about it one little bit. It is a very reliable piece of equipment and will shoot just as well as any out-of-the-box Colt you find. The only things I changed was that I added green fiber optic sights and Crimson Trace laser grips. I would not have made those changes on my GI WWI 1911, but I had no problem upgrading the Series 80. It's not a collector's item..... yet........ , so have fun with it. And YES you got a great deal.
 
#15 ·
It's mass produced junk that only you peons would shoot. A real devoted 1911 shooter won't accept anything other than a custom 1911, starting at about $2500. Not that its a better pistol but it lets us elitists sneer at you lesser beings.
:tisk:
 
#18 ·
lol Jjk! I traded for a Series 80 about 25 years ago. Into it for less than it's polite to say. Didn't run good at first. Stripped,cleaned,polished the usual suspects. Scratched my head over the extra little parts, frowned at the bushing and fit, gave the slide a little squeeze in the vise, hand lapped the frame/slide fit a few hundred times, reassembled and test fired. Hasn't missed a lick since then. Carried it while working for a rural SO. It's spent all of its days working. Rides in motorcycle saddlebags in all weathers, door pocket of my big trucks, under the seat of my pickups, gets shot whenever and wherever and braves it all. It's not jealous of any of the others in my safe either. Replaced a bushing and a couple of mags(my own fault) and a Cerakote refinish a few years back.(about time too). So as a confirmed unwashed heathen with friends in low places, I say shoot it till your hands get sore or you won't have faith. And you did steal it!!
 
#19 ·
Last year I purchased a new Colt 1991 series 80. It is a 9mm in Stainless. I made a few mods to eliminate the drop safety FP block. I removed those parts and installed the spacer to keep stuff from moving around. I installed a heavier firing pin rebound spring from Wolff. I am not sure that this improved the trigger performance much. It was crisp with a 3.5 pound pull NIB. Now it's 3 lbs and still crisp. I'm not sure that I can even feel the difference so I probably wasted a little time and money. I am a compulsive tinkerer so I had fun doing the work but, in retrospect, I don't think it was needed.


Feeding HP bullets can be a little iffy but everyone with a 1911 knows that. I have switched over to Wilson Combat and CMC mags designed to overcome 9mm feeding issues in traditional 1911's (those without ramped barrels) and they seem to do the trick. I am mostly a recreational shooter so I shoot FMJ ammo most of the time anyway.

Overall, I think my 1991 meets or exceeds my expectations and you should expect the same. I spent about $300 more than you so I envy your purchase.
 
#28 ·
I hope the OP and others wondering now know the truth: this is a fine pistol. Series 80 and 90 Colts are trustworthy reliable pistols and if the purists wish to perpetuate the stigma they are not "Series 70" and let good men gain this pistols cheaper on the market....its all good. I started a thread on this whole subject under Modern Handgun forum her on GB....its worth reading for those wondering about Series 70,80 and 90 pistols. I will jump to a bottom line ..the same purist crown in 1970 went into fits and slandered the 70 Series Colt as heresy for changing Brownings design....and today Series 70 is considered the gold standard.

On this and the other tread we have have the few who don't know and repeat the myths they've heard....negative remarks . However as you can see here on this thread the informed have stepped up and defended the truth.

Beyond the deal (it was killer ) for the OP, he got a great pistol.
 
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