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Posted: 10/6/2014 12:03:53 PM EDT
Series 70 worked great for how many years?  Then they released the 80 series, with more parts, which means more to possibly fail.

What, if any, liabilities are there with converting an 80 to a 70?
Link Posted: 10/6/2014 12:26:17 PM EDT
[#1]
I would buy a series 70, rather than "convert" a series 80.
Link Posted: 10/6/2014 12:31:03 PM EDT
[#2]
Replace or buy a new pistol. I have both series and neither one works better than the other.
Link Posted: 10/6/2014 3:13:43 PM EDT
[#3]
Depends on the state and area you live
Link Posted: 11/16/2014 11:10:19 PM EDT
[#4]
What kind of liability are you talking about?  A shooting where you you were justified in protecting your life?  In that instance, i don't think any modifications to the gun make a difference, you had a right to pull the trigger.

If you are talking about an accidental shooting because your gun discharged, your are liable for your actions regardless of the weapon.

I am not a lawyer, those are the lessons that I learned in my CWP class.
Link Posted: 11/17/2014 10:42:43 AM EDT
[#5]
I have both.
A Springfield series 70 and a Colt Gold Cup Trophy, series 80.
Like you, I kinda' prefer series 70, but the Colt is a better gun than the Springfield and I don't worry about the series 80 parts failing.
The Colt is a bit of a PITA to slide strip, but I'm good with my hands and with tiny parts.
Link Posted: 11/17/2014 12:38:23 PM EDT
[#6]
Quoted:
Series 70 worked great for how many years?  Then they released the 80 series, with more parts, which means more to possibly fail.

What, if any, liabilities are there with converting an 80 to a 70?
View Quote


My carry gun is a LW Commander with the series 80 guts.  I've been carrying it for 15+ years.  I've around 30,000? rounds through it.
I've never had any sort of failure or hiccup with the internal parts of that pistol, safety or otherwise.
I've never heard of a failure out here in the real world.

As a previous poster said, if you drop your Series 70 pistol and there's an AD then you're liable.
In a defensive shooting, that's up to the DA and the jury to decide.
Link Posted: 11/17/2014 12:59:34 PM EDT
[#7]
How many Series 80 guns have failed?
Link Posted: 11/17/2014 1:05:34 PM EDT
[#8]
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Quoted:
How many Series 80 guns have failed?
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I wonder myself.  My gun has the same internal parts my late gunsmith installed in 1996.
No issues here.  Never witnessed a failure.  Never heard of one in the real world.

Old internet wives-tale?

Link Posted: 11/18/2014 7:01:07 AM EDT
[#10]
I don't see the point of risking it.

Virtually every modern firearm uses one like it; so it's not like it's not reliable. Never heard of a firing pin safety failing on any gun; let alone a series 80 1911.
Link Posted: 11/18/2014 9:47:04 AM EDT
[#11]
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I've got a conversion on one of mine, they were popular after Colt introduced the 80 series, and I've got one that doesn't have it and neither have given me any issues. I think it's kind of a non-issue- if you want it go for it, but I don't see it as mandatory and doubt I'd do it to any future guns I may purchase.  Then again, I'm not one of those who believes your defensive gun needs to be bone stock either.    
Link Posted: 11/19/2014 4:09:29 PM EDT
[#12]
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Quoted:
I don't see the point of risking it.

Virtually every modern firearm uses one like it; so it's not like it's not reliable. Never heard of a firing pin safety failing on any gun; let alone a series 80 1911.
View Quote



I'm in this camp.  If you already have a series 80, just think of it like most other modern pistols with a firing pin block that gets depressed in one manner or another when shooting.  That being said, a series 70 does give a little piece of mind.

But most Glock guys will tell you the grip safety is the big thing to worry about.  And admittedly, there were a few times when practicing drawing and shooting that I didn't depress it properly from a little bit too loose of hold.   But that was with a curved MSH on a GI style tang using high thumbs grip.  Or thumbs forward.  However you want to say it.  I don't seem to have that problem with a flat MSH and using a thumb over thumb hold . And a grip safety with the big "memory bump" seems pretty hard to not engage.
Link Posted: 11/20/2014 10:28:53 PM EDT
[#13]
I don't mind the 80 Series type firing pin safety myself,  but if someone removed one from their gun in Florida and the shoot was good and not accidental, in this state it would make absolutely no difference in the legal outcome.

I'd imagine different states have their own laws.
Link Posted: 11/21/2014 8:53:23 AM EDT
[#14]
A friend of mine had an 80 series malfunction at LFI during the qualification shoot so I don't blame you for wanting to modify it - mine don't have the block but if they did I think I would.
Link Posted: 11/22/2014 1:21:42 AM EDT
[#15]
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Quoted:
A friend of mine had an 80 series malfunction at LFI during the qualification shoot so I don't blame you for wanting to modify it - mine don't have the block but if they did I think I would.
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What was the malfunction?
Link Posted: 11/23/2014 8:23:51 AM EDT
[#16]
I had a S80 fail on a Combat Commander.  The little leg that pushes up the firing pin block was cracked and it wasn't raising the FPB enough to clear.  It started as an intermittent failure to fire.  After a few more magazines, it failed every time.  



I don't know how that leg got cracked and I'm sure that it was one of those weird 1/1000000 coincidences....but I won't have S80 in a carry gun again.
Link Posted: 11/23/2014 8:53:03 PM EDT
[#17]
Deactivating a safety on a lethal weapon?

Not something I'd do.

Not something I'd recommend other people do.
Link Posted: 11/24/2014 1:25:21 AM EDT
[#18]

Quoted:



What, if any, liabilities are there with converting an 80 to a 70?
View Quote




 
Realistically, none. There are plenty of 1911's out there with no firing pin safeties and they are not going off when dropped, provided you use a proper firing pin and firing pin spring. In a self-defense shooting, anything can be a possible liability, including even using a 1911 to begin with ("hair" trigger, so "dangerous" police don't even use them, outdated/obsolete, etc).
Link Posted: 11/24/2014 3:49:11 PM EDT
[#19]

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Quoted:
What was the malfunction?
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Quoted:



Quoted:

A friend of mine had an 80 series malfunction at LFI during the qualification shoot so I don't blame you for wanting to modify it - mine don't have the block but if they did I think I would.




What was the malfunction?
Wish I could remember; but the gun would not fire; block must have stuck or some such thing - just been too many years ago. He didn't take time to strip it then; just grabbed another gun and reshot the qual.



 
Link Posted: 12/4/2014 11:18:11 AM EDT
[#21]
Link Posted: 12/4/2014 2:27:00 PM EDT
[#22]
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Quoted:


Poor maintenance. The firing pin spring needs to be replaced every time the recoil spring is replaced, around 3000 rounds. Very few people do this.  
 
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Quoted:


Poor maintenance. The firing pin spring needs to be replaced every time the recoil spring is replaced, around 3000 rounds. Very few people do this.  
 


OP said the pistol has less than 1,500 rounds through it.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile
Link Posted: 12/4/2014 4:45:41 PM EDT
[#23]
Link Posted: 12/15/2014 11:35:09 AM EDT
[#24]
As long as the gun isn't dropped from over 8ft muzzle first it should be okay.

A titanium fp and/or xp firing pin spring would work fine, as well.

The series 80 came to be during a bit of a resurgence during that time period. Drop standards set by some states/agencies had a few manufacturers add such devices.

It's much ado over nothing. I went to series 70 only after the original series 80 frame was damaged beyond repair. As long as the linkage parts have no rough spots/burrs the difference in trigger feel and pull weight is nearly imperceptible.
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