Would the 70s series have the better trigger than the lawyered up 80 series or do you find little difference? Do they come crisp and clean from the factory or do they need work? 4-5lb pull?

Quite honestly, most people wouldn't know the difference between pulls on a stock pistol. They may say they can but it's really more how well the sear is mated to the hammer.

Unless you're paying for an upper-tier pistol, there aren't many factory triggers that come "crisp and clean" and 4-5lbs.  That's a simple side-effect of economic factors.  Tuning a trigger requires skill hand-work or tightly controlled manufacturing tolerances (or both), and at average shelf prices--even for decent quality pistols--you won't get a lot of hand-tuning.

Understanding that to start with, if you want someone to tune a trigger for you, it will be easier to do a nice job on a pre-80's series trigger.  That's not to say an 80's series trigger can't be tuned--it can, and to a point where you'd need a magic finger to tell the difference--but it requires more work...which means more cost.

On the other hand, an 80 can be given an "acceptable" trigger job with not too much trouble, and you always have the option of removing the 80s-series parts, adding a shim and converting it to the simpler trigger.

Short answer, I wouldn't let the 80s series safety stop me from buying a pistol if the deal was right, but if I'm looking at two pistols and all else is equal, I'll buy the one without the 80's series parts.

What they said. I have both with trigger jobs and can't tell the difference.

Both AWESOME.  


The most important info to walk away from this is...

...that 1911s have the best trigger.  One that is significantly better than other pistols.  
And it is a safe carry trigger, because of the thumb safety.  Unlike Glock or "clones" thereof.  

I own both and really can't tell a difference. Trigger jobs are straight forward either way.

Echoing all of the above.

It's just not a big deal anymore.

Barely perceptible from the factory, if at all.

Gunsmiths know how to tune these triggers now.

Most people couldn't tell a difference across the entire spectrum of trigger tuning, one or the other.

These days, anyone making noise about S80 vs S70 is typically just a tired out traditionalist argument.  (which makes so much sense on a gun where you personalize 50% of the thing anyways)

However, S70 does offer a simpler design and less parts.  Not really a big deal.

The only difference is fewer parts. People who don't shoot 1911s continually bag on S80 triggers because they heard they were bad on the Internet. I've been shooting 1911s for decades, and none of them have had triggers that I would call truly shitty.

Now, if you're an Olympic target shooter with a surgical feel for trigger pull, you might be able to discern between them, but most shooters cannot honestly say they can tell a big difference.

I've got a S80 Rail Gun, and it has one of the nicest triggers imaginable for a (mostly) box stock pistol.

I have a 70 Gold Cup with a trigger job and an 80 without one and I much prefer the 70. But even my WWI 1911 has a better trigger than that 80 or my Sig 1911.

no, it's only imagined. It's like a lot of people think they can shift faster with a clutch than a paddle. The concept is quite idiotic but they believe it.

Series 80trigger jobs vs series 70trigger jobs if you think you can tell the difference you're lying to yourself