Please explain Colt 1911A1's  to a dummy.  Is the 1991 the closest thing to an original 1911A1? Is this the series without the firing pin safety, and the 70 Series barrel bushing?

Im looking for the closest recreation to an original 1911A1 that Colt has to offer.

Not the WW1 1911 recreation

Thanks for the information and patience in advance

I think they make a series 70 repro, that would be your best bet.


Also, I don't think there is a difference in the bushing...

The firing pin safety isn't the only difference, IIRC? There's some differences in the lowered & flared ejection port & some slight relief under the trigger guard for a bit higher grip purchase. Sights are much better on the 1991 series versus the originals as well.

I would bow to SGB or whomever for the final word on this, though I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once...............      

Thanks for the responses guys. I can live with the lowered and flared ejection port, and updated sights, but I definately dont want the internal firing pin safety.

Ok... here goes...

Colt M1911:

- U notch sights
- Flat Mainspring housing
- Long trigger
- Long hammer spur
- Shorter grip safety
- "Solid" frame flats
- Walnut double diamond grips
- Blued finish

M1911A1:

- "improved" GI sights
- Arched Mainspring Housing
- Short trigger
- Shortened hammer spur
- Longer grip safety
- Scalloped frame at flats behind triggerguard
- Plastic checkered grips (on most)
- Parkerized finish (on most)

I usually forget something, but that's the gist.

The closest thing you can get to an M1911 is the Colt WWI repro, which is still not the real mc coy due to series 80 components (shorter hammer, firing pin stop plate, for example)

The closest thing you can get to the M1911A1 is the Springfield GI pistol. If this has the ILS locking system, all you need is a parkerized MSH with lanyard & vertical serrations, as well as a plastic set of grips and you have the closest thing to the real deal.

Colt makes a series 70 reissue that closely approximates the commercial 1911 that was based off the M1911A1. The difference between the S70 repro and the M1911A1 is the finish (available in blued or SS instread of parkerized), the "improved" improved GI style sights (GIs were a big improvement over the U-notch but they were a far cry from perfect), Rosewood double diamonds instead of checkered plastic (unfortunatly theirs is usually so ugly I'd take the plastic) and finally, the series 80 parts like the hammer, extractor, and firing pin stop plate (although it has S80 parts it does not incorporate the S80 safety... it still behaves like an S70 pistol).

- NO M1911 or M1911A1 had a lowered/flared ejection port. This was a hotrod custom tweak that became a mainstay on modern 1911s like SAs, Kimbers, "performance" Colts, etc.

- If you have no idea what the S70/S80 business is, see the sticky tacked on top of the 1911 forums.

- Edit: the 1991 is NOT close at all. In fact it is one of the furthest 1911s you can get from the real thing. There is no lowered/flared port on a real M1911A1 (don't know if the 1991 has one but that's a mismatch if so). There is no firing pin block safety (AKA series 80) on a M1911A1, but there is on the 1991. The sights are different, and it has the long trigger/flat MSH configuration of the M1911, not the short trigger/arched MSH of the M1911A1.

The 'improved' GI sights are a commercial creation. There is no practical difference between the sights on a 1911 vs. a 1911A1.

Series 70 with 'improved' GI sights.


A comparison of USGI 1911 and 1911A1 sights.

Quoted: Ok... here goes... Colt M1911: - U notch sights M1911A1: - "improved" GI sights

Quoted: Thanks for the responses guys. I can live with the lowered and flared ejection port, and updated sights, but I definately dont want the internal firing pin safety.

What's the beef with the ser 80 firing pin safety?  I have 5 Colts, 4 are ser 80 and all 4 have 3.5 to 4 lb triggers.  Until you get down lower than a 3lb trigger pull, the ser 80 parts don't add any problems.  A lot of people gripe about the safety in 1911s but shoot Glocks with them, Sigs, XD's... I don't get it.

If you like the looks of the 1991, but don't want the Ser 80, pull the ser 80 parts out, slide in a $3 spacer from Bronells and be done with it.

What do you mean by 1911a1?  Do you mean a 1911A1 military config as in WWII or do you really mean short trigger, arched main spring housing?

Now the org ser 70 used a collet bushing, the new Colt repo does not.  This is a good thing, the collet bushing fingers would brake.  

All the new colts have the dimple throated barrels and they will eat any hollow points you throw at them.  

The org 70 ser sights were small and not my favorite.  The repo 70 has the same sights as the 1991 but less the whit dots.

Hope this helps.

SGB has it.

by my terminology:

U-notch = M1911

Improved GI = M1911A1/Commercial Pre-80 (and certain S80s)

"Improved" Improved GI = Colt S70 Repro sights that are more visible than the original GI & earlier commercial S70 models.

Quoted: What's the beef with the ser 80 firing pin safety?

Some of us (me) think it's a solution in search of a problem. Why add moving parts that may sometime lock-up when you need it to save your life? Not me!    

Yep thats why my ccw is a SAA.

Quoted: Yep thats why my ccw is a SAA.

Thanks, Wyatt !

Quoted: Quoted: What's the beef with the ser 80 firing pin safety?   Some of us (me) think it's a solution in search of a problem. Why add moving parts that may sometime lock-up when you need it to save your life? Not me!

That's your right.  But I will say I have never seen one foul up that was not either bent by the guy putting it back together, or the guy just plain put it together wrong.

It might save a hole in some of your furnature or your leg if you drop it or have hammer follow.  

To me it is no big deal. If it didn't say series 80 on the slide, most people wouldn't know any better.

Well, I already own a Springfield GI, so is it my understanding that my best bet is to upgrade all MIM parrts with forged parts?

Not all MIM parts are bad, but getting rid of them is good. It's almost a win win situation.

Quoted: Well, I already own a Springfield GI, so is it my understanding that my best bet is to upgrade all MIM parts with forged parts?

Quoted: It might save a hole in some of your furnature or your leg if you drop it or have hammer follow.

I keep all my hammers on half-cock notch. I also don't drop them..............    

To me it is no big deal. If it didn't say series 80 on the slide, most people wouldn't know any better.

The trigger pull is noticeable if one shoots a FPS & non-FPS gun back to back, IMO.

Quoted: Quoted: It might save a hole in some of your furnature or your leg if you drop it or have hammer follow. I keep all my hammers on half-cock notch. I also don't drop them..............