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How the Officers ModelBack in 1986 when Colt was celebrating 150 years in business (1836 - 1986) Colt issued 1,000...
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1991 Colt Officer's .45 ACPIntroduced in 1985, the Colt Officers ACP is slightly smaller than the full-size 1911, with the barrel length reduced from 5" to 3.5"...
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1911 ColtThis John Browning patent gun, Model 1911, was so named for the year it was officially adopted for use by the United States Army...
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Series 70 Government ModelColt made the Series 70 Government Model from 1970 to 1983. There are no fasteners of any type in the 1911 design, excepting the grip screws..
Colt Government Mk. IV Series 70 (1970–1983)
Greg | 31 December 2023
Taylor and Zack are showing off their skill with the Government Model .45 at the range. Zack's first 5 at center mass and Taylor's first 5 at the head using the 1974 gun, which is more than a dozen years older than either of them. On our last visit to the indoor gun range, we put the Series 70 up against the Series 80 Gold Cup National Match. The contest was so close over-all that I thought it resulted in a toss-up. I'm pretty sure Zack preferred the Government Model because the first time he fired it, all five shots were touching the red dot at center mass.
Key Features
Technical specifications of the Colt Government Model 1911:
- Cartridge: .45 ACP
- Barrel: 5 in.
- Rate of twist: 1:16.
- Operation: Recoil-operated, closed breech, single action, semi-automatic
- Weight (unloaded): 2 lb 7 oz.
- Height: 5.25 in.
- Length: 8.25 in.
- Capacity: 7+1 rounds
- Safeties: A grip safety, sear disconnect, slide stop, a half cock position, and manual safety
When it goes to the gun range, it wears the original wood stocks, but when we return home and after a really good cleaning, the Elephant Ivory with U.S. Treasury Department insignias that were special made for me by Nutmeg Sports back in 2005 go right back on.
This gun is my third most carried gun. The 70 Series Government Model is not picky about what ammo I feed it. In all these years I can't recall ever having a misfire or jam with it. If you are a fan of the .45 ACP cartridge or the Model 1911 pistol, you should have at least one example of the Colt Series 70 in your collection.
Despite being challenged by newer and lighter weight pistol designs in .45 caliber, such as the Glock 21, the SIG Sauer P220, the Springfield XD and the Heckler & Koch USP, the M1911 shows no signs of decreasing popularity and continues to be widely present in various competitive matches such as those of USPSA, IDPA, IPSC, and Bullseye. Many of the shooters I talk to, prefer the Series 70 over the Series 80.