The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - colt 1911 series 80 firing pin safety reliabillity?

Jim Watson · November 21, 2012, 08:05 AM

It took a while for Colt to get the bugs out of the firing pin obstruction, there were some duds early on. But that was going on 30 years ago and recent production is pretty good.
In the interest of lawyerproofing a defensive weapon, I have an OACP with firing pin block intact. It Just Works.
Likewise, I have a 1991A1 that I reinstalled the lawyer levers in when IDPA got huffy about "safety devices." It is just as reliable as it ever was without the superfluous parts and it has been shot a lot both ways.

One of Hilton Yam's cronies, Drake Oldham, abused some guns with drop tests and found that a stock .45 would go off if dropped on concrete on the muzzle from as little as 4 feet. A 9mm diameter titanium firing pin did not fire until dropped 6 feet on concrete. More resilient flooring raised the drop height. I know MY gun would not fire when dropped 6 feet on a linoleum over wood floor.

I would not worry about it and I would not mess with it. I have guns both ways and use them all.

November 21, 2012, 08:05 AM	#31
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,528	It took a while for Colt to get the bugs out of the firing pin obstruction, there were some duds early on. But that was going on 30 years ago and recent production is pretty good. In the interest of lawyerproofing a defensive weapon, I have an OACP with firing pin block intact. It Just Works. Likewise, I have a 1991A1 that I reinstalled the lawyer levers in when IDPA got huffy about "safety devices." It is just as reliable as it ever was without the superfluous parts and it has been shot a lot both ways. One of Hilton Yam's cronies, Drake Oldham, abused some guns with drop tests and found that a stock .45 would go off if dropped on concrete on the muzzle from as little as 4 feet. A 9mm diameter titanium firing pin did not fire until dropped 6 feet on concrete. More resilient flooring raised the drop height. I know MY gun would not fire when dropped 6 feet on a linoleum over wood floor. I would not worry about it and I would not mess with it. I have guns both ways and use them all.