[Tactical Jackalope]

Winchester_73 - I agree 100%

freebird72 -

I would say get it blued. A blued 1911 is the best looking semi auto gun around, in my opinion anyways.

Thinking about it... o.O

FloridaVeteran -

Constantine - I own a satin nickel Series 70 Combat Commander that I bought new in 1972 or 73. None, zero, of the exposed parts were blued, not the trigger, nada. In your OP you mentioned stainless, but the finish looks like nickel and the conversation has drifted toward that. Satin nickel guns of that series did not come with blued triggers, to my knowledge. Even though the sights and grip safety (and obviously the Pachmayer grips) may well have been after-market improvements, it seems odd to me that the trigger would have been changed out for one that from the photo appears equally non-adjustable, a la a Gold Cup's. I had mine tuned for competition (Peterson's in Mount Dora) and they never suggested changing out the trigger.

Have you checked a serial number source to be sure you aren't looking at a "continuation series" model that began in 2002-05? My gun's SN is 70SC33xxx, FWIW. Not saying you don't have a good buy there, but the gun you are looking at either has been tweaked a lot (possibly to your advantage) or maybe it is not a Series 70 from the 1970s. Also, have you dropped the firing pin retainer to see if the number jives with the SN on the gun?

Yeah, the owner before me modified the heck out of the thing. Which I don't mind, cause I'm going to do the same thing. Just better

It's a 70 series, lol don't worry. Thank you though!


Winchester_73 -

Have you checked a serial number source to be sure you aren't looking at a "continuation series" model that began in 2002-05? My gun's SN is 70SC33xxx, FWIW.

I verified that the new series 70 guns use different prefixes such as "71G" instead of "70G" so as not to confuse anyone who knows the older SN prefixes / suffixes.

The SN shown by Constantine in the photo he provided of 70B31528 (to my eye) would be a 1982 or 1983 production per online sources quoting RL Wilson. We do know that the "70B" prefix started in 1981. We also know that later in 1983 the Series 80 guns came out, with a changed prefix / suffix for the SN.

His gun appears to be a true blue series 70 AFAIK.

What he said ^^^^ lol Thanks.




rodfac -

Saw the pics, Constantine....the exterior looks ok to me and better than what I'd imagined from your original post. As to satin nickle as a finish...I've had two Colts finished that way, and they're about as close to stainless steel in corrosion resistance as you can find in a stock factory finish. Canoe trips in wet weather a week at a time, four days in a wet leather holster with no adverse freckling...that satin nickle has held up to ordinary holster wear too.

Gotta ask tho, did you go through the basic safety/functionality checks when you checked it out? When parts are changed out, some of the following sometimes get overlooked. These are the basic checks I make with my 1911's every time I use them...and I do the same with friend's guns when they come over to shoot.


If all those are OK, I'd buy it and get to work on what ever level of restoration I'd be interested in.

Best Regards, Rod

I may or may not redo it in satin nickel. Really depends on the parts I add onto it. If it needs cutting and what not. I may just do it. That's why I refinished the SA one, cause of the Ed Brown beaver tail being .250 as opposed to .220 I think..


As for the checks, OF COURSE!!!


1. Hammer won't fall if grip safety alone is depressed, with thumb safety engaged & trigger is pulled. ----- did this. A ok.

2. Hammer won't fall with thumb safety off, and grip safety not depressed, while trigger is pulled. ----- A ok!

3. Hammer won't fall if both safeties are depressed, when slide is released with trigger pressed. ----- A ok!!

4. Hammer won't fall if slide is slightly retracted, when trigger is pulled. ----- darn..I gotta do that one.

5. Magazine lips in good condition? ----- Yes indeed.

6. Half-cock notch on hammer works? ----- gotta do that one too.

7. Any slide/frame battering down where the recoil spring guide seats against the frame? ----- ugh -__-

8. Slide/frame rail condition...from shade tree gunsmith "tightening"? ----- Well...it's loose like a typical Colt. But nothing crazy.