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How is the slide to frame fit on the new series 70 colt guns. Are they about the same as the older guns, or did they fit the reproduction guns up any better. And which would be a better gun to have built up as a custom, old series 70 or new series 70. Thanks

I know I cannot speak for the craftsmen out there but from what I have seen and sent off to gun smiths for resale projects, and for clients the tendancy is to get the new roll mark series 70 as a new project piece.

The current steel seems to have been alloyed better and the little things that were issues 30 to 40 years ago are not now in the 2005 and later guns.

One smith called it a blank canvas. Another said he does not have to look for the large, or small letters,. A third mentioned similar comments.

Again. Hope this helps.

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Be safe and keep the brass flying

Terry Peters

Do your research but you get what you pay for front end or back end
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@ptpartners_tx

dbltap, Personally, I've found the NRM '70 series guns to be fit up better than the original '70 series guns. The frame/slide fit on these guns seems to be much better, and in some cases is perfect as-is. Also, I think they look better cosmetically than the early '70 series guns both with regard to rollmarks (in particular, the large letter guns), and the consistency of the lines.

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Don Williams
http://www.theactionworks.com
http://www.ltwguns.com

IMHO, the new 70's are head and shoulders above the old ones. Just my 02.

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CT Brian Custom
'Blending Art With Firepower'

I'm glad you asked that question, I've been wondering the same thing.

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE
Thunder Ranch THG & UR(x2), Gunsite 250C,
Yavapai Firearms Acad HG1(x2), HG2, & SG,
Shootrite Prvt Inst HG, NRA Life Member

Being that I'm not the one that has to do all of the work, I prefer the original 70series. There is something about the old Colts that just gets me going.

Are the new ones better from a machining and tolerance standpoint? I'm sure they are. But, big BUT, the originals are well, original. And while it may be more work (alot more work in some cases) for the guys whose talent is featured on these pages, they are still able to work their magic and fit them up so well that I'd never want for anything but. Just my .02.

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"If anything is within the powers and province of man, believe that it is within your own compass also."

-Marcus Aurelius

One odd difference between the new and old Series 70 Colts is that on the original Series 70 models (the ones that I have seen), on the right side of the slide it is stamped "COLT'S GOVERNMENT MODEL" while on the Series 70 reissues, the slide is stamped "COLT GOVERNMENT MODEL". A very small, but noticable difference.

What a timely post, I have been pondering the same question now that I am getting geared up for a custom build

The CNC machine seems to have resolved some prior issues, but there certainly isn't any individual attention paid these guns by colt-

On mine the trigger was plain awful, though not a big deal if being used as a base gun (though a bit expensive for one)..

As for the rollmarks, i have to say they're not perfect. On my new series 70 they're crooked (the lettering doesn't lie parallel to the bottom of the slide) and done too lightly such that some of the lettering vanishes with refinishing, cosmetically quite undesirable..

NIB I was unable to take the grips off my gun as one of the grip screws was stripped- i let Ted handle that one..

Despite this I've read posts suggesting more than a few smiths prefer these as base guns...

You can find good and bad examples in everything you encounter. I think that your odds of receiving a good straight base gun with a reasonable fit of frame/slide/barrel on the first purchase, sight-unseen is greater with the reissue Series '70. If you're looking for a pistol to use as-is out of the box, then you'd be better off to hand select rather than buy sight-unseen.

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www.HarrisonCustom.com

The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love and something to hope for.

The slide on my repro Series 70 is so sloppy it rattles if I shake the pistol. I bought it to use as a base gun so I haven't allowed myself to be too bothered by that. Someday soon, that will all be taken care of.

My experience with '70 Colts is very limited to perhaps a dozen. Most of the plunger tubes were loose and I had to re-install them correctly. I loved checkering the front straps on them because they were twice as soft as the Caspians I was building way back then. I also had to take down the rails and squeeze some slides on them. Most of the other smiths loved them and still do. (Colt 1911's, that is).

I thought they were erratic in quality and it was, and is, a crap shoot when you aquire them.

I recommend the new Colt's as platforms because what else is there out there worth spending money on? At the very least, you still have the Horse and the money is well spent with a competent smith. I would say the same for an "out of the box new shooter". BUY AMERICAN!

I have a couple original large letter S70's. I love them but there isnt a straight line on them.

Bottom line. Williams, Brian, Harrison say the new ones are better. Nostalgia aside, that says it all in my books.

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Gary Eastridge
http://www.randgfirearms.com