Old Colt, my first

[WilliamWallace]

I traded with a LEO today for this Colt 1991. It's a Series 80 that has been used. I traded something that I didn't want anymore and don't really get much joy out of... she will be missed just due to cool factor, but this Colt will become something I love and carry.
Well, the finish on it is really rough, but I figure this will be a great platform for a build. I want some better sights, too. It already has the single sided thumb safety, so that is good. I don't like the double for carry. My Kimber paperweight and my RIA both have it and it bugs me for carry.

The slide action is slick as snot and the trigger really isn't bad. Oh, the last guy put on a rounded mainspring housing and I don't like it, so I guess I will get a new one. He replaced the grip safety with a Wilson and the hammer with a Brown, so those are good. It's got the old roll mark, which I know is very unpopular, but I happen to dig it. So anyway, here is what you really clicked this thread for...



Well I just got done with a 2 hour cleaning of this thing. I have never seen a gun so dirty and gummed up. There was goop that I could run a fingernail through... the line of junk around the grips after I took them off had to almost be sanded off... I scrubbed and scrubbed. That stuff was years old. I pulled the extractor and was very surprised that it was, in fact, stainless... it was black when I pulled it out. I went through 10 q-tips (both sides) before that hole was clean.

I put on some Miltac grips, an EGW bushing and an extended magazine release. It's looking better already (updated pic to come). Now for refinishing options...

Edit: I do not mean to make the gentleman that I got this from sound bad... I am much indebted to him for the opportunity to trade for something I will really enjoy.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Gunnutty]

Very nice. I pick up Colts whenever I can or my budget allows. Let us know how she shoots.

[pogo2]

You could do a lot with that gun if you are willing to put in the time and money to improve it. It is a good base to build upon. Here is a used Colt series 80 Gold Cup that I have "messed with" a little:

[cphilip]

I seriously doubt the extractor is Stainless Steel because, really, SS does not make a good extractor. Here is where you want spring steel. You want some flexibility that SS does not offer. It might be polished up and maybe look like it could be SS but it should be Spring steel to work properly. SS is normally too brittle for this application. Some of them are MIM construction, which most do not like and change out but I have not seen any use of SS in these parts. I could be wrong. If it was me, and it WAS Stainless Steel, I would be changing it.

[pirate]

Very nice. I pick up Colts whenever I can or my budget allows. Let us know how she shoots.

Good advice we should all live by my wise friend

[QKShooter]

Actually that is not bad looking just the way it is.
That appearence is pretty typical for a carried Colt in Stainless Steel.
You could pretty much bet your bones on that pistol exactly as it is configured right now.

As long as you intend to switch out the mainspring housing....you might as well opt for a flared Mag Well like a Smith & Alexander in checkered Stainless & Flat.

See the pistol photo posted by Pogo above.

Even for a Carry Colt I think adding the extra .25" to the pistol butt for the flared mag well is worth it for the speed increase of hitting the mag well faster for quick reloads.

Though when I carried it - I would carry with a magazine that had no slam pad and make sure that my spare mags did have slam pads.

[WilliamWallace]

Though when I carried it - I would carry with a magazine that had no slam pad and make sure that my spare mags did have slam pads.

That's a good idea. I have wondered how one would carry mags like that.

Now I need to decide if I want to bobtail it or go with the extended magwell.

After cleaning, grips, bushing and mag release... I think I will Melonite the slide and bead blast the frame. I have always loved the reverse two tone look.





This is the part of the finish that is rough:

[T Bone]

Nice looking Pony, and as stated, a good base gun if you want to go custom.

I seriously doubt the extractor is Stainless Steel because, really, SS does not make a good extractor. Here is where you want spring steel. You want some flexibility that SS does not offer. It might be polished up and maybe look like it could be SS but it should be Spring steel to work properly. SS is normally too brittle for this application. Some of them are MIM construction, which most do not like and change out but I have not seen any use of SS in these parts. I could be wrong. If it was me, and it WAS Stainless Steel, I would be changing it.

Actually, Wilson Combat does offer their "Bullet Proof" slide stop in stainless or blue... there are others too (I am pretty sure Ed Brown offers theirs in stainless as well). Wilson's page

[QKShooter]

Somebody really had a tough time popping that there slide release/stop back in.

I have never seen arc skid marks on the slide from installing that.

[cphilip]

Nice looking Pony, and as stated, a good base gun if you want to go custom.



Actually, Wilson Combat does offer their "Bullet Proof" slide stop in stainless or blue... there are others too (I am pretty sure Ed Brown offers theirs in stainless as well). Wilson's page

I suppose there is some sort of a Stainless that is flexible enough. Most o them are not though. Not that I would care for it (don't care for the idea of MIM here either but they make those too) but their must indeed be one that is close enough or nobody would make it and offer it I guess. I doubt Colt used it though. Not to say its not aftermarket?

The original design calls for Tool spring steel and it works best overall. Since this is such a critical part I think it best to stick to it. But lots of the manufacturers don't anymore. Most of us change that right back when we get them.

[frostyeyes]

WW have you thought about putting a few rounds downrange before doing any Mods????? If you mod first then there is a function problem you may find yourself chasing things that may or maynot have been there to bgin with. Just my .02

[QKShooter]

Much depends on the specific Stainless alloy and how that Stainless steel is hardened and then tempered back.
That determines its ultimate flexibility.

As an example - My recoil springs in all of my 1911 pistols are Falcon Arms Chrome Silicon Stainless and they are rated at twice the compression cycles of Carbon steel recoil springs.

[cphilip]

Good point QK. But John Browning would cring... all this new fangled dern stuff.

[WilliamWallace]

WW have you thought about putting a few rounds downrange before doing any Mods????? If you mod first then there is a function problem you may find yourself chasing things that may or maynot have been there to bgin with. Just my .02

Yes sir, I will certainly do that before I mod it. I was looking at all the things EGW has listed that they will do to a gun... man I could spend some coin there. I am currently thinking of only doing a different trigger, a flat mainspring housing and a new finish... though I would like a qualified gunsmith to take a look at it to tell me if the sear or anything has been screwed with... just so I know it is actually safe to carry.

Man, I could have saved you all a lot of time if I had said what I meant about the extractor... I didn't mean to say stainless steel, I only meant that it was in fact, not blued, as I originally thought it was due to the color.

[rhinokrk]

I picked up the same pistol a few months ago, with no mods. Long plastic trigger and MSH. Only a 600 rnds through her so far but no issues, still deciding what and who to do to it.