Which major manufacturers of 1911s besides colt have series 70s offered in addition to the series 80s?

Which major manufacturers of 1911s besides colt have series 70s offered in addition to the series 80s?

 

Colt is the only 1911 maker I know of that advertises both flavors.

I believe that Series 70 just indicates the lack of a firing pin safety. Dan Wessons all come this way. I believe that Kimber has their own type of fps (Schwartz?) that is equivalent, but not exactly the same as, a standard series 80 fps. I think any of the semi-customs (i.e. Les Baer, Wilson, etc) all lack an fps. I don't know that any of the nice, higher end 1911's even have it as an option. Most people seem to spend the extra money to not have it on their gun.

The STI 1911's, Ruger SR1911's and even the RIA's use the series 70 system and do not have firing pin block safety.

It's cheaper to have the 70, so people try and argue its more original...just not as drop safe, ha.

A lot of 1911's that eschew the series 80 or Swartz systems use titanium firing pins and stronger firing pin springs to accomplish drop safety.

It's cheaper to have the 70, so people try and argue its more original...just not as drop safe, ha.

 

You have to abuse a series 70 pretty badly to have it not be drop safe. Even without a titanium firing pin.

A lot of 1911's that eschew to series 80 or Swartz systems use titanium firing pins and stronger firing pin springs to accomplish drop safer.

 

Fixed.

 

I'm not afraid of a series 70, I just prefer series 80. [i own series 70 guns too... omg]

It's cheaper to have the 70, so people try and argue its more original...just not as drop safe, ha.

 

I have both and I don't think the 70 is any less safe.

 

The Series 80 came about due to one or two isolated incidents in the 70s. This was the time Jeff Cooper and others were really starting to popularize the 1911. You have to remember there were many who did a lot of modifications to 1911s like pinned grip safeties and stupidly light triggers and the full story of these "drop discharges" wasn't fully known. HP White did manage to make a 1911 drop discharge by dropping it from something like 10' on a concrete surface, using guy wires to guide the gun on a precise angle. If you work at it you can get any desired effect.

I have both and I don't think the 70 is any less safe.

 

The Series 80 came about due to one or two isolated incidents in the 70s. This was the time Jeff Cooper and others were really starting to popularize the 1911. You have to remember there were many who did a lot of modifications to 1911s like pinned grip safeties and stupidly light triggers and the full story of these "drop discharges" wasn't fully known. HP White did manage to make a 1911 drop discharge by dropping it from something like 10' on a concrete surface, using guy wires to guide the gun on a precise angle. If you work at it you can get any desired effect.

 

And if you have a light trigger, or Murphy helps and it lands right, a series 70 will discharge on dropped/thrown/stuff happens. A series 80 can't without complete failures that would most likely destroy the firearm at the same time (sheering the firing pin plunger or pin, etc).

 

Series 70 can be made pretty safe with a 4# or higher trigger, a heavier firing pin spring (resists), and proper sear engagement.

And if you have a light trigger, or Murphy helps and it lands right, a series 70 will discharge on dropped/thrown/stuff happens. A series 80 can't without complete failures that would most likely destroy the firearm at the same time (sheering the firing pin plunger or pin, etc).

 

Series 70 can be made pretty safe with a 4# or higher trigger, a heavier firing pin spring (resists), and proper sear engagement.

 

Actually a series 80 can and did. Got sucked into an MRI. The magnetic field caused the drop safety not to work. Might have been a kimber with the grip safety engaged FPS though.

I would think that if the Series 70 firing pin were so unsafe the military would have had issues with it during the first 60 years of using several million of them.

 

Don't get me wrong I'm not against safety devices.